Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

There's so much going on when making Thanksgiving dinner that anything I can do ahead of time is great. I've made these a couple of times now and they are delish - the secret is to not add the butter until you're ready to serve the potatoes. You can make these up to 2 days ahead of time - 30 minutes prior to serving warm them up and then stir in the butter.

• 3 pounds medium Idaho potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half, heated plus extra if necessary
• Salt
• 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened

1. Place potatoes in a large pot with water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a thin-bladed knife, about 20 minutes.

2. Run unpeeled potatoes thru a food mill into a medium bowl. Or, holding hot potatoes with a pot holder, peel them, then place them in a standing mixer and beat until smooth; or place in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer. Add half-and-half and a generous sprinkling of salt to potatoes. Stir, or continue to beat, adding more half-and-half if necessary, until smooth, light, and fluffy.
-If not serving immediately, transfer to a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Or if making ahead, cool, cover, and refrigerate. 30 minutes before serving, microwave potatoes until warm and pour into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or simply warm them in heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water).

3. Stir butter into potatoes until melted. Serve, or cover with plastic wrap and keep warm over simmering water until ready to serve. Makes 8-10 servings.

Note: that's the instructions given with the recipe, I did not warm back up over simmering water but simply microwaved until hot, if you do it that way check if they need more half-and-half to moisten them. Tesha made them last Thanksgiving and after they were mashed with half-and-half she put them in a crock pot to keep warm, then added the butter before serving.

Recipe from "perfect recipes for having people over" by Pam Anderson