Bah! Whole milk is for posers. Use heavy cream.
MARTHA STEWART'S MASHED POTATOES
Serves 6 to 8
This is vintage Martha. Rich, luxurious, and creamy mashed potatoes. They are indeed, as Martha says, "infinitely edible."
The potatoes here are yellow-fleshed [Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn], and their color adds to the impression that these are the richest potatoes you've ever eaten. Russets are thirstier; you'll need to add more cream if you use them for this dish.
Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator well in advance; it needs to be squishy soft. If not, it thickens the potatoes too much and they're hell to beat.
2-1/2 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
Freshly ground black pepper
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by at least an inch, add a good pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cover partway, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, and put them back over the heat to dry them. Shake the pan and stir until the potatoes are floury and have made and have made a film on the bottom of the pan.
Put the potatoes through a ricer and return them to the pan, over very low heat, or mash them until perfectly smooth with a hand masher. Beat in the butter, about one-third at a time, with a wooden spoon. Cut the cream cheese into bits and beat that in thirds. Pour in the cream, stir until it's absorbed, and then beat the potatoes vigorously with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve right away, so they're good and hot.
and just today I bought 2% instead of skim just for my potatoes and thought I was being so extravagant.........lol