Recipes and Cooking Mashed Potatoes Four Ways 4.5 (2) Add your rating & review You can stick to basic mashed potatoes if you want, but you can also dress them up with a variety of mix-ins. Make tangy herb and garlic potatoes, or smoky Mexican mashed potatoes if you want to spice up dinner. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on October 27, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email . Photo: Jason Donnelly Prep Time: 15 mins Slow Cook Time: 6 hrs Total Time: 6 hrs 15 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 6 1/2 cups Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 3 pound russet, red, gold, or sweet* potatoes, peeled (if desired) and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 ¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth ½ cup half-and-half or milk ½ cup butter, cut up ½ of an 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cut up 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Directions In a 4- to 6-qt. slow cooker combine potatoes and broth. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours, stirring once halfway through. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, allow half-and-half, butter, and cream cheese to stand at room temperature. Add to cooker along with salt and pepper (do not drain potatoes). Mash potatoes to desired consistency. Serve immediately or keep warm, covered, on warm or low up to 2 hours. * If using sweet potatoes, reduce broth to 3/4 cup in the basic recipe; Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive variation; and Smoky Mexican variation. Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Mashed Potatoes Prepare as directed, except substitute 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese for the cream cheese and reduce salt to 1/2 tsp. After mashing the potatoes, stir in 8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled, and 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or chopped green onions. Makes 16 (1/2-cup) servings.Per Serving: 230 calories, 8 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 15 g total fat (9 g sat. fat), 43 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 1 g total sugar, 10% Vitamin A, 19% Vitamin C, 408 mg sodium, 10% calcium, 5% iron Tangy Herb and Garlic Mashed Potatoes Prepare as directed, except reduce broth to 3/4 cup and substitute one 8-oz. carton sour cream for the half-and-half or milk; omit cream cheese. After mashing the potatoes, stir in 1/2 cup snipped fresh parsley and/or basil; 2 Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme, rosemary, and/or oregano; and 2 cloves garlic, minced. Makes 12 (1/2-cup) servings. Per Serving: 174 calories, 3 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 11 g total fat (7 g sat. fat), 32 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 1 g total sugar, 11% Vitamin A, 23% Vitamin C, 302 mg sodium, 3% calcium, 5% iron Smoky Mexican Mashed Potatoes Prepare as directed, except reduce broth to 1 cup and substitute 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese for the cream cheese; omit salt. After mashing the potatoes, stir in one 4-oz. can diced green chile peppers, undrained; 1 canned chipotle pepper, finely chopped; and 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix. Makes 12 (1/2-cup) servings.Per Serving: 205 calories, 6 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 13 g total fat (8 g sat. fat), 36 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 1 g total sugar, 8% Vitamin A, 18% Vitamin C, 289 mg sodium, 10% calcium, 5% iron Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 181 Calories 12g Fat 16g Carbs 3g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 181 % Daily Value * Total Fat 12g 15% Saturated Fat 8g 40% Cholesterol 33mg 11% Sodium 353mg 15% Total Carbohydrate 16g 6% Total Sugars 1g Protein 3g Vitamin C 16.2mg 81% Calcium 35mg 3% Iron 0.8mg 4% Potassium 409mg 9% Folate, total 15.8mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.3mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.