Ross Mathews on His Nana’s Soul-Soothing Thanksgiving Potatoes

"This is going to sound as cheesy as my Nana’s potatoes … I'm so grateful for this life that I have."

For Emmy-winning television host and producer Ross Mathews, Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday. “I think about lunch when I'm eating breakfast. I think about dinner when I'm eating lunch,” reveals Mathews. “And so the fact that there's a holiday that is simply about gathering with loved ones and making great food … it is number one on my list.”

Mathews grew up in Mt. Vernon, Washington, a little farm town north of Seattle and south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Growing up, he says, his extended family took turns hosting Thanksgiving.

“I loved it when it was our turn to host because my mom was a great cook,” remembers Mathews. “If it was at our house, she was in charge of the gravy. I don't know what she did to gravy to make it taste so good.”

That gravy was poured over the traditional roast turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. It was the only time of year, Mathews says, that his family made mashed potatoes from scratch. But they weren’t the only potato-based dish on the table. Mathews says the star of the show was actually something his family calls Nana’s O'Brien Potatoes.

“I have eaten at some great restaurants and met some of the best chefs in the world, and Nana’s Potatoes are still the best thing I've ever, ever eaten in my life,” says Mathews. “And I'm not kidding. I'm so passionate about this, I've made Gwyneth Paltrow eat these potatoes.”

Nana’s Potatoes is a soul-settling combination of potatoes and cheese with a buttery, crispy topping. To make it, Mathews explains, pour frozen hashbrowns into a casserole dish and top them with a container of sour cream and two cups of shredded cheddar. Combine melted butter and cornflakes and add the mixture on top before baking in a 325°F oven until bubbly and golden brown.

Though the recipe needs no embellishment, Mathews says you can add other flavors. “I like to put green chiles in there, or you can buy the O'Brien potatoes that have peppers already in them,” says Mathews. “I will put salt and pepper, maybe some red pepper flakes and garlic powder. You could do oregano. You could do whatever you wanted, but the essence is that sour cream and the cheese and the cornflake crunch on top.”

Though Mathews says Thanksgiving celebrations may be a bit smaller these days, he still loves bringing family and friends together to share all of its traditions. And the most important tradition for Mathews is sharing gratitude.

“This is going to sound as cheesy as my Nana’s potatoes, but I really mean this: Thanksgiving is the name of the holiday, and I find myself constantly going to gratitude because I'm so grateful for this life that I have,” he says. ”Whenever life is stressful or crappy or raining, or I'm sad, and I'm missing people, I go to gratitude, and I think that the fact that Thanksgiving is about food and gratitude, that's why it's so special to me.”