Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes top every single list of people's favorite comfort foods. Rich, creamy and delicious, they just ooze delicious warmth. Topped with a little homemade gravy, and super simple dish can be elevated to Nirvana inducing levels. In this case creamy mashed potatoes are paired up with sweet and savory roasted garlic, which adds a depth and dimension that is to die for.

There are a few tricks for mashed potatoes. There's tons of information about how to do them correctly in Potatoes, How to Make the Most of Your Tubers. The best way to get the creamiest, silkiest potatoes is to use a ricer, but you can get great results with an old fashioned masher. The important thing is to not overbeat them - using a mixer or getting too enthusiastic with beating will break them down too much, and they'll be gluey and sticky instead of fluffy.

You can also change these up easily - my personal preference is for russet potatos, but Yukon Golds or Reds are also great - just a little waxier, so the texture is different. Feel free to leave the skins on if you'd like a 'smashed' version. You can also change out the half and half for all cream, or all milk, sour cream or even evaporated milk - whatever you have and however rich you'd like them.

This recipe makes enough to serve 6-8 - I usually double it to get leftovers to use on shepherd's pie or for potato pancakes. Those are awesome with a little fresh chives or parsley.

You'll Need:

• 2 medium heads of garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 pounds russet, red or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup half and half
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut the heads of garlic in half, making sure to take off the tips of the cloves of garlic, but leaving them attached to the head. Remove and discard extra paper. Place the garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Seal packet, and place in oven for one hour. At the end of the hour, remove packet from the oven, open it to release steam and cool, and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a big pinch of salt and add potatoes. Cook until tender, about fifteen minutes.
4. Place half and half and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. You really just want to warm these and melt the butter, not cook them. Squeeze garlic from the cloves in to a small bowl, and mash with the back of a fork, and add the garlic to the milk.
5. Drain and put back in hot pot, but off the heat. Add butter, half and half and garlic and mash. Stir in, and add salt and pepper to taste.