Potato Basics

For the beginning, intermediate and even seasoned cooks I present potato basics.

Have you tried making a potato gratin only to have it end up watery and lacking flavor? Are you ever stumped on just how many potatoes to peel to feed 4 or 6 or more people? What makes up a great twice baked potato and what's the best way to do them. I have the answers for you.
There are three separate posts that you'll want to visit to get the basics to making the best Potato Gratin you can possibly make and it's one that will wow your family and friends. Currently the top post on the blog with 112,000 views and has been pinned over 11,000 times! It's an easy recipe to follow and I am sure you'll love it. I did my homework on this one after dining at a Ruth Chris Steakhouse, determined to capture their recipes without using a copycat recipe from somewhere else.
An excerpt from the post:

"The key to the success is simmering the potatoes in heavy cream and then reducing the cream. What happens is the potatoes loose their water while simmering in the cream then when you boil and reduce it, the water evaporates. What you end up with is the most delicious steakhouse style potato gratin and it's just incredible. The potatoes are cooked to perfection and you have a dreamy sauce that continues to thicken a little as it cooks but still maintains a creamy texture."

Angie Radel had this to say after making the gratin:

"This recipe is delicious, the only addition I made was I added several garlic cloves (minced) to the cream while simmering the potatoes. This was a huge hit at Christmas!"

And for beginners who get intimidated around holiday time for how many potatoes you need, what's the best method and how much of what will you need to make them super delicious, you will want to visit my post Mashed Potatoes 101. After reading the post and following the instructions for a smaller amount for your family you will know how to tackle mashed potatoes for a crowd.
An excerpt from the post: 

"Drain your potatoes and place them back on the burner with the heat on low. This allows extra moisture to be cooked out. At that time add in about 3 tablespoons of butter in chunks. Begin mashing the potatoes and breaking them down."

And Nicole says:

"These mashed potatoes look really yummy. We eat mashed potato a lot and I will definitely try them your way next time :)"

My husband is the guru here on Twice Baked Potatoes and he loves making them. This is a basic recipe without any fanfare that is totally delicious and really quite easy to make. Once you get this recipe under your belt you'll be wanting to make them for special occasions for family and friends.
An excerpt from the post: 

"For us, my husband made 2 large stuffed potatoes. He sliced the tops off to do this, however this recipe is for serving four persons by splitting the baked potato in half. That really is an adequate portion when making these for a family of four and serving with another vegetable and a protein."

And Dan says:

"I have never made twice baked potatoes but just added them to my resolutions for the new year!"

There are many other potato side dish recipes here at Cooking On A Budget and I hope you check some of them out.