On the subject of potatoes:
I don't have the recipe on me, but. For years, the mashed potatoes we had at Thanksgiving were literally just mashed potatoes, maybe with some other stuff? But it was really basic. Good, but basic (which is good, because that's like the only thing I eat at Thanksgiving ).
Then, one Thanksgiving, I'm helping move pots and stuff over from my grandparents' place (where things were being prepared) to the neighborhood clubhouse (where everyone was gathering/eating). I go in to grab some pots, and my aunt's like "here, taste this and see if it's good." So I, expecting the usual somewhat bland stuff, was like, "whatever."
Oh heavens. I have rarely been so pleasantly surprised in my life. Like I said, I can't remember the recipe, but I do remember that that amount of butter, cream, and cream cheese ought to be illegal.