Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

On their birthdays, I let the kids, ok, and my husband, pick the food.  I really try hard not to be disappointed when the kid's answers usually end up being McDonald's, and not something that I make.  I try to remember that I didn't realize what good cooks my parents were until I was older, and that life as I knew it from a culinary standpoint began with McDonald's and ended with Taco Bell, but still, COME ON! McDonald's.  Ok, I'm fine now.  That being said, imagine my shock and delight when my son asked for real food for his birthday, not fast food, not a restaurant, a real dinner that I could make him.  He asked for ham, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, and lima beans (yes, I said lima beans). I was on it!

This is a well used recipe, modified only slightly from a Cook's Country recipe that I've had for ages.   My modifications are simply a little more liquid, and roasting the garlic.  You will also notice that I did not peel my potatoes.  I am going to tell you that I don't do that because I like them better that way, and not because I am lazy and simply cannot stand peeling potatoes.  I peel them on special occasions, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, but on a day to day basis I just buy the red, thin skinned potatoes and eat them as is, peels and everything, its extra fiber and vitamins. . . right?

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
as modified from Cook Country

4-5lb red skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (just make sure they are all relatively the same size)
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 head of garlic, roasted
1 tsp sugar
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup water
Salt & pepper

Roasting Garlic:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, Cut the very top of a head of garlic off, exposing the cloves, place on a square of aluminum foil, drizzle with at least 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over the garlic, sprinkle on salt & pepper.  Wrap the garlic up in the foil and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Once cool, unwrap, and try to drain off as much of the oil into a separate container as you can, it is liquid gold.  Squeeze the garlic cloves out, removing and pieces of skin that may come along, and mash them in to a paste.




Melt 4 tbsp of your butter in a large pot, add the sugar and garlic to the pot, and saute them for about 2 minutes.  Add your potatoes, 1 1/2 cups of half &half, water, and 1 teaspoon salt, and then stir everything to combine and distribute the garlic throughout the pot.





Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 25-30 minutes.  Stir the potatoes occasionally, depending on your stove, they may start to stick to the bottom a little as the potatoes cook.  Continue cooking for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and most of the cooking liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the pot from the heat, and add the rest of the butter.  Mash the potatoes using your potatoe masher of hand mixer adding additional half and half as you go until the potatoes reach the smoothness and consistency that you want them at.  Check you seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.