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Plato’s Potato Salad Recipe – The Requisite Summer Cookout Side Dish

June 27, 2012 By 10 Comments

Bobbie sez:Bobbie says:

Am I the only one who thinks a summer cookout just doesn’t seem right without potato salad? Whether you’re planning a barbecue for the July Fourth Independence Day here in the states, or planning a small family picnic; this easy potato salad recipe will round out the menu nicely.

I had a fear of making potato salad for a while. When I still lived at home, my parents had a friend, who was a very nice lady; but a rather dreadful cook. Her chili was thin and watery and I doubt a single chili pepper in any form was ever anywhere near it; and her potato salad was crunchy. Not from crisp, fresh bits of celery or onion, or even bacon. It was the potatoes. My husband has a similar story, of a beloved relative whose potato salad was spoken of only in hushed tones so as not to hurt her feelings. I did not want to be THAT person.

And when I finally decided to give it a go, guess who I turned out to be? Yep. The crunchy-potatoes-potato-salad-maker person. Fortunately, it was only for my own household, no guests, and it was only some of the potatoes that were a bit not un-crunchy. So, mostly edible. I kept working at it, trying different methods for getting the potatoes just right, and tweaking the dressing based on family input.

I was certain I’d finally perfected my potato salad on the day my husband referred to it as “Plato’s Potato Salad.”

We’d both had to take the same religion & philosophy course long ago at Grove City College, so I knew exactly what he meant. You’ve heard of Plato, that wacky ancient Greek philosopher? Well, he had this notion that things in the physical world were only cheap knockoffs of perfect things that existed only in the realm of thought. (No, seriously. It’s called Plato’s Theory of Forms. Look it up.) That chair you’re sitting on, comfy as it may be, is nowhere the ideal of perfect chair-ness that exists in your mind. So, when my husband called this Plato’s Potato Salad, I knew he liked it…

A lot.

Now that we’ve gotten the involuntary Greek philosophy lesson out of the way, on to the actual food discussion. I think it’s time for a picture.

Potato Salad - better and cheaper than the deli, with my lame atttempt at garnishing.

And there it is. I’m presentationally-impaired, so forgive my lame attempt at a garnish.

This is a pretty simple recipe, with only four chopped ingredients tossed with a non-sweet dressing. If you prefer yours on the sweet side or with – as we say at our house – “lots of stuff in it” then you might want to check out the potato salad recipe that Heather posted in 2009. That recipe also uses a different method of cooking the potatoes, which of course you could use here, as well. When I try it that way, I tend to end up making mashed potatoes and trying the potato salad again at a later time. It’s probably just my inability to pay attention to a timer beyond setting the thing. My method still uses a timer, but it’s slightly more forgiving in the paying-attention department.

 

Plato’s Potato Salad Recipe

  • 2 pounds medium potatoes (5 to 6) – enough to end up with 4 1/2 cups cubed, cooked potatoes
  • 6 hard cooked eggs, peeled
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion (yellow or purple)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Wash the potatoes, scrubbing well with a brush if they’re very dirty. You want them completely free of dirt before cooking to avoid simmering the potatoes in muddy water. That wouldn’t be conducive to tasty tater salad. Get ‘em clean, kids.

Choose a pot large enough to hold all the potatoes in one layer, and make sure it has a lid that fits well. Fill with water to a depth of 1 inch and bring to a boil. Add the whole, clean and not-peeled potatoes. Cover tightly and return to boiling. Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. If you can push a table knife (not a sharp knife) easily through to the center of the largest potato, they’re done. Drain and allow potatoes to cool until you can handle them enough to peel.

While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar and pepper. Set aside. Oh, and if you haven’t cooked your eggs yet, git ‘er done.

Here’s how I peel the cooked potatoes: take a sharp, non-serrated paring knife and use it to scrape the skin right off. I hold the knife so the blade is perpendicular to the surface of the potato. It comes off rather easily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks, or smaller if you prefer. Chop up the eggs into bite size or smaller pieces. I like big chunks of egg, but others may not. If you want to garnish with egg slices, cook an extra egg or two, then peel and keep in the fridge to slice just before serving.

