GINA Who doesn’t like a good potato? I know I married a meat-and-potatoes man, and so does Tanya. She always finds a way to make great potatoes, and these are some of her very best. Buttery and garlicky—yum. PAT Baby, you can’t do pork chops without mashed potatoes. There’s something about taking your fork and getting a bite of pork chop and garlic mashed potatoes at the same time. You just take both of those jokers and let ’em hit the palate!

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

　　Kosher salt

　　3 tablespoons butter

　　3/4 cup heavy cream

　　6 cloves garlic, minced

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Plop the potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt, bring it to a boil, then reduce the pot to a simmer, and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the pot, and reserve the potatoes.

　　

Step 2

Combine the butter, cream, and garlic in the empty pot, and stir over medium heat, until the butter melts and the garlic is slightly cooked, 2 or 3 minutes. Put the potatoes back into the pot, and remove from heat. Use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to mash and whip the potatoes together until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, and whip again to combine. Serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.