by Jeanni Ritchie
I love potatoes! Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, french fries, roasted potatoes…
There was only one potato dish my sister and I would crinkle our noses at on the green melamine plates our mom would set before us. We called them potatoes au rotten!
But even potatoes au gratin have a place at the table in February as we celebrate #PotatoLoversMonth.
I recently found some fries like my dad used to make at Cenla Grill & Chill. Homemade, fresh potatoes with the perfect amount of seasonings…yum!
My favorite potato dish, though, is one my grandmother used to make every time we’d visit her in Baton Rouge. Mashed Potatoes with Cheese was the name, a simplistic on-the-nose description of the dish. Over the years it became known as Mema’s Potatoes.
Sometimes served in individual mini aluminum boats and sometimes in a family-size CorningWare dish, it was always on the menu when we visited.
The dish is still one of my favorites and a regular contributor to potlucks and family feasts. Better still, it is kid-approved.
It’s just too simple for a formal recipe so here’s how you make it!
Mema’s Potatoes
Cook a big pot of mashed potatoes, either fresh or with instant potatoes. Your choice! Make them a little thicker than normal.
While cooking, add a ton of dried seasonings. Flavors without the chunks! Onion powder, minced onion, garlic salt, parsley, salt, pepper, a dash or two of lemon pepper. Pour liberally!
Pour potato mixture into individual pans or a baking dish. Sprinkle the top with cheese (shredded cheddar works best) and paprika.
Bake in 400° oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted.
Easiest side dish ever!
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.