How To Make Mashed Potatoes Ahead Of Time

It's no secret that mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, but with a holiday that's so centered around food, it can be hard to find the time to really make the side dish shine. Luckily, it's so easy to make mashed potatoes ahead of time and store them in the freezer. This recipe will make your turkey day a breeze and your potatoes will still taste delicious.

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Whether you make the dish homemade or choose to use instant mashed potatoes, the addition of bacon and cheese will take these mashed potatoes from zero to hero.

To start, place the potatoes in a pot and add chicken stock and garlic. Fill it with warm water, add salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the potatoes are tender, drain the liquid and add heavy cream, butter, pepper and salt.

After mashing the potatoes, mix in the rest of your ingredients. You can add the bacon to the dish on the day of serving so it doesn't get soggy.

These loaded mashed potatoes are ready in under an hour and can be stored in the freezer until the big day. This method is a great way to save time during turkey day. Instead of cooking on the day of, try out more of our Thanksgiving dishes you can make ahead and freeze.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

4 cups chicken stock

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons salt

1 pepper

4 trips of bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions

Place potatoes in a pot and add chicken stock and garlic. Fill the pot with warm (not hot) water until it just covers the potatoes. Add 3 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain liquid from potatoes carefully, the steam will be very hot.

Add heavy cream, butter, pepper and more salt. Mash the potatoes.

Add sour cream, nutmeg, cheddar cheese, white parts of the scallions, bacon, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix gently to incorporate all ingredients. Garnish with the green parts of the scallions and serve.

Courtesy of Jason Goldstein, Chop Happy