Potato Salad

My mom invited us to a Labor Day cookout after we got back from vacation and asked me to bring potato salad. I didn't feel up to making my usual All-American Potato Salad, so I went online for inspiration and found this recipe for Potato Salad.


I left out the bacon, upped the vinegar for some extra tang and used the method I learned from the All-American Potato Salad to soak the warm potatoes in the vinegar so they absorb the flavor. It was absolutely delicious and easy to make. This one is definitely going in my rotation.

Potato Salad
Inspired by The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

2 1/2 lbs potatoes, scrubbed, skin-on, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 sprigs of thyme
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup pickle juice
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Place a vegetable steamer in a large pot. Fill with water just until it reaches the bottom of the steamer. Place the potatoes on top of the steamer and cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until a knife can slide easily into them. Drain and put on a baking sheet in a single layer. Add the pickle juice and vinegar and toss to coat the potatoes. Put the baking sheet into the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.

In a medium size bowl mix the mayo, sour cream, mustards, hardboiled eggs, thyme, scallions, salt and pepper. You can even make this a day before to really let the flavors infuse.

Once the potatoes are cool, stir them into the mayo mixture and stir gently. Refrigerate until cold.

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Green Goddess Potato Salad

Yet another winner from the latest issue of Food Network Magazine, this one for Green Goddess Potato Salad. This came from the magazine insert 50 Potato Salads. There were quite a few that sounded good so check out the list if you don't subscribe to the magazine. I picked the Green Goddess recipe because I had all the herbs in my garden and wanted to try something new.



Green Goddess Potato Salad
Modified from Food Network Magazine

2 lbs potatoes
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup mix of parsley, thyme, tarragon, basil, finely minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes. Put potatoes in a pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, checking with a knife for doneness. Drain thoroughly.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the mayo, herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl.

After the potatoes have been drained, spread them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Take a large spoonful of the mayo and herb mixture and toss with the hot potatoes. Redistribute the potatoes into an even layer and put the cookie sheet in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.

Once the potatoes are cool, toss them with the remaining mayo mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve cold.

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Catching Up

I've been horrible about updating this blog lately. Ever since having Baby Girl I've lost my groove in the kitchen. Being a working mom with a child who goes to bed at 7pm every night, I don't have much time for cooking. Or desire, to be honest. Over the past few months I've been very sporadic about even photographing meals, let alone blogging. I've decided to try to get back into it, though, so here's a look at what we've eaten recently.

A cheesesteak hoagie:


Breaded chicken, rice pilaf, green beans and sliced fresh tomato with basil:


Takeout shrimp scampi over spaghetti (insanely delicious):


Panfried chicken with boxed scalloped potatoes and tomato and avocado salad:


Steak dinner with corn fritters, loaded baked potato salad and sliced tomatoes:


These corn fritters are SO amazing:

I made up my own recipe for loaded baked potato salad, which included bacon, scallions and cheddar cheese:

The next night I used leftover corn fritters as a bed for ham and fried eggs:

This recipe for cheesy chicken with mushrooms was simple and delicious:

The cheese-stuffed tomatoes were good, but not cheesy enough:

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Pork Chops and Potato Salad

Another recipe from the May 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine, this time for Pork with Potato-Bean Salad. I used pork chops instead of the tenderloin:


... and we thought they were a little bland. I tried the recipe again, this time baking the pork chops, but with the same disappointing result. The potato salad, however, has become a staple in my kitchen:


I like the green beans in it, but lately I've been leaving them out and just making the potato salad. It's incredibly flavorful and I always have the ingredients on hand. I still love my other version of potato salad, but this one is a great weeknight throw-together.

Easy Potato Salad
Modified from Food Network Magazine

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 teaspoon grated zest
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Cover the potatoes with cold water in a saucepan and salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, run under cold water and pat dry.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, parsley, lemon juice and zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Add the potatoes and onion; season with salt and pepper, and toss.

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Buffalo Chicken Burger and Blue Cheese Potato Salad

We love the combination of buffalo wings and blue cheese so I'm always looking for ways to serve them. I thought this one was pretty much the best ever, although SP didn't agree (his favorite is still the buffalo chicken pizza).


I was going to make buffalo chicken sandwiches my usual way, but on the drive home I had a brainstorm and decided to grind the chicken instead and make burger patties. I mixed the chicken meat with breadcrumbs, Frank's hot sauce and finely chopped red onion and celery. I topped the patties with crispy iceburg lettuce and lots of Marie's blue cheese dressing:


What are buffalo wings without the blue cheese, in this meal in the form of potato salad:


SP thought the burgers were a little dry and he wished for more Frank's flavor, but I thought everything was perfect. Hopefully he'll let me try again.

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Buffalo Chicken Wraps and Blue Cheese Potato Salad

We love buffalo chicken sandwiches and since I had some leftover tortillas I thought I'd make wraps.


