Creamy Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

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Serves 6

Cooking Time 4 to 5 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Infusing mashed potatoes with the sweet, nutty flavor of roasted garlic is easy—if you don’t mind taking an extra hour to roast a head of garlic. We found that simply tossing peeled garlic cloves right into the slow cooker with the spuds guaranteed a deeply flavored dish—with a lot less hassle. Cooking the potatoes and garlic in a few cups of water ensured that they cooked through gently. After draining them, we reached for a potato masher and mashed them together right in the slow cooker—no need to dirty a bowl. When it came to the dairy, we found that milk, plus a bit of melted butter, gave our potatoes a nicely creamy texture. A cup of grated Parmesan added to our mash enhanced the nutty notes of the roasted garlic and guaranteed that our spuds were ultrarich. This recipe can easily be doubled. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

3	pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3	cups water
4	garlic cloves, peeled
	Salt and pepper
3	tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1	cup milk, warmed
1	cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine potatoes, water, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 4 to 5 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.

2. Drain potatoes and return to now-empty slow cooker. Mash potatoes with potato masher until smooth. Fold in melted butter, then fold in milk and Parmesan, adjusting consistency with extra warm milk as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Mashed potatoes can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours; loosen with extra warm milk as needed before serving.)