Want to impress impress at a family gathering with a relatively simple dish?

Potatoes are stupid versatile and easy to get right.

For me, my goto in this area is:

Get a pack of Yukon goldens. You could do baby reds, but don't get Russets for this. They don't saute well.

Preheat a saute pan or skillet to medium, cut each potato into a half or a third (bigger ones to a third) and rinse.

Mix potatoes in a bowl with about a tbsp of vegetable oil or butter and liberal seasoning of choice. There's this parmesan-garlic blend I like, but it's pretty hard to go wrong on the seasoning because potatoes work with basically anything.

Throw the mixed potatoes into the saute pan, add about 1/4 cup of water and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly seared and tender. 'Tender' means no resistance when stabbed with a fork.

Stir occasionally with a spatula so that they don't stick to the pan. Add a little water when you uncover to stir, the steam is important.

Put it on a fancy plate and bam. The compliments roll in.

For a meal, add onions (or really any vegetables) and choice of protein. My goto is chicken thighs cooked separately in a cast iron.

Cheap, easy, flavorful, versatile, substantial.