Sun Valley Holiday Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Wishing you a very special Sun Valley Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or Solstice.
Good fun, good food, good friends and good family define our holidays. Making some dishes head of “the day” leaves time for skiing on Baldy, snow shoeing at Galena, or enjoying the Nordic trails throughout the Wood River Valley. Or perhaps you just want to bring it down a notch by curling up with a good book.
If you aren’t in Sun Valley for Christmas and New Years, I hope you make it here before the next big snow storm.
Here’s my favorite and yummiest make-ahead mashed potato recipe. And yes, it’s a good idea to do something active to offset the dairy in this recipe. Or not.
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MAKE AHEAD GOAT CHEESE MASHED POTATOES
NOTES:
- Make your holiday easy and prepare these mashed potatoes ahead.
- Assemble the dish, including the Parmesan, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bake before serving.
- You can peel the Yukon gold potatoes. Or not. I don’t. You might think I'm lazy, but I like to think I created the best "rustic" mashed potato recipe ever!
INGREDIENTS: Serves 6-8
3 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 3/4-inch chunks
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6-8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Chopped Green Onions (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the potatoes, garlic and 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. Test at 15 minutes so you don’t over cook.
- Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash them with a hand-held electric mixer. While the potatoes are still hot, stir in the goat cheese, butter, sour cream, half-and-half, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a 9 x 12 x 2-inch oval baking dish, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Sprinkle with optional chopped green onions. Serve hot.
