Once upon a time my mom and dad were in charge of Thanksgiving (along with all other Holiday meals) and my mom always ended up pretty stressed out, just like every other mother out there. Then along came my adult self. Together with my mom, we found the perfect end-all to the stresses of the Holiday cooking.

I had basically stumbled onto a perfectly planned out and super delicious make ahead menu plan that was complete with days, times, oven temperatures, etc. You name it, it was there. I like to consider it my Holiday Feast Code Book. Or Holiday Cooking Bible. It has been a life saver ever since it came into our lives, and I'm so happy that I've never had quite the traumatic holiday feast that some do. Oh, the horror stories I've heard...

These 'Day Before' Mashed Potatoes are my updated version of one of the recipes from our coveted collection. It's a tried and true recipe, if ever there was one. What makes these absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving (or any other holiday) is that they are made the day before so that you don't have to fuss with them on the day of. All you do is reheat and eat!

What's better about these mashed potatoes is that I've snuck some cauliflower in there to lighten them up and also give them a little more texture. But, trust me when I say that no one will be the wiser to the sneaky hidden vegetables. I promise. I think almost any time anyone has eaten mashed potatoes at my house, it's always had some amount of cauliflower in it. Hey, every vegetable counts when you have a picky 6 year old.

This recipe is easy to double, triple, or even quadruple for larger groups of people. And yes, I have absolutely had to quadruple this recipe before - last Thanksgiving in fact! This year though, I'll be taking it easy with a glamping trip to a cabin in the woods. You better believe I'll still be making these mashed potatoes though!

Tonight I had these potatoes with some baked lemon chicken and oven roasted asparagus. I must sat that it was all pretty awesome.

Skinny 'Day Before' Mashed Potatoes
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 4 • Size: About 1 Cup • Calories: 213.8 • Fat: 1.2 g • Saturated Fat: 0.1 • Carb: 42.7 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Protein: 8.9 g • Sugar: 4.2 g • Sodium: 166.6 mg

Ingredients:
4 Large Potatoes, Peeled & Cubed
2 C. Fresh Cauliflower Florets
1/2 C. Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt
3 Oz. Fat Free Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp. Light Butter
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Optional: Reduced Fat 2% Milk (To thin as needed.)

Directions:

Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil; add in the 4 Large Potatoes, and 2 C. Fresh Cauliflower Florets.

Cook for about ten minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

(Tip: Use Russet potatoes for a fluffy and light texture or Golden/Yellow potatoes for a creamy and rich texture.)

Once done, drain the potatoes and cauliflower and allow to cool slightly.

When drained and cooled a bit, add the potatoes and cauliflower into the base of a stand mixture (or a large bowl) along with the, 1/2 C. Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt, 3 Oz. Fat Free Cream Cheese, 1 Tbsp. Light Butter, 1 Tsp. Onion Powder and Salt & Pepper to Taste.

Beat everything together with the whisk attachment (or a hand held mixer) until smooth and creamy to your liking.

You may add some milk to thin the potatoes out if they are a bit too thick.

Transfer the potato mixture into a large baking dish and cover; placing in the fridge until you're ready to reheat and eat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven is hot, uncover and place the dish into the oven to bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown slightly.

Enjoy as a side for your favorite dinner or holiday meal!