Potatoes

A Blast from the Past – Make Ahead Holiday Recipes

I’m leaving for the Philadelphia area Tuesday, so I’m in a hurry today – just like everyone else. Here are several great ‘make ahead’ dishes from 2014. Preparing several dishes ahead of The Big Day makes everything so much easier. Enjoy!!

Click on recipe title, which will bring you to that recipe!

Here’s the one thing you DON’T make ahead – Roasted Turkey Breast (or Turkey) with White Wine, Apples & Oranges – and Savory Gravy

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

Make Ahead Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a Splash of Brandy

Make Ahead Herbed Stuffing with Baby Bella Mushrooms

Green Beans with Browned Butter and Sesame Seeds – Browned Butter Can Be Prepared Ahead

Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Apple and a Touch of Cinnamon

November 20, 2016November 20, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!3 Comments

Make Ahead Loaded Mashed Potatoes – Tastes Like Loaded Baked Potatoes!

my-yellow-farmhouse-autumn-2016 — Happy Thanksgiving from My Yellow Farmhouse

These potatoes can served immediately or they can be made a day ahead.

You have two choices for heating them the next day.

Potato mixture can be warmed in a slow cooker for 3 – 3 1/2 hours before serving – OR – baked in a 3 quart COVERED casserole at 350F for about an hour.

Sometimes we make a Happy Mistake, as I just did. The recipe I was adapting called for 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese. But.. I put in THREE cups of cheese. Guess what? It’s tastes AWESOME – just like loaded baked potatoes.

So now you have two ways to prepare this. The original version, with one cup shredded cheese- OR – the ‘Tastes Like Loaded Baked Potatoes’ version with three cups shredded cheese! And two ways to heat the potatoes the next day!

Ingredients & Method

3 ½ – 4 lbs. white peeled potatoes, cut into small pieces (About 10 good-sized potatoes.) OR – 3 packages (20 oz. each) precooked, diced potatoes like “Simply Potatoes” ++ I used these for the first time and loved the convenience – no peeling… no cutting!
8 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
½ cup butter, softened and cut into chunks
1/2 cup milk
½ lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled ++ Reserve 2 Tbs.bacon crumbles for serving ++ I cut the bacon into pieces using kitchen shears before cooking it ; o )
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese ++ I purchased a mixture of both cheeses
++ Add 3 cups shredded cheese for the ‘Tastes Like Loaded Baked Potatoes’ version
3 green onions, sliced thin ++ Use the green part as well
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp salt
1/4 pepper

Place peeled and diced potatoes in a Dutch Oven. Cover potatoes with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook potatoes, uncovered, until tender – between 10 to 15 minutes. ++ The more well-cooked the potatoes, the less the likely-hood of having lumpy potatoes.

Drain potatoes and return to pan. Mash with cream cheese, sour cream, butter and milk. Add bacon crumbles (Reserve 2 Tbs.bacon crumbles for serving.), ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese, ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 3 green onions, 1/4 tsp. garlic salt, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 pepper.

++ Add a total of 3 cups shredded cheese for the ‘Tastes Just Like Baked Potatoes’ version.

If serving immediately, made sure potato mixture is heated through. Sprinkle on 2 Tbs bacon bits and serve. OR – cover and refrigerator overnight.

You have two choices for heating the potatoes the next day:

1. Potato mixture can be warmed in a slow cooker for 3 – 3 1/2 hours. Sprinkle on 2 Tbs. crumbled bacon right before serving.

2. Bake in a 3 quart COVERED casserole at 350F for about an hour – or until heated through. ++ Stir potatoes midway through cooking. Sprinkle on 2 Tbs. crumbled bacon right before serving. ++ I suggest taking the prepared potato mixture out of the fridge about an hour before reheating in the oven.

slow-cooker-loaded-mashed-potatoes-my-yellow-farmhouse

2-slow-cooker-loaded-mashed-potatoes-my-yellow-farmhouse

3-slow-cooker-loaded-mashed-potatoes-myyellowfarmhouse-com

slow-cooker-loaded-mashed-potatoes-myyellowfarmhouse-com

November 20, 2016December 22, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!4 Comments

Make-Ahead Turkey Dinner – Recipe No. 1 – “Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives”

+ Prepare ‘Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives’ one night before. +

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives is the 1st in a series of 6 ‘make ahead’ recipes, all of which can be prepared – or prepped – a day or two ahead, which will help to make your busy life a bit easier! By preparing a few dishes each night for two nights, all you’ll need to do the day of The Big Feast is cook the turkey, make the gravy and cook the green beans.

Recently I had several friends here at My Yellow Farmhouse to taste-test these recipes and got rave reviews on everything!! And, for once, my kitchen was not a disaster zone.

(Karl.. the first man to ever ask me for a recipe, I posted this recipe first just for you! And E.I, I’ll post the recipe for the gravy next since you loved it so much!)

Everything was very casual the night my friends came to sample my new recipes.

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and Chives

Green Beans with Browned Butter and Sesame Seeds

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/22/green-beans-with-browned-butter-and-sesame-seeds-browned-butter-can-be-prepared-ahead/

Herb Stuffing with Baby Bella Mushrooms, Celery and Onion

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/15/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipe-no-3-herb-stuffing-with-baby-bella-mushrooms/

Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a Splash of Bourbon

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/15/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipe-no-2-sweet-potatoes-with-cinnamon-nutmeg-and-a-splash-of-brandy/

Turkey Breast (or Turkey) with White Wine, Oranges and Apples & Savory Turkey Gravy

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/17/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipes-no-4-5-roasted-turkey-breast-or-whole-turkey-with-white-wine-oranges-and-apples-savory-turkey-gravy/

Bonus Recipe – Homemade Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce with Apple and a Hint of Cinnamon

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/20/homemade-whole-berry-cranberry-sauce-with-apple-and-a-hint-of-cinnamon/

INGREDIENTS AND METHOD

8 – 9 large gold potatoes ++ About half 2 1/2 – 3 pounds ++ Half a 5 lb. bag
5 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 Tbs. minced fresh chives
1 cup milk

Peel and cut into chunks 8 – 9 large gold potatoes. Place in a large saucepan and cover potatoes with cold water. Bring water to a boil and simmer potato chunks until they break apart when pierced with a fork. (Thanks Ina Garten for that tip!) The cooking time will depend upon how large your potato chunks are – it should take about 15 – 20 minutes after the water has come to a boil.

Turn off heat. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Place saucepan on the same (turned off) burner. Add 5 Tbs. butter, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and 3 Tbs. minced fresh chives. Mash well until potato chunks are broken down.

Add 1 cup milk. With mixer, beat potatoes for about a minute – just until everything is well combined. ++ If you beat mashed potatoes too long, they can become gummy.

Pour into a heatproof or microwavable casserole, depending upon if you plan to reheat the Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives in a microwave or oven. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate.

I have a small refrigerator in my cellar, so I was able to place all the ‘made-ahead’ dishes there. You can always use a large cooler or two – just be sure to keep the temperature good and cold.

++ I was really pleased to see how these potatoes remained nice and creamy. The regular mashed potatoes I prepared just a few hours before the meal actually dried up a bit …but it was nothing a bit more milk couldn’t fix.

Luckily, I have a rack for my microwave, so I reheated both the Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives and the regular mashed potatoes in the microwave.

If you chose to reheat these potatoes in the oven, set it at 360F. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and heat for about 40 minutes, during which time you can allow your turkey to ‘rest’ uncovered. ++Allowing cooked meat to ‘rest’ makes the meat juicer. Plus it’s often easier to carve – which means … no shredded turkey!