OK, here is what i do when I am fixing a quick garlic mash. "micorwave oven in use" I place 2-3 cloves of garlic per person (can use more or less) into a micorwave safe coffee cup, cover with milk, zap for approx. 60 secs. Don't have to peel, the peel with slip right off once they are cooked. Boil potatoes (or sometimes I will even zap them also - less nutrient loss?) add garlic milk, garlic, and butter to potatoes. Mash, S and P to tast. This is a quick way to make mashed, I can have them on the table before the garlic butter above would be cooked. Not that those don't sound yummy. Roasted garlic is great, sometimes even a little too sweet. This is more gently and you dont loose any of the flavor in the cooking. I will also milk zap garlic for dishes such as cilantro-parsley pesto. Takes just a little of the raw bite away for the people that are more sensitive. Paul