Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (110 page)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Katrine Rose

Woodbridge, VA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2 lbs. baking potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ½” cubes

¼ cup water

3 Tbsp. butter, sliced

1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 cup milk

1. Combine all ingredients, except milk, in slow cooker. Toss to combine.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 7 hours, or on High 4 hours.

3. Add milk to potatoes during last 30 minutes of cooking time.

4. Mash potatoes with potato masher or electric mixer until fairly smooth.

Stockings are one tradition we all love. I shop all year for special treats for the youngest to the oldest. It is super fun!

Carol Duree, Salina, KS

Make Ahead Mixed Potatoes Florentine

Becky Frey

Lebanon, PA

Makes 10-12 servings

Prep. Time: 45-60 minutes

Cooking Time: 8-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

6 medium-sized white potatoes

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, pressed

8 oz. low-fat,
or
non-fat, cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup non-fat sour cream

½ cup non-fat plain yogurt

1 tsp. salt,
or
to taste

1-1½ tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. black pepper

10-oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1. Peel and quarter both white and sweet potatoes. Place in slow cooker. Barely cover with water.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until potatoes are falling-apart-tender.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan sauté onion and garlic in butter and olive oil, on low heat, until soft and golden.

4. In an electric mixer bowl, combine sautéed onion and garlic with cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, salt, dill weed, and pepper. Whip until well blended. Set aside.

5. Drain off some of the potato cooking water, but reserve. Mash potatoes in some of their cooking water until soft and creamy. Add more cooking water if you’d like a creamier result.

6. Stir onion-cheese mixture into mashed potatoes.

7. Fold spinach into potato mixture.

8. Turn into greased 4-qt. slow cooker. Cook for 2 hours on Low, or until heated through.

9. If you’ve made the potatoes a day or so in advance of serving them, refrigerate them until the day of your gathering. Then heat potatoes in slow cooker for 3-4 hours on Low, or until heated through.

Variation:

You can use 1 cup plain yogurt and omit the sour cream, or vice versa. The more yogurt, the greater the savory tang.

Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes

Deborah Swartz

Grottoes, VA

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

5 lbs. potatoes

8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ cup crisp bacon, crumbled

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

1. Cook and mash potatoes.
*

2. Place mashed potatoes in lightly greased slow cooker.

3. Stir in all remaining ingredients except butter.

4. Dot with butter.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours.

Variations:

1. These potatoes can be made several days ahead and refrigerated.

2. Cook cold, refrigerated potatoes on Low 5 hours, or until heated through.

3. If you wish, sprinkle 1 cup cheddar cheese over top of potatoes during their last half hour in slow cooker.

4. Substitute chopped ham for bacon.

5. Add 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives to Step 2.

*
For instructions for cooking and mashing potatoes, see recipe for “Mashed Potatoes” on
page 220
of this Cookbook.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Brenda S. Burkholder

Port Republic, VA

Makes 10-12 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

2 tsp. salt

¾ stick (6 Tbsp.) butter, melted

2¼ cups milk

6⅞ cups potato flakes

6 cups water

1 cup sour cream

4-5 oz. (approximately half a large pkg.) cream cheese, softened

1. Combine first five ingredients as directed on potato flakes box.

2. Whip cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy. Blend in sour cream.

3. Fold potatoes into cheese and sour cream. Beat well. Place in slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 3-5 hours.

Creamy Red Potatoes

Kayla Snyder

North East, PA

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking Time: 3½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

1 cup milk

½ tsp. garlic powder

¾ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes

1 tsp. parsley flakes

2 3-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 lbs. red potatoes

1. Make a white sauce in a saucepan by melting butter, stirring in flour, and adding milk. Whisk and stir until smooth and thickened.

2. Add seasonings. Beat in cream cheese until smooth.

3. Cut up unpeeled potatoes into 1”-2” cubes.

4. Layer potatoes and sauce in slow cooker.

5. Cover. Cook on High 3½ hours, or until potatoes are as soft as you like them.

Tips:

1. 5 lbs. of potatoes fills up a 3-qt. slow-cooker nicely.

2. Mix up the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it. Then when you’re ready, cut up the potatoes, and put them and the sauce in your slow cooker.

Sunday Dinner Potatoes

Ruth Ann Penner

Hillsboro, KS

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

4 cups cooked, sliced potatoes

5⅔ Tbsp. (⅓ cup) butter