Put the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pot of salted water to cover, bring to a rolling boil and cook for 35 minutes. At that point, I remove one potato with a slotted spoon, run it under cold water then cut in in half to make sure the center is fully cooked and tender all the way through. If it is still too firm to easily pass through a ricer then I put the two halves back with the other potatoes and boil for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. You can then test again by halving another potato until they are soft enough so they fall apart and can easily pass through the ricer. By boiling the potatoes whole it helps them retain the starch that will give your mash richness.
Once cooked through put the pot in the sink and run cold water into it until the potatoes have cooled enough to handle. Peel and slice in half or thirds to fit into the ricer. Rice into the bowl of the Kitchen Aid or just a bowl.
Add the melted butter and mix on a medium speed ot with the hand mixer.
Slowly add the milk, cream, or half & half until smooth and has reached the consistency desired, still retaining its fluffiness, not a puree.
As an option you can mix or fold in either dill, chives or the caramelized onion.
Salt and pepper to taste.
These can be made in advance, refrigerated or frozen for future use. Just defrost, if frozen, or just microwaved for 30 seconds to a minute to heat them back up before serving.
