DIY Holiday Ideas and Boursin Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Need some Thanksgiving ideas for company coming? This website has it all with menu ideas, activities, games and centerpieces. But what I liked best were the printable placemats that double as activites for the younger set while waiting for the meal.
http://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/crafts/thanksgiving-activities/?page=2&ordersrc=rdbhg1109494

This site had lots of creative ideas for homemade gifts under $10.00.
http://www.the36thavenue.com/25-handmade-gifts-under-10-dollars/
Think dollar store! Some ideas include the following:

Free printable Fall Chalkboard Food Labels

Tablet holder for your recipe while creating a recipe.

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Boursin's rich, full flavor and creamy, smooth texture are perfect for snacking, baking and broiling. Seasoned boursin cheese with herbs brings new life to traditional mashed potatoes. Just stir the cheese into the potatoes and bake. Or prepare, cover, and refrigerate the side dish casserole up to 24 hours ahead of serving time. So easy to put together.

Boursin Mashed Potatoes

Cook's notes:Everybody seems to have their favorite way of making mashed potatoes. Some cook them with the peel on, some without. Some add a little of the cooking water to the mashed potatoes for extra starch. I have found that the single thing that makes the biggest difference for making perfect creamy potatoes is the type of potatoes you use.
Most people use starchy Russets for mashed potatoes. With their high starch and low water content, they’re good for baking, for making French fries, and for mashing. Here’s my secret though—even better than Russets for mashing are Yukon Golds. They’re a little more expensive than Russets, but worth it. They’re naturally creamy when mashed, never mealy, and have a slightly buttery flavor all on their own. Yukon golds make perfectly creamy, buttery mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. Yukon baking potatoes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 package (5.2 oz.) Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs,room temperature 
• 3/4 cup half and half or whole milk
• 1TB. dried parsley flakes
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• Peel, cube potatoes and place in a large pan. Fill with enough cold water to just cover the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook until potatoes are tender. About 20 minutes.
• Drain water and mash potatoes or use a potato ricer.  Stir in parsley, half and half or milk and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Beat until smooth. Serve immediately. if making ahead place in a greased baking dish, cover and refrigerate. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through.

Boursin Potato Soup was posted September 4, 2013. Check it out. 

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2013/09/boursin-potato-soup.html

The soup tastes creamy and decadent.