Roasted Garlic and Cream Cheese Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

These Roasted Garlic and Cream Cheese Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes are the perfect addition to your holiday dishes...and a great way to give your stove top a break.

As the holiday season gets going, so can energy use. From holiday lights, to kitchens in full swing, things can get a little energy-heavy. I've been on the hunt for some recipes to alleviate stove tops overworking {and time in the kitchen}. Today, I'm sharing my own slow cooker mashed potatoes. I've also got a great list of other holiday slow cooker recipes from some bloggy friends below, as well.

In addition to all of the deliciousness in this post, be sure to also check out some great warm weather, cold weather and everyday savings tips from PG&E here. By implementing things like slow cookers, fire places, and other energy-efficient resources, we can all put a little less strain on the grid during the holiday season.

I love using the golden variety of potatoes for any type of mashed potatoes I make. They're so buttery and delicious. They stay nice and moist in the slow cooker, and they also retain their golden hue and look so nice and buttery when ready to be served.

Roasted Garlic and Cream Cheese Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

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Ingredients:

• 5 pounds of gold potatoes {Honey Gold, Butter Gold, Yukon Gold, etc.}
• salt
• pepper
• 2 sticks of butter, divided
• 1 cup chicken broth {or whatever kind you prefer}
• 3 heads of garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 {8 ounce} box cream cheese
• 1 {8 ounce} container sour cream
• heavy cream {as needed}

Directions:

Start by roughly chopping your potatoes. I use the Honey Golds, so I can get away with just chopping them in half, since they're a smaller potato. Make sure to chop the potatoes all into the same size so they cook evenly. I also like to leave the skins on, giving this dish a more rustic look and texture. If you prefer to peel your potatoes, that works perfectly, too. 

Add your chopped potatoes, along with one stick of the butter {sliced} into your slow cooker. Pour in your broth and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Cover and cook on high for four hours. I like to give mine a stir every hour or so, and to make sure they're not too dry. If they appear dry, add a bit more broth.

While the potatoes are in the slow cooker, I roast my garlic. If you're busy, you can always roast the garlic a day or two ahead of time and store it in your refrigerator until you're ready to use it {make sure it's tightly covered or your entire refrigerator will smell very garlicky}. 

To roast your garlic, chop off the "pointy" end of it, just revealing the cloves inside. Place each head, cut side up, {with the cloves exposed} in an oven-safe dish. Drizzle with the olive oil {feel free to use more if you need it}. And then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast in a 375 degree oven for an hour. Allow to sit until cool enough to handle.

Once you can comfortably handle the garlic, squeeze the roasted cloves out of the heads. They'll be nice and mushy and even spreadable {delicious on bread!}. Set these aside until your potatoes are ready.

After the potatoes are finished cooking, do not drain them. Just take off the lid and add your other stick of butter and block of cream cheese. Using a hand-held mixer, beat the potatoes until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Fold in your sour cream.

It isn't necessary to add cream to this, but some mashed potato purists {my mom included} just can't handle mashed potatoes without milk or cream added {wink}. So, if you don't feel like they're quite moist enough, go ahead and add a splash of cream. But, I promise, you soooo won't need it. These babies speak for themselves. Use salt or pepper to your taste.

Sprinkle with dried parsley before serving. You can keep them in the slow cooker on low or warm until ready to serve. 

As I mentioned above, preparing potatoes this way puts a little less strain on your stove top {your stove top may be doing a bit too much work this time of the year...it can use all the breaks it can get}. If you're like our family, our appliances have seen better days and aren't quite as energy efficient as some of the newer models out there. When we all get the chance to shop for new appliances, we can do a little homework ahead of time. Check out this catalog for rebate information here as you embark on new appliance purchases.

And be sure to enter the PG&E Photo Challenge to win $100 Home Depot Gift Cards from today until November 23rd. Click here for the PG&E Instagram page.

And be sure to check out lots of other fabulous holiday slow cooker dishes from some of my favorite bloggy friends here.

How do you save energy around the holiday season?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Neglect your chores like me and don't miss a thing:

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