Crazy Cooking Challenge: Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

I'm so excited! This is my first post with the Crazy Cooking Challenge! November's theme is mashed potatoes, so I scoured the blogosphere for a new and tasty recipe. I adore mashed potatoes. I have recently discovered that I love mashed red potatoes. With the skins on?

And lots of yummy stuff added?

Mmm. I thought it sounded delicious to add cream cheese to the already delightful potatoes, so I searched for a recipe containing that, as well as one limited to the ingredients I possessed (we aren't close to a grocery store and I didn't find my recipe before our shopping trip...). Finally I found a yummy looking recipe on a blog called La Phemme Phoodie. Unfortunately, the recipe called for chive and onion cream cheese (which I'm sure is delicious, but which I did not have!), so I tweaked it just a bit. Since the chive and onion flavor would be missing, I added a couple of cloves of garlic to the boiling potatoes to compensate.

These potatoes are delicious and rich, including milk, butter, sour cream and cream cheese! They are smooth and creamy, and the addition of the cream cheese adds a delightful tang. I cannot accurately call them "Chive & Onion Mashed Potatoes" as she does, but they were delicious nonetheless!! They were a perfect compliment to our cider pork roast and green beans, and they would be more than welcome at our Thanksgiving table in just a few weeks!

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
(printable version)

adapted from "Chive & Onion Mashed Potatoes" by La Phemme Phoodie

2 lb. small red potatoes, quartered

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. sour cream

1 tub (8 oz.) cream cheese

2-3 garlic cloves, halved

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, garlic and bay leaf. Cook until potatoes are tender, but still firm, about 10 min. Drain and place in a large bowl (or simply return to pan- not over heat)- remove bay leaf.

Combine potatoes with butter, milk, sour cream, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Mash together until smooth and creamy (or desired consistency).

Serves 8 (I halved it for the two of us and we had about a cup leftover)