Start by peeling your potatoes and cutting them in about 1 inch chunks. Cutting the potatoes will make it faster to cook and easier to mash. (If you want to leave skin on, make sure to wash potatoes well.)
Add the potatoes to the pot and pour in enough cold water to cover the potatoes comfortably.
Add the bay leaf, some salt, half the black pepper, and dill weed. Bring water to boil over medium-high heat and lower the heat to medium. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are cooked all the way through and starting to fall apart. (Easy way to tell if the potatoes are done is to stick a fork into it.)
Drain potatoes and save at least a 1/2 cup of cooking water.
Keep potatoes in the pot and add butter, heavy cream, sour cream (if using), about 1/4 cup of cooking water, garlic powder, some black pepper, and some salt. Start mashing potatoes.
When potatoes are mostly mashed and combined, see if you might need to add a little more cooking water. If you do, add a couple of tablespoons at a time until you reach a desired consistency. Mash after each addition. (You will most likely only have to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cooking water altogether.)
Mash it until it's nicely smooth. Taste to see if you need to add more salt.
When servings, you can top off mashed potatoes with a little more butter while it's still hot and let it melt. It makes a nice presentation.
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Notes
*If you need to use lactose free options, all three are available on the market. There are options for lactose free milk, heavy cream, butter, and sour cream. Our favorite band of lactose free dairy products is Green Valley Creamery. Fairlife and Horizon Organic make lactose free milk that does not taste sweet. And, Horizon Organic also makes lactose free half and half. (Not a sponsored recommendation, just personal experience.)You can also use plant based milk substitutes for butter and milk and skip the sour cream. Use the plan based milk of which you love the taste and remember, oat milk does have some sweetness to it. Leaving skin on: Peel the potatoes first if you wish or leave the skin on for a rustic feel. Leaving the skin on also keeps the potatoes’ nutrients in your mashed potatoes. If you are leaving the skin on, make sure to scrub the potatoes clean.