{ Cheesy Ranch Potato Wedges }

Lemme just tell ya, people are obsessed with Ranch.

Ranch flavoring that is. I don't think most of America is going out and purchasing thousands of acres and hiring Cowboys.

But ... I could be wrong.

Ranch Dressings, Ranch Chips, Ranch Croutons, Ranch Crackers, Ranch, Ranch, Ranch.
Go to a restaurant and listen to people order dressing. I'm betting a good 75% order Ranch.
I order Vinaigrette. Coloring inside the lines was never my strong suit.

Oh, Hidden Valley, did you KNOW you were creating an obsession?

I think you did.

I host monthly Game Nights here. Mostly, it's teenagers. Shockingly, I'm ok with this. I like these teenagers.

I made these taters up for said Game Night (this month's theme was "I Mustache You A Question").

Here's your line up:

Cheesy Ranch Potato Wedges
8 potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/3 cup oil

salt, pepper

1 to 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1-16 oz container Sour Cream

1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix

3/4 cup Milk
Bacon, fried and chopped or Real Bacon Bits
Green Onion (if desired)

These take a while to bake, but they are so easy.

First, scrub up some taters. I did 8 - this is a rather large recipe.

Chop them into wedges, then toss them in 1/3 cup oil.

Mix up 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt. 

Toss in a little regular salt and black pepper.

You can add other seasonings if you like too!

Place wedges on baking sheet lined with parchment (or foil) and sprinkle seasonings over them.

Sprinkle with a bit of dried parsley too (optional)

Bake at 400 F for about 45 minutes or until tender.

While those are baking, make your Ranch Sauce. In a bowl, mix together a 16 oz container of Sour Cream, a Packet of Ranch Dressing Mix, and 3/4 cup milk. Put in fridge until potatoes are done.

When tender, remove potatoes from oven and top with hobgobs of cheese (1-2 cups).

 Return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gooey.

Remove from oven, and top with Ranch sauce.
Pour it all on. Well, pour on at  least 1/2 of it, and save the rest for dipping.

We wouldn't want a ranchless potato. Oh the humanity!

Sprinkle on bacon & green onion, if desired
(no green onion here, not because I don't like it, but because I didn't possess it at the time)

 mmmm... ranchy and gooey

My niece (who is 18) took the leftovers home. All of them. And there were a lot.

Did I mention this is a BIG recipe?

So yummy.

Want. Now.

Have. None.

Sad. Tina.

Credit: this recipe is based off of this one from Oh So Delicioso

{ Cheesy Potato Soup }

I know what you are thinking.

I'm posting a soup recipe in June. 

You are thinking I've gone off the deep edge.

Note: this is not going off the deep end, or off the edge. This. is different.

However:

A. It's been in the 50s & 60s here! What??

(95 to  58 in the space of 4 days is not cool, man. Not cool. Actually, it is technically quite cool though, and therein lies the problem).

B. I've never understood the concept of not eating soup in the summer. I mean, hamburgers are hot, we eat those in the summer. Lasanga is hot, we eat it in the summer. Pork Chops are hot, we eat those in the summer... and so on.

Poor soup gets a bad rap.

I think we should celebrate soup and eat it year round!

GO SOUP!

I've been asked for the recipe for this soup often. Like, very often.

Problem?

I don't use a recipe. This makes giving a recipe more difficult.

I've been making this soup for something like 132 years. Yes, it started from a recipe in a community book. Do you know what I mean? Where an organization pulls recipes together, sends them off to a printer and then sells them as a fundraiser? They are way common here in rural 'Merica.

I have no idea what book it came from, and I can say for certain that over the years, this has very much become my own recipe.

The other night when I was making it, I decided to measure things (gasp!) and write them down for you (double gasp!).

This is the result.

This recipe uses a lot of potatoes. You can use less, up to you.

My husband's grandmother tells about how her brother in law used to call her sister's potato soup "Huntin' Soup". See, he had to hunt for the potatoes. We don't want that to happen here. Unless, you know, you LIKE hunting for your potatoes.

Warning- this is a LARGE recipe. Great for big families or leftovers. Or you could halve it, if you feel the need. This is easily 3 meals for my family of 3.

Here we go:

Tina's Cheesy Potato Soup

8 Cups Water 
(salted to taste, remembering your bouillion & cheeses will be salty)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1-2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/4 cup diced onion

Butter (to taste)

2 teaspoons of powdered chicken bouillon

(or 1 can of chicken broth. If you use this, only use 7 cups of water)

Stir together in a large pot.

Add in 3-4 cups peeled, diced potatoes (depending on how many potatoes you want in your soup)

Bring to a boil, turn to medium, and let boil until potatoes are tender.

Once they are tender, add 1/4 cup flour to 1 cup water in a small bowl/measuring cup/etc. Mix together until smooth. Slowly pour this into your soup. 

You can use more/less flour. This will make your soup thick and hearty. 

Turn the heat down. This is where we add in the cheese. Do not let boil after the cheese is added.

We are all about high quality here, so add in 

2-3 cups of processed cheese food (aka Velveeta)

this photo is deceptive, but I used about 2 1/2 cups

 Feel free to use other cheese, but I have tried the lot and always end up back at Velveeta.

After that is melted, I throw in a couple handfuls of whatever cheeses I have in the fridge.

Here I used Mozzerella & Mild Cheddar.

Let melt.

This is most delicious with toppings of green onion, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and more cheese.

Sadly, I'm the only one in the house who thinks so.

Just cheese it is.

Serve this up with a salad, my Red Lobster Clone Biscuits or a nice crusty bread & it's a tasty meal.

And yes, even in the summertime.

Tina

Easy, squeezy printable here.