In a medium pot, combine the potatoes with the garlic, milk, salt and pepper. (Note: The milk should come about three-quarters of the way up the potatoes. If it doesnt, use a smaller pot. Do not add more milk.)

Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes over a bowl and reserve the starchy cooking milk. (MF: I didnt drain, rather I riced potatoes and milk all together.)

Rice potatoes into a bowl. Add more milk if necessary to achieve your desired texture (for thicker mashed potatoes, use less milk; for a thinner consistency, use up to 1 cup). Stir in the butter. Taste the mashed potatoes (lucky you) and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve the potatoes piping-hot, right away. If you want to make them ahead of time, transfer the potatoes into a heat-safe serving dish and top with pieces of butter (about 2 tablespoons, chopped). Refrigerate until ready to serve, then reheat in the microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes. Resist the urge to stir too much, as doing so can make the potatoes gluey.

MF: Made these for the freezer 01/10/19. They turned out GREAT! After cooking I let the potatoes sit in the milk until slightly cooled before ricing. Might use more garlic next time.