Mother’s Day Ease: Just 4 ingredients. Set it before church and come home to something that makes her feel celebrated.

If you’d like to lean even more toward traditional Amish flavors, you can swap the dry ranch mix for 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried parsley or chives, keeping the total to four main ingredients by counting those herbs as part of your pantry seasonings rather than separate additions. For a slightly lighter dish, use half heavy cream and half chicken broth, though the sauce will be a bit thinner and less rich. You can also trade the cheddar for Colby Jack or a mild Swiss for
For a heartier Sunday supper, tuck very thin slices of fully cooked ham or smoked sausage between the potato layers—just keep in mind that this technically adds another ingredient, so I like to think of it as a special-occasion stretch of the basic recipe.

Food safety tips: Always start with clean, scrubbed potatoes and a clean cutting board and knife. Keep the potatoes sliced thin so they cook thoroughly and do not remain firm or underdone in the center. Use a slow cooker that is at least half full but not more than three-quarters full so it heats properly and maintains a safe temperature. Once the potatoes are finished cooking, do not leave the slow cooker on the counter unplugged; either keep it on WARM for up to 2 hours or cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat leftovers until they are steaming hot all the way through before serving.