Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roast your garlic while you're baking something else (think squash or a roasted root medley...) to make this an easy delicious classic holiday side that everyone will love.

• 1 head garlic
• 1 TBLS olive oil
• 4 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped into uniform size chunks
• 3/4 cup cream or half and half or milk
• 5-6 TBLS butter
• salt and pepper to taste 

How to roast your garlic (can be done ahead):  Separate your garlic cloves but leave the skins on. Lightly coat in olive oil and roast at 400 until browned and tender. Let cool and squeeze out the squishy garlic flesh, discarding the peels.

Put prepared potatoes into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 20-30 minutes, depending upon size of pieces. Drain. Warm the cream and melt the butter. Mash the potatoes with the roasted garlic, cream, butter, and add salt and pepper to taste. Do not over-mash because the texture will become sticky/gummy. Serve hot.

Make ahead tip: The beauty of this dish is that it can entirely be made ahead. Simply reheat covered in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or in microwave before serving.