In the spirit of the believing in the season of miracles, I thought I would share a recipe you might see as more than a bit of a departure from those I have shared in the past, almost two years. (Yes, in just a couple of weeks the blog will be celebrating its' second birthday! Woot woot!) At times I have gone on and on (endlessly probably) about the importance of using the freshest ingredients you can find and sermonizing how much fresh matters. And I really do try my best to live by that belief. But then every now and then there are those 'exceptions to the rule' moments which breaking the rule is the right thing to do. Wendy's Mashed Potatoes falls into that 'its okay to break the rule' category. These potatoes are the creamiest, tastiest, richest, whitest, most delicious 'mashed' potatoes you may ever eat. Surprisingly they are not made with fresh potatoes. Okay, brace yourself with what I am about to say next. This recipe uses instant potatoes as one of the ingredients (gasp). Yes, those instant potatoes that come in the box.
We have been having these potatoes at either Thanksgiving dinners for years now. Depending on the main course, Wendy's Mashed Potatoes generally make an encore appearance on the Christmas dinner table. However, there was one Christmas where beef tenderloin was the main course although we did not have Wendy's Mashed Potatoes. Not because the potatoes wouldn't have been a great side to go with the beef or not because anyone had grown tired of them. No, something else happened. In that year the casserole dish containing the 'hot out of the oven' best mashed potato casserole ever slid off the counter and came crashing to the ground on the slate floor in my kitchen. Potatoes and chards of glass covered the floor (not exactly the white Christmas everyone had dreamt of). Yet in a moment of complete irrationality I initially thought the casserole could be salvaged as there was no potato back-up plan to go with the beef tenderloin and red wine mushroom gravy/sauce I had slaved over making. But one look at the incredulous 'she isn't serious' looks on the faces of my family brought me to my senses. We all survived the dinner without Wendy's Mashed Potatoes that year. And now I make them in a cast iron baking dish.
The key to making this mashed potato casserole as creamy as possible is to ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature. Depending on how cool or warm your house/kitchen is, this might mean taking the cream cheese out of the refrigerator at least four to five hours before you are assembling the dish. If your cream cheese isn't soft and creamy, your casserole may end up having some 'lumps' in in. Not the kind of lumps you want. The softened, room temperature cream cheese is first mixed until smooth and creamy. Once it gets to that consistency the sour cream, dried minced onion and garlic salt are mixed in until well-blended and smooth. It is important this mixture be made and set aside waiting while the instant mashed potatoes are being prepared.
Following the package directions, you will make enough instant mashed potatoes to serve 12. Immediately the cream cheese/sour cream mixture is added to the 'cooked' potatoes and stirred until the well blended and creamy. The mixture is poured into a buttered 9"x12" inch casserole and baked in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. However, this mashed potato casserole is one that can and probably should be made the day before your dinner. Your life will made much easier on the day of your holiday meal when you can simply take the prepared casserole out of the refrigerator and bake in the oven.
For those of you who feel making a recipe without all 'fresh' ingredients is an act of personal treason, I am willing to bet no one at your dinner table, not even the self professed foodies, will guess this mashed potato casserole was made with instant potatoes (unless of course your guests watch you making it or you let it slip). I can almost guarantee, your 'secret' will be not discovered as long as you believe in miracles. Once you taste Wendy's Mashed Potatoes you might find yourself wondering why anyone would want to make mashed potatoes 'the old-fashioned' way ever again.
Note: You might be wondering why such an incredibly delicious dish would only have two photos to go with the recipe. I am going to blame my overly ambitious Thanksgiving menu and the lack of 'good' light for the limited number of photos with this posting. What you are seeing is the unbaked version of Wendy's Mashed Potatoes. When baked the top of the potatoes are lightly browned.
Wendy's Mashed Potatoes
Serves at least 8
Ingredients
18 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Instant Mashed Potatoes, prepared for 12 servings according to package directions (recommend Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter a 9"x 12" baking pan and set aside.
2. In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-high speed until really smooth and creamy.
3. Mix in sour cream, minced onion and garlic salt until well blended. Set aside.
4. Prepare instant mashed potatoes (for 12 servings) according to package directions.
5. Blend the cream cheese/sour cream mixture into the potatoes until smooth.
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through and top is lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Note: Can be prepared the night before. Covered, refrigerate, remove from from refrigerator at least 45 minutes before baking. Baking time might need to be increased by 5 to 10 minutes if refrigerated.
Images of art captured at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
