The great Thanksgiving debate argument...how do you vote?
 

Every year at Thanksgiving my extended family has the same argument. Mashed potatoes for Thankgiving dinner. I love mine lumpy, and several want theirs smooth. I usually make them, so lumpy always wins, but this year I made the mistake of telling DD that she could help with dinner. She is the leader of the "they must be smooth" camp. Guess what I will be ignoring at dinner. I will have to stash some gravy to be sure I can have some for my lumpy potatoes when we do leftover night.
Smooth whipped potatoes remind me of instant potatoes, (and I can't gag them down) so I do not eat them.
I know this is silly, especially when so many have so much less, but if I give in and eat them, someone might come up with something real to fight about, and who needs that? Lol!
So where do you fall? Lumpy or smooth?

Definitely smooth! Never thought about leaving them lumpy. How about if you pull a couple of potatoes as soon as they are boiled and smash them to the consistency you like?

Well I am not much of a fan of mashed potatoes and cannot abide whipped spuds.

For holiday dinners I make Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes. They taste just like stuffed baked potatoes and since they are made up to two weeks ahead (and frozen), you take any challenge to have spuds your way out of the equation.

I found the recipe in a Canadian Living Magazine over 10 years ago and have made them every year since. There was a bit of grumbling the first year because it was 'different' but everyone asks for them now.

I sort of wing it on the recipe.

Recipe:
5 pounds of yellow flesh spuds (peel them if you want to or leave the peels on, nobody notices), chopped, boiled and mashed.
2 cups full fat sour cream. This is no place for low fat dairy products. If you were making it same day low fat may work, but low fat will not work if you are freezing the dish.
2 + cups grated sharp cheddar (yellow, orange, white does not matter, just just full fat cheese and sharper (old) is better than mild. Plus extra for the top
Bacon, mmmm yummy bacon. I used to fry and chop, now I buy a big bag of bacon bits at Costco and add a few handfuls Plus extra for the top
And Butter of course about 1/2 a pound.
Chives or green onions, I am not so fussy about adding chives, but they do give a nice extra flavour.

Mash the spuds with the butter, sour cream and cheese. Add a couple handfuls of bacon.

Now you are going to look at the pot and think that woman on the QB is nuts this looks just like a soupy mess. Trust me it will work out.

Pour the mix into a well butter glass or ceramic casserole dish, I use a large lasagne pan. Sprinkle with extra cheese, bacon and chives if using. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Or cover and put in the fridge.

Allow to fully thaw and bake for 45-60 minutes at 350. It will puff up and set.

Why not just mash the whole pot to lumpy and then separate out half for further mashing? Seems like a simple solution for all.

Oh, My....either way but sour cream on the side.

I like mine scalloped, save the gravy for the dressing. Glad you are sticking with your decision so the arguments are already established!

I prefer lumpy with cream cheese, sour cream , butter, and chives.

The same debate goes on at my brothers house!! He likes his so smooth its "soupy", blech. I like mine lumpy so when I go to his house and offer to help out in the kitchen I always choose to mash the taters for him ;)

Agree with other poster .... make two batches. Its not that much extra work. OR skip it and make roast potatoes instead.

I've put on a kilo just reading this thread. ;)

Smooth with no skins for me. Opposite for husband. :)