I coated the chicken in cornstarch and egg before shallow frying so they'd be nice and crispy before tossing them in Frank's hot sauce and butter. I spread the tortillas with homemade blue cheese dressing (mayo, sour cream and crumbled blue cheese), and layered in chopped iceburg lettuce and chicken pieces. They were delicious but the wraps were difficult to eat - sandwiches would have been better.

For the potato salad I followed a recipe I found on epicurious.com, but made a few changes (see below):


It was creamy and delicious, with great blue cheese flavor. It isn't a recipe I'd make all the time but I'll definitely make it again soon.

Blue Cheese Potato Salad
Modified from epicurious.com


1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
3 green onions, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped

Combine white wine, Dijon mustard and cider vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place potatoes in large pot. Cover with cold water. Boil until tender. Drain. Place on a baking sheet and toss with the white wine mixture. Put in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to large bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients, mix with potatoes and adjust seasoning. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.)

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Family Cookout

This summer we're trying to make an effort to have family over for dinner as often as our schedules will allow. We invited SP's sister, her husband and their two sons over for a cookout and, surprisingly, the weather actually cooperated.


I grilled up some cheeseburgers and hot dogs and made my potato salad. We also boiled some corn that was nice and sweet. I'm still amazed that the corn has been pretty decent. A delicious meal, although I ate way too much and paid for it later with stretching pain above my belly button. My eyes are definitely bigger then my stomach these days.

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Burgers on the Grill

We grilled more burgers over Memorial Day weekend:


My plate:


We also had some more of the potato salad and grilled zucchini.

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Memorial Day BBQ

For Memorial Day we grilled some burgers and corn and I made my potato salad:


While the corn was good in the grilled corn salad it wasn't as good just eaten off the cob. I love this recipe for potato salad. It's my go-to for picnics:



All- American Potato Salad
Cook's Country Magazine

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1½ tsp salt, divided
3 Tbs dill pickle juice, plus ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles, divided
1 Tbs yellow mustard
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp celery seed
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
½ small red onion, chopped finely
1 rib celery, chopped finely
2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (optional)

Place potatoes in large saucepan with cold water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to boil over high heat, add 1 tsp. salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10- to 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes thoroughly, then spread out on rimmed baking sheet. Mix 2 Tbs. pickle juice and mustard together in small bowl, drizzle pickle juice mixture over potatoes, and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.

Mix remaining tablespoon pickle juice, chopped pickles, remaining ½ tsp. salt, pepper, celery seed, mayo, sour cream, red onion and celery in a large bowl. Toss in cooled potatoes, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes. Gently stir in eggs, if using, just before serving.

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Mother's Day Lunch

Another post I forgot I had saved as a draft...forgive me. I fear that pregnancy brain has officially set in.

This was our Mother's Day lunch a few weeks ago. We went to my mom's house for a cookout. My mother-in-law and stepgrandmother also came. My mother-in-law brought one of my favorite things, an antipasto salad she gets from a local pizzeria:


My mom put out small balls of mozzarella with sundried tomatoes and mini toast for us to snack on while the burgers and hot dogs cooked:


My mom made deviled eggs:


... and her delicious potato salad:


She also made a mixed greens salad:


My stepfather was in charge of the grill and he cooked up some juicy burgers:


... along with hot dogs:


My plate, with a little of everything:


It was a delicious meal and the weather was positively gorgeous, sunny but with a cool breeze.

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First Cookout of the Season

On Saturday the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was sunny, barely a cloud in the sky, and that perfect spring temperature (somewhere in the 70s) where there's a slight breeze and no humidity. We invited our friends C & D over for the first cookout of the season.


We got some ground beef from the Amish market to make burgers and grilled some hot dogs. Potato chips, potato salad and coleslaw rounded out the meal.


C made brownies, which I just realized I didn't photograph. Trust me, they were delicious. She also brought some fruit to help cut the richness of the brownies.

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Easter Lunch

Happy Easter!! I hope everyone had a great day. We had a marvelous lunch at my mom's house, but the weather was just not spring-like. It was sunny, but the temp barely hit 50 degrees.

My mom dyed some hard boiled eggs in fun, festive colors:


She also made her absolutely delicious potato salad:


I just love this simple potato salad. I've never made her recipe because I know I couldn't do it justice.


I made deviled eggs:


... keeping it simple with mayo, yellow mustard, salt and pepper with a dash of paprika on top for color:


Mom also roasted some asparagus in the oven with just oil, salt and pepper:


... and heated up some ham and two kinds of kielbasa:


The larger piece was slightly smoky and spicy. We also had some rye bread with butter:


The dining room table all laid out for the feast:


My plate with a little bit of everything:


Mom also made a lemon cheesecake:


... topped with fresh raspberries and served atop fresh raspberry sauce:


It was a delicious lunch and the perfect way to welcome in spring, even if Mother Nature didn't cooperate in the weather department.

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