Smashed Potatoes

1. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with 1 inch cold water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bay leaf. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until paring knife can be inserted into potatoes with no resistance, 35 to 45 minutes. Reserve 1⁄2 cup cooking water, then drain potatoes. Return potatoes to pot, discard bay leaf, and let potatoes sit in pot, uncovered, until surfaces are dry, about 5 minutes.
2. While potatoes dry, whisk softened cream cheese and melted butter in medium bowl until smooth and fully incorporated. Add 1⁄4 cup of reserved cooking water, 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper, chives, if using, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula or back of wooden spoon, smash potatoes just enough to break skins. Fold in cream cheese mixture until most of liquid has been absorbed and chunks of potatoes remain. Add more cooking water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until potatoes are slightly looser than desired (potatoes will thicken slightly with sitting). Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.

GARLIC-ROSEMARY SMASHED POTATOES
Add 2 peeled garlic cloves to potatoes in saucepan along with salt and bay leaf in step 1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 minced garlic clove and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds; substitute butter-garlic mixture for melted butter, adding cooked garlic cloves to cream cheese along with butter-garlic mixture. Omit chives.

SMASHED POTATOES WITH BACON AND PARSLEY
Cook 6 slices bacon, cut lengthwise then into 1⁄4-inch pieces, in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate; reserve 1 tablespoon fat. Substitute bacon fat for 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for chives, and reduce salt added to cream cheese mixture to 1⁄4 teaspoon. Sprinkle potatoes with cooked bacon before serving.