Mindy here, and yes, we've had an offer on our house. If all goes according to plan, we should be moving in about four weeks. Four weeks filled with packing, an Eagle Scout court-of-honor, packing, a graduation party, packing, a new grandbaby (due May 8th, and had better not decide to linger too far past), more packing and...did I mention packing?
Oh, my... This dream we've looked forward to for so long is about to take wing. It's as exciting as it is scary.
But in the meantime, let's celebrate. Sunday was Easter and most of the kids were here. The perfect excuse to smoke some meat and make potato salad.
I love potato salad, though I do tend to be rather picky about it. Not too sweet or too mustardy... Just your good old fashioned potato salad.
Of course, what's potato salad without potatoes.
I prefer red potatoes. Their texture is just better for potato salad. They're usually kind of small, so I boil them whole, just until tender, drain them and spread them on a baking sheet to cool enough for me to work with them.
Then I peel them with my bare hands. The skin usually slips right off , though I like to leave a little bit on. Then cube them up, toss them in a bowl and gather my other ingredients.
There are certain people in my family who don't particularly care for celery, so I limit it to one stalk, chopped finely, but you're welcome to use more. Then I round things out with a couple of green onions, two hard boiled eggs and a third of a cup of sweet relish.
After everything is chopped (well, except the relish), fold the ingredients into the potatoes.
Now it's time for the dressing. Which also happens to be the easiest part.
To a medium bowl, add 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. ground mustard.
Whisk until smooth and pour over your potato mixture.
Gently fold everything together.
And voila!
You've got the perfect dish for your next barbeque or a delicious side for smoked chicken or just about any other meat.
Throw in some veggies for a nice pop of color and you're good to go.
This really is one of my favorite summertime sides. And this recipe has the perfect balance of creamy and tangy.
Now it's your turn. Are you a potato salad fan? If so, how do you prefer yours, mayo or mustard? Vinegar? If not, what's your favorite summertime side dish?
Mindy Obenhaus lives in Texas with her husband and the last of her five children. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com
Hi Mindy! I also love potato salad. It's funny how different parts of the country make things differently. When I moved from Texas, where my grandmother's potato salad always had lots of sweet relish, to Arizona, I was shocked that my new hubby's family HATE sweet relish in anything. I now make everything with dill relish and I've learned to love it just as much.
ReplyDeleteYes, potato salad is definitely one of those regional things, LeAnne. Honestly, I'm not a hug fan of sweet relish, but in this instance, it kind of balances things out with the lemon juice, which is something I initially thought strange. Vinegar I was used to, but lemon juice? But it's the perfect compliment. Dill relish is my definite go-to in most other instances, though.
DeleteOh, Mindy. I LOVE potato salad, but I'm kind of embarrassed to say I've never made it. It's one of those run to the deli sides for us. #hangsheadinshame
ReplyDeleteNo need for shame, Mary Cate. I don't make potato salad very often, but unless you have a tried and true deli go-to, which I don't, it's worth the effort to get what you really want. I think what intimidated me the most was cooking the potatoes and getting them to just that right point. But using the red potatoes and learning to cook them just until their tender was my lightbulb moment.
DeleteMindy, congrats on getting an offer so quickly! I hope all goes well in the process.
ReplyDeleteI love potato salad! I make mine pretty much like yours, only with Vidalia onion instead. And sometimes no onion. I've never used lemon juice, though. Just juice from the pickle relish. :)
Missy, like I told Mary Cate, I was skeptical about the lemon juice, but it works incredibly well. You should try it sometime and let me know what you think.
DeleteOnions... Georgia's Vidalia is Texas' 10/15 onion. Pretty much all I buy. But the green onions are good texturally. Especially since I chop the celery so fine. No big crunches. :P
I'm late getting here, but this just says SUMMER in bold type!!! Yes!!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't do mustard.... I make a cole slaw-style dressing (Mayo/vinegar/sugar/salt) and I use green peppers with the celery. No onion because of me.... so in a few things, the family suffers along with me. And I love potato salad.... I love anything potato, Mindy!!!
Huge congratulations on selling the house! Oh my stars, that's so exciting. GO YOU!!!!!!
I am so happy for you!
Ruthy, my spud-loving friend, I knew you would love potato salad. Funny about your cole slaw, though. I use mayo, sour cream, Dijon and seasoned salt. A lot of the country women just thin mayo with milk and add sugar. There are just so many variations.
DeleteWe are stoked about the house. Had appointments with moving companies today for quotes. Yep, things are getting exciting.
And I've never put relish in potato salad.... Not dill, not sweet, not one smidge.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that's a Midwestern thing in origin????
Or New England and I'm a maverick?
BTW, I would be fired if I put green peppers in my potato salad. With my husband, I'm lucky to sneak it into cooked things.
DeleteRelish is easy, but I often just chop up pickles instead. Just depends how lazy I am and what I have on hand.
And Ruthy, you are always the maverick. ;)