Mashed Red Potatoes with Cream Cheese

Scrub potatoes well and cut them in half (or into quarters if they are large). Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a low boil and cook the potatoes gently for 20 minutes until very tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the minced garlic and olive oil in a small pot. Bring to a low simmer and simmer for 10 minutes to soften the garlic and infuse the oil with its flavor. Be very careful not to let the heat get to high or the garlic will burn. Seriously.

When cooked, drain the potatoes in a colander then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic olive oil mixture over the potatoes and mash using a potato masher or electric mixer. If you don’t have either of these things, you’ll have to get creative.

Heat the milk over a low flame. When hot, slowly incorporate it into the mashed potatoes. Add the cream cheese and mix until well incorporated. I like to use a handheld electric mixer because it makes the potatoes smoother (which I prefer), but again, you can do without. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the potatoes to a baking dish and bake them for 15 minutes at 350ºF just before serving. It gives them a lighter, fluffier texture with a little crust on top. You can skip this step but you won’t want to.