Creamy Mashed Potatoes

For years mashed potatoes were my nemesis, how could I seriously screw up such a simple dish? One year potatoes weren't cooked enough, next the dish was bland not enough salt, 2007 was the worse where I over processed and the mashed potatoes turned gummy... seriously gross. I always boiled the potatoes whole and with the skin on, thinkin this is the best way to preserve flavor. Boy was I wrong, this recipe uses peeled cut-up potatoes and are much flakier and absorb the milk and butter. This year I finally got it right, light, flaky, butter. Perfect.

Ingredients:
5 lbs. Idaho Potatoes
3-5 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 cup half and half room temperature or slight warm
2 cups whole milk room temperature or slight warm
1 and half sticks of unsalted butter cut in to small pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
Potato ricer (optional)

Directions:
1.) Peel potatoes and cut in to 4's and place in large stockpot. Cover with water until potatoes are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt.
2.) Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for about a half hour until tender.
3.) Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
4.) Pass potatoes through ricer.
5.) Add half and half, milk and butter and gently combine with potatoes.
6.) Season as needed with salt and pepper and add cooking liquid if mixture is too thick.