BOIL: Place the peeled potatoes in a large dutch oven. Add cold water to the pot so that the water rises about 2 inches above the potatoes. Add a tablespoon of salt along with the peeled garlic cloves. Turn the heat on to the highest setting and allow the potatoes to reach a boil. Then, turn it down so that it simmers but doesn't boil over. Cook the potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until a fork pierces through the potatoes very easily.

MASH OR RICE: Drain the potatoes and garlic cloves, but don’t rinse them! Using a ricer, rice the potatoes/garlic cloves into the dutch oven. If you don’t have a ricer, add them back to the same dutch oven and use a masher to mash the potatoes. Add the cubed butter and stir to combine. Let the butter melt into the potatoes. Then add sour cream, cheddar cheese, and combine using a rubber spatula.

MASHED POTATOES: Add 1/3 cup of half and half and stir to combine. Continue adding a few tablespoons of half and half until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. I needed the full 2/3 cup. If at any point the cheese isn’t melting into the potatoes, you can kick the stove onto the lowest heat setting, this will help heat the pan just enough so everything combines. Taste and adjust with salt and white pepper as desired. Remove to a serving dish and sprinkle with chopped chives!