Fill a large stock pots about 1/2 way full of water and bring to a boil. I find it best to use two stock pots as there are a lot of potatoes here… And I do suggest starting this rather early – it takes a while to get the big pots up to full boil.

Wash and peel the potatoes.

Cut the potatoes into quarters to create smaller chunks that will soften while boiling quicker.

Add a bit of salt to the boiling water to add flavor while the potatoes boil.

Add potatoes to the boiling water. Let boil for about 10 to 15 minutes. Adding the potatoes will cool the water and slow down the boiling process, so it’ll take a while to get back to full boil.

Boil the potatoes for roughly 15 minutes. You’ll know the potatoes are done when the get a bit mushy and the edges of them are rounded off and soft. Don’t over-boil to the point that they completely fall apart however.

Turn the crock pot on low to begin warming the pot so it’s warm when you add the mashed potatoes in a few minutes.

Warm a small skillet on the stove and add a bit of olive oil. When the pan is warm, toss in the garlic and sauté until the edges just start to brown – you don’t want to burn the garlic. Sautéing it will take out some of the harshness of the garlic and unlock it’s sweet flavors. Once ready, immediately remove the garlic from the pan to stop the cooking process.

Remove the potatoes from the water, placing them in a large mixing bowl.

Mash the potatoes. I prefer to use a KitchenAid stand mixer with the mixing blade to mash and mix at once. Else a standard potato masher will do the trick just fine, but you’ll get your workout mixing everything together.

Add the garlic, sour cream, heavy whipping cream, salt, and pepper and about 1 1/2 sticks of butter to the potatoes. Mix the potatoes thoroughly.

Transfer the potatoes to the crock pot. Depending on how quickly you will be serving the mashed potatoes adjust the heat as needed. They are already warm, so you don't need to cook them. Typically setting it on low will have the potatoes piping hot and ready to eat in about 2-3 hours.

About 1 hour prior to serving, sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Then give the potatoes a good stir. Cut the remaining butter into small pats and distribute across the top of the potatoes so they melt and incorporate throughout. Lastly, sprinkle the top of the potatoes with paprika for both flavor and looks.

Serve and enjoy!