I’m already looking forward to hosting our first Christmas Eve dinner. Okay, okay! “Looking forward” is really code for gleefully test driving all the new recipes I want to serve. This one though, no worries. It will require no vetting as it’s proved itself for decades at my parents table. It’s an elevated take on the standard mashed potatoes – respectful to the traditional dish with a hint of extra flavor and color. I followed along this year at Thanksgiving, snapping photos to share with you as dad whipped up his festive cheesy potatoes; this dish is a Graham Family classic and we swap out the pepper colors for the holiday – yellow and orange for Thanksgiving, green and red for Christmas. If you arrive to the Christmas dinner this year armed with this baby and some homemade almond roca or sugar cookies (recipes coming next week!) you will be the unequivocal hero of the meal. The choice is yours really. Enjoy!
- 4 pounds potatoes, peeled
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chopped peppers, various colors
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup snipped chives
- Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender; drain and mash
- Add cream cheese, butter, milk, salt, and pepper; mix well.
- Stir in the cheeses and chives, then the peppers.
- Spread in a greased 13x9 backing dish.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until browned and heated through.
