I tried a recipe for blue-cheese mashed potatoes from Food Network stars, and I don't want to make them any other way again

I love how easy it is to make mashed potatoes from scratch, and there's always a new recipe to try.

I've tested many twists, from experimenting with the types of potatoes I use to changing the cooking time to adding unique mix-ins (like fresh herbs or lemon).

When I found a recipe from Food Network stars Pat and Gina Neely that calls for blue cheese, I knew I had to give it a try. 

I headed to the grocery store, but I only needed to pick up a few items. I already had butter, salt, and pepper, so I just needed Yukon Gold potatoes, heavy cream, and (the star of the show) blue cheese.

I decided to cut the recipe in half since I'm the only person in my house who likes blue cheese. It was an affordable grocery run.

The instructions were straightforward. Although the recipe didn't say to peel the potatoes, I don't love potato skins in my mashed potatoes, so I took a couple of extra minutes to add the step.

From there, I cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and placed them in a large pot. I covered the potatoes with cool water, added salt, and let them come to a boil.

Once they were boiling, I cooked the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until they were fork-tender.

I usually add milk and butter straight from the fridge to my potatoes after boiling. But I've found that many professionals warm these ingredients first to bring them to a similar temperature as the potatoes. 

This recipe had a slight variation on that. When the potatoes were about five minutes away from being done, I added my butter and heavy cream into a pot over medium heat. Once the butter melted completely and the cream simmered for a few minutes, I added 2 ounces of pre-crumbled blue cheese.

I whisked the mixture thoroughly and let it simmer for a few more minutes while I drained the potatoes.

I strained out the water in the potatoes and set them back on the hot burner (turned off) for two to three minutes to let the extra water dry out while I finished the sauce. 

Once the sauce looked slightly thick and the cheese was, for the most part, no longer in clumps, I poured the mixture over the potatoes.

I added some salt and pepper and mashed everything until the potatoes looked thoroughly broken down and all the ingredients were incorporated evenly throughout.

I love blue cheese and I love potatoes, but I wasn't sure about combining them. Now I can't believe I hadn't tried this sooner.

These are some of the richest, most decadent mashed potatoes I've ever tasted, but the tangy funk of the blue cheese helps balance out the indulgent flavors. The only thing I'd add next time is some freshly chopped chives for a little brightness and freshness.

The potatoes weren't super creamy — they were really thick and dense, which I liked. I could've easily thinned them out by adding more cream, but I liked the texture.

My only real complaint is that I'm the only person in my house that likes blue cheese, so I won't be able to make these as often as I'd like. The Neelys' recipe is now one of my favorite ways to make mashed potatoes, and I already can't wait to try it again.