Crockpot Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Makes 14 Half-Cup Servings

3 lbs small red potatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chives and onion cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Directions:

Wash potatoes--do not peel--and cut into quarters. Place in greased crockpot dish. Add garlic, oil and water. Mix well to coat potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and toss to cover evenly. Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender. Mash potatoes and garlic and stir in cream cheese until melted and incorporated. Stir in milk until well blended. Serve immediately, or cover on keep warm or low setting for up to 2 hours. Before serving, drizzle melted butter on top and sprinkle with fresh chopped chives.



These potatoes are a nice twist on the traditional favorite. The flavor is amazing, and it's so much easier to pop these in the crockpot while you do the rest of your Thanksgiving cooking. I usually put them in the crockpot at around 7 or 8 in the morning, so that they are ready to eat by 2, when we eat. I have also prepared them the night before, then put them, crockpot dish and all, into the fridge overnight. Then I put them back into the crockpot cooker on low or keep warm for a couple hours until heated through. Just don't put the melted butter and chives on until right before you are about to serve them.