Everyone always says that it is best to “cook from scratch.” I guess they have never had a busy life, a demanding schedule, or kids!

Sometimes, the best things come in little bottles and packets. It is these little cooking conveniences that make putting a wholesome, satisfying meal on the table, in record time, as easy as a summer breeze blowing through the trees.

Such is the case with this recipe. Note that it is only five ingredients. It is so easy to make because one of those ingredients is a bottle of ranch dressing. Cheating? Maybe. But try it, and judge it by its taste – that and the empty bowl where the potato salad used to be.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. petite red potatoes , diced into bite size chunks (about 1-inch)

2/3 cup Hidden Valley® Simply Ranch Dressing (or to taste)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used medium)

6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

DIRECTIONS

Add potatoes to a pot. Add enough water to cover potatoes by about 2-inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce heat to medium and allow to boil until potatoes are fully tender, about 10 minutes. Carefully pour potatoes into a colander to drain. Set aside to cool (to speed-cool them run them under cold water until cool).

Pour cooled potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add in ranch dressing, cheddar, bacon and green onions (you can set aside a few tablespoons of the bacon and green onions for garnish, if desired). Toss to coat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 1 day (if you like the bacon crispy, wait to add it until you are ready to serve).

 

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Quick Tip:  Make sure that you drain your potatoes well, gently stirring them in the colander to ensure that pockets of moisture are not trapped in them, as overly moist potatoes will turn this salad into soup.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Jaclyn at cookingclassy.com