Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Cream Cheese

By WinnieAb • February 5, 2010 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: This is the mashed potato recipe I always fall back on, whether I'm make them for dinner on a weeknight or for Thanksgiving...I can't remember where the idea to add cream cheese came from (Martha Stewart maybe?), but I really like what it brings to the table, so to speak. You can make these without the roasted garlic, but I love the subtle garlicky flavor it adds; I roast my whole heads of garlic in foil in a 400 degree F oven for about 40 minutes, then pop the cooked cloves out of their skins to use in this recipe. - WinnieAb

Serves 6-8

4-5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
Cloves from 2 heads garlic, previously roasted
1/2 cup butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup half and half or cream- optional
Course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
minced chives for garnish- optional

Place potatoes in a large pot on the stove. Add water to cover.
Bring water to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
Remove from heat and pour off almost all of the water.
Add the roasted garlic to the potatoes and using a potato masher, mash for 1-2 minutes. Add the butter, cream cheese, and optional cream and mash some more. I like my mashed potatoes to have some texture, but you can mash them as much as you like.
Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and garnish with the minced chives, if desired.