When it comes to simple side dishes, no vegetable takes the cake quite like potatoes; they’re easy to make in a hurry, endlessly comforting and sure to please even the pickiest eaters at the table. While a classic baked spud is a go-to preparation, a bit of mashing, slicing and dicing, plus indulgent additions like butter and cream, will transform the humble potato into a hearty staple. And no one knows that better than The Pioneer Woman, who has more than a few potato picks in her ranch recipe arsenal. Read on below to get Ree Drummond’s top-five takes on potatoes, including a cheesy twice-baked version and scalloped beauties studded with ham.
5. Perfect Potato Salad — Packed with sweet pickles, hard-boiled eggs and fresh dill, Ree’s easy potato salad features a mix of mayonnaise and mustard for extra tang. Follow her lead and mash the spuds to achieve a fluffy base.
4. Scalloped Potatoes and Ham — “The thinner the better,” Ree says of slicing the potatoes for her big-batch casserole. She layers these fine spuds with chopped ham, a thick, buttery onion sauce and plenty of gooey Monterey Jack cheese to create a stick-to-your-ribs side.
3. Creamy Mashed Potatoes — You’ll want to make Ree’s mashed potatoes a permanent fixture in your recipe repertoire: Packed with an over-the-top combination of butter, cream cheese, half-and-half and cream, these silky-smooth spuds shine every time.
2. Perfect French Fries — Since the ingredient list for this recipe is so minimal (just a few pantry staples), it’s all about the technique in making Ree’s failproof fries from Food Network Magazine. She opts for a double-fry method: one dip in lower-temperature oil to properly cook the potatoes, then a second dunk at a higher temperature to turn them golden brown and crispy.
1. Twice-Baked Potatoes — Crispy bacon bits, rich sour cream, gooey cheddar and fresh green onions take a buttery mashed potato filling to the next decadent level in Ree’s timeless twice-baked beauties (pictured above). Click the play button on the video above to watch her make them.
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The Pioneer Woman’s Best 5 Potato Recipes