Pioneer Women Creamy Mashed Potatoes AKA The best Mashed Potatoes EVER!!!

Ingredients

5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
¾ cups Butter
1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
½ cups (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper


Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Cranberry sauce from Cousin Erin

Great-Great-Grandma Margaret McDonald's Cranberry Mold (spiced variation per my mom- can o...mit, but why would you?)
1 12-oz pkg of cranberries, washed and drained
3/4 C water
2 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
2 whole nutmeg
dash of salt
1 1/2 C sugar

Combine cranberries, water, and spices in a large pan. Boil until berries pop. Remove cinnamon sticks and nutmeg. Run berries and water through a food mill while hot or put through sieve by pressing with the back of a spoon.Return pulp to a pan and bring to a boil. Add sugar and salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into mold.

**If using a glass mold, warm with hot water first or it may crack** Sauce will "set" as it cools.