Holiday Mashed Potatoes

From Louis and Billie Van Dyke’s “The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking”

Makes 8 to 12 servings

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled, cooked, and hot
• 1 (8-ounce) package softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the hot potatoes. When the lumps are removed, add the cream cheese in small pieces and then the softened butter. Beat well until the cream cheese and the butter are both melted and mixed into the mashed potatoes. Mix in the sour cream.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, onion and milk and stir. Add the milk mixture to the potato mixture and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Beat well until light and fluffy.

Place in a greased round casserole dish and refrigerate several hours or overnight. (The potatoes can be frozen at this point and later baked after thawing.) Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned on top.