Say hello to your new favorite way to make everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Yes, the crockpot!! You guys, in all honesty, if there was ever a crockpot recipe to know how to make, it has got to be these mashed potatoes. If you think about it, it’s kind of brilliant. Let me put it this way, not only does it free up space on the stove, but it there’s NO BOILING the potatoes and so much less clean up, AND the crockpot will keep your mashers warm until ready to eat, meaning no reheating necessary. YESSS. It’s like our Thanksgiving prayers of have been answered. Slightly dramatic, but kind of true, seeing that everyone has mashed potatoes on their Thanksgiving table…I mean, they are everyone’s favorite turkey day side, right?! Every year on Turkey Day, Mom and I bake pies in the morning and then my family will typically go to cut down our Christmas tree, while I cook away in the kitchen. Some years I’ll hike up the hill with them, but in recent years I have had so many dishes that I MUST make (I mean there are so many great dishes I want to get on the table!) that I end up staying back in the kitchen. This is totally fine by me because I blast Christmas music and have a “no pressure” cooking day. I know for a lot of you Thanksgiving day is stressful, but for me, it’s one of my favorite days to cook because for once I am not cooking to test a recipe and then photograph it, so the pressure is off. I cook recipes I know my family is going to love and it’s great! Watch the How-To Video Here:
Crockpot Three Cheese Mashed Potatoes from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo. The one problem I run into every single year is stove top and oven space. I’m sure all of you who do a lot of cooking know exactly what I am talking about. Well this crockpot three cheese mashed potatoes recipe solves A LOT of problems, and is now the only way I will make mashers. <–truth. Not only does this method save space on the stove, but it also creates way less mess. You can start the potatoes in the morning and then literally not think about them again until just before dinner. And even then, all you have to do is mash them, add cheese, butter and DONE. It’s really just a magical thing, which I’m clearly pretty excited about it, plus, did I mention the cheeses!?! I know, I know, as if mashed potatoes weren’t already amazing, I had to go and add not one, but THREE cheeses. Clearly my Thanksgiving motto is go big or go home. ?
So, what cheeses did I choose? Umm, cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere. I mean, obviously. Some of my favorite cheeses right there, they’re what take these mashed potatoes from ordinary to all kinds of incredible. OK, and the browned butter helps too. I was talking with my brother Malachi the other day and I asked him the question, cheese or no cheese in your mashed potatoes? His response was one that made me just so proud. He said, “I mean, is that even a legit question, always cheese”. So then I asked cheddar, Parmesan or Gruyere? Again, his response was so on point, “all three, cheese is great, the more cheese the better”. Smart kid right? He is 100% a Gerard and I could not agree with his statements more, so all three cheeses it is!
When making mashed potatoes, I like to use whole milk. Actually, I use whole goat milk. I of course prefer goat milk seeing as we have gallons and gallons on hand at all times, now that we are milking all three mama goats, plus I really do love it! In all seriousness though, these mashed potatoes are life changing in both the way that they are cooked, and in the way that they taste. I am SO excited to make them again for Thanksgiving and am crossing my fingers that these are going to be on all of your Thanksgiving menus too! Or maybe even sooner for an easy weeknight dinner side dish…hint, hint…great recipe to serve them with coming Wednesday! Until then, here are my current favorite blog recipes to serve these mashed potatoes with, pot roast, short ribs and Coq au Vin. Or maybe we just grab bowl and call it dinner?
Ahh, I for sure would be ok with that kind of Monday night dinner! Gimme please!
