O.K., I'm coming up with some ideas and they really are directed at the anons who will be searching for Holiday cooking ideas, I guess. Some are very basic, but good to know.
I ran across this make ahead mashed potato dish this a.m. and it is really very similar to the potatoes I made for every (I think) buffet we had at the hotel! Except I also added Parmesan to take it over the top.
It's such a nice dish to have done ahead of time -
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe
15 medium (5 pounds) potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 egg whites, slightly beaten (didn’t use these, I used 1/2 & 1/2)
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine (more like 2 or 3 – but I added it to the mashing and topped the potatoes with Parmesan)
Spray a large casserole dish with vegetable-oil cooking spray. In a large pot of boiling water over medium-high heat, cook potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork; remove from heat and drain. Mash potatoes until there are no lumps. Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, salt, pepper, and egg whites; blend well. Dot with butter or margarine. Cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take mashed potatoes out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, covered, 40 minutes or until steaming hot in center. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Yield: 12 to 25 servings
NOTE: This can be made up to a week ahead. If preparing ahead, place in an ovenproof baking dish, allow to cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate.
-----
Just use this as a guideline, add whatever seasonings you prefer - roasted garlic, more or less of the above cheeses, etc. Let me tell you, the pan always came back empty!