Cut the potatoes into thirds and they will cook faster. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer until a fork pokes easily through them. The smaller the pieces, the faster they’ll cook. If you’re not in a hurry, you can leave them whole. Drain when done.
Whip the potatoes with the milk. Add the sour cream, salt, pepper, onions if you’re using them, and 3/4 cup of cheese. Beat together. I use my big standing mixer for this, but if you’ve got one, use a hand mixer in the same pot as the potatoes cook in and save a dish.
Butter a 9×9 pan or small casserole dish. Spread the mashed potatoes in it, cover with the remaining grated cheese, and sprinkle paprika over the top. Cover and refrigerate if you want. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (depending on whether the potatoes got cold or not) and serve.
Options: You can use cottage cheese instead of or in addition to the sour cream.
Freeze Ahead. You could also freeze this. Line your baking dish with foil first, leaving a few inches of foil hanging over the edges. Put the potatoes in, cover with more foil, and freeze. When solid, remove the foil and wrap the edges up over the top, then slip into a freezer bag and label. Thaw and bake as above.
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