Pour heavy cream over raw baby potatoes, together with 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a comforting side dish that I make without even thinking

This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish creamed peas and potatoes is the kind of comforting side dish I can make without even thinking. It leans on a very simple Amish-style approach: fresh baby potatoes and peas simmered gently in heavy cream with just a few pantry staples. Everything starts with that visual of pouring heavy cream over raw baby potatoes right in the slow cooker—no pre-boiling, no roux, no fuss. As it cooks low and slow, the cream thickens slightly, the potatoes turn tender, and the peas stay pleasantly sweet, giving you a cozy, farmhouse-style side that feels right at home on a busy weeknight or a Sunday dinner table.

Serve these creamed peas and potatoes alongside roast chicken, meatloaf, baked ham, or simple pan-seared pork chops—the mild creaminess balances anything savory and well-seasoned. I like to spoon them into a shallow bowl so some of the cream pools around the edges, then add a bright side like a crisp green salad or roasted carrots for contrast. They also work nicely as a holiday side dish next to turkey and stuffing, or as a comforting base under seared salmon or leftover pot roast, where the sauce doubles as a ready-made gravy.

Servings: 6

2 pounds small baby potatoes, scrubbed and left whole (or halved if larger)

Lightly grease the insert of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of oil or nonstick spray to help keep the cream from sticking and scorching.

Place the raw baby potatoes directly into the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer. If any potatoes are larger than a golf ball, cut them in half so they cook at the same rate as the smaller ones.

Sprinkle the kosher salt and black pepper evenly over the potatoes. This seasons the potatoes from the start rather than trying to correct the seasoning at the end.

Pour the heavy cream slowly and evenly over the raw baby potatoes in the slow cooker, making sure most of the potatoes have at least a light coating of cream. The cream will not fully cover them, and that is fine.

Scatter the frozen peas over the top of the potatoes and cream. Do not stir; leaving the peas mostly on top helps them stay bright and tender instead of overcooking.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid frequently, as that releases heat and slows down cooking.

Once the potatoes are tender, gently stir everything together in the slow cooker so the peas, potatoes, and cream form a cohesive, creamy mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt and pepper if needed.

If you prefer a slightly thicker cream, let the mixture sit uncovered on the WARM setting for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice; the sauce will thicken a bit as the starch from the potatoes mingles with the cream.

Serve the creamed peas and potatoes hot straight from the slow cooker, or transfer to a warm serving dish, spooning some of the cream over the top so every serving is well-coated.

For a richer, more old-fashioned Amish feel, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter at the end of cooking until melted and glossy. If you like a thicker, gravy-like sauce, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold heavy cream and stir that slurry into the slow cooker for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH. To add gentle onion flavor without extra chopping, sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried minced onion over the potatoes with the salt and pepper. For herb lovers, finish with a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley or chives right before serving; they brighten the richness nicely. You can also swap part of the heavy cream for whole milk (up to half) for a lighter version, understanding the sauce will be looser. If you want this to stretch into more of a one-bowl meal, fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of diced leftover ham or cooked crumbled bacon during the last 30 minutes of cooking for added protein and smokiness. Finally, if your slow cooker runs hot and you notice cream browning around the edges, simply give it a gentle stir halfway through and, next time, reduce to the LOW setting and cook a bit longer for a softer, more even simmer.