Completely Loaded and Gosh Darn Good Mashed Potatoes

These are actually a perfect avenue to obesity. They aren't so much "stick to your ribs" as they are "stick to your rear". So moderation please. After saying that, you really want to make these, huh?

There are loaded in that there is roasted garlic, cheddar cheese, sweet corn, chives, bacon, heavy cream and butter. No messing around with these russets. Time to take your taters seriously.

4 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 whole head roasted garlic (click here for a good method of roasting garlic)
5 pieces bacon, cooked and diced
1 cup frozen sweet corn, defrosted
¼ cup diced chives

Place diced potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Set heat to high. Boil uncovered until potatoes are fork tender. Drain, put in a large bowl and set aside.

Remove roasted garlic cloves and mash with a fork to make a paste. Set aside.

Add heavy cream, butter, kosher salt, ground pepper and cheddar cheese to potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or a fork. Add roasted garlic paste, bacon, sweet corn and chives. Fold in gently. Serve with more chives sprinkled on top.

Rookie’s Notes: Okay, mashed potato-making tips.
1. Make sure the diced potatoes are relatively the same size. They will cook evenly.
2. When adding salt to the cooked potatoes, add it a little at a time. You can always put in more salt, but you can’t take it out.
3. DO NOT OVER-MIX THE POTATOTES. I like using a potato masher as opposed to a hand mixer because the potatoes don’t get gummy. I have ruined so many batches of mashed potatoes by over-mixing. Over-mixing mashed potatoes turn them into sticky mush. What a waste of a perfectly good potato!