No one's mashed taters compare to my ma's. But her secret is cream cheese. A whole 8 oz. brick of it in a Thanksgiving-sized batch. They are the creamiest, most flavorful, most wonderful mashed potatoes ever. And I'm not even that big a fan of spuds in the first place.

I think a potato ricer is well worth the money. It makes fluffy melt-in-the-mouth mashed potatoes (and potato salad that will cause a riot) because the potatoes are not over-beaten. I add buttermilk (heated in the microwave), 1/8 teaspoon salt per potato, and real butter. I also boil the potatoes in their skins, ladle them out onto a clean towel, scrape off the hot skin (it comes off quickly and easily) and run them through the ricer.

I love using three kinds of potatoes to take advantage of the color and texture of each, garlic that has been cooked slowly and over low heat, and some parmesan: Slow-Cooked Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potato Trio

I love them french style, even though it is so heavy on cream! Easy to make too.

i pierce then bake at 160deg c. for 1.5hrs. cut in half, scoop out. add 1/4 weight in butter and mash. easy, killer.

Use floury potatoes, warm milk and LOTS of butter. Season well.

Oh, and no need for a ricer. A fork will give a smooth purée (if that's what you're after).

My dad uses cream cheese in his mashed potatoes too. They're so good that I used to bring the leftovers to my high school friend who claimed her mom couldn't make mashed potatoes. Once I wrapped them and gave them to her for Christmas.

I boil the potatoes with plenty of salt, rice them, then whip them with a quart of cream for every pound of butter, some roasted garlic, plenty of sour cream or cream cheese, whichever I have, and some salt ground white pepper.

Mashed potatoes should be the star of Thanksgiving in my book :)

When preparing mashed potatoes for guests who do not eat dairy products, use a mixture of equal parts almond milk and full-fat coconut milk. It's much creamier, tastier, and easier to digest than soy milk.

Steamed, peeled potatoes + hot milk + butter whipped with a kitchen aid mixer whip attachement. Makes a really light potato that is perfect for gravy. I enjoy richer style mashed potatoes but not on holidays. I don't want them to compete.

Follow Martha Stewart's recipe and you cannot go wrong. So simple. To mash though, I use my kitchen aid mixer and slowly add in butter and warmed up cream, they never come out gummy or over done.

I never peel mine and "mash" them with my kitchenaid.