 

Put the potatoes, eggs, celery and onion in a large bowl.

Pour dressing over and gently mix until all pieces are coated well.

 

 

Transfer to storage container or serving bowl and cover. Chill a bare minimum of two hours, but preferably several hours or overnight. Salad should be stirred gently before serving (or before adding your garnish if you’re doing that)

Recipe makes 3 1/4 pounds, or about 14 half-cup servings

Bobbie Laughman shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. You could report her, but you know they’ll just laugh at you. Besides, you know he had it coming, so instead you should go check out her blog Gruntled. Sheveled. Whelmed. Send questions to Bobbie@Home-Ec101.com

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Caprese or Sliced Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

January 21, 2012 By 17 Comments

Heather says:

Sometimes recipes are so basic, so simple, so easy, that I forget to include them here on Home Ec 101. Insalata caprese is one such recipe. This recipe shines in the summer, when tomatoes are at their peak, but sometimes it just beckons in the depth of winter. If it’s not tomato season, spend extra on the premium, locally grown, hothouse tomatoes. If you live where those aren’t available, just hang on, the tomatoes have to shine or it’s wasted money.

Insalata caprese is a perfect dish to bring to someone’s house, especially if they are having an Italian meal. It’s also great for summer potlucks or hors d’oeuvres. Concerned that you don’t know how to chiffonade basil? Don’t worry it’s just a fancy word, even the newest cook can handle it and Bobbie wrote a tutorial on basil chiffonade.

Enjoy!

: Insalata Caprese

: Simple, Sliced Salad

  • Tomatoes, sliced
  • Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
  • Fresh Basil, cut into chiffonade
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh ground pepper* to taste
  • Optional** Balsamic Vinegar

Insalata Caprese Directions

  • Alternate tomato slices and mozzarella to fill the serving plate.
  • Sprinkle with the basil chiffonade.
  • Salt, pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired.

*do not reach for that pre-ground stuff, I’ll smack your hand
**balsamic vinegar is not optional in my world.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet tags: Gluten free

Culinary tradition: Italian

Submitted to Mouthwatering Monday, What Makes You Say Mmmmm, and Tasty Tuesday.

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Cool as a Cucumber – 2 Quick and Easy Cucumber Salad Recipes

September 6, 2011 By 2 Comments

Bobbie sez

 

Bobbie says:

Got cucumbers coming out your ears? Here are two very simple ways to enjoy that bounty: the vinegar-based Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad and a Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad with a yogurt or sour cream dressing. You’ve got better things to do than be in the kitchen all day, so try these quick-to-prepare salads. The tangy vinegar-based cucumber salad should be made at least 4 hours ahead of time, preferably longer, but the yogurt and dill cucumber salad can be served immediately.

 

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad

  • 2 to 3 medium cucumbers
  • 1 small onion
  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper in a quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover tightly and shake well until sugar is dissolved. (Sugar amount may be adjusted to taste – some people do like it sweeter, some more tart. I find this amount is a good middle ground that can be enjoyed by most.)

Wash cucumbers and peel, if desired. Slice the cucumbers thinly (1/8 inch or thinner, if you can manage). Peel and slice the onion thinly as well. Layer the sliced veggies into the jar of vinegar/sugar. Seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably 8 hours or overnight. Shake the jar occasionally, if you think of it. Any container may be used of course – I just find a leakproof jar very convenient, as I usually prepare this salad to take along and share.

 

Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad

For this next recipe, I prefer to use a thick, greek yogurt, preferably one made with whole milk. Barring that, I substitute some good, real sour cream for half of the yogurt, which helps increase the Creaminess Quotient, thereby hiking the Make-This-Again-Soon Factor. Also, I have been known to toss a finely minced garlic clove in this salad on occasion. Try it!


  • 2 medium cucumbers
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
  • scant 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dill weed
  • 2/3 cup yogurt or sour cream or mixture of both
  • Additional chopped red onion and dill weed for garnish, if desired

Wash and peel the cucumbers, then quarter them lengthwise. Cut the quarters into appoximately 1/4 inch slices and add to a medium mixing bowl with the chopped red onion. (Why are they called red onions when they look so purple to me?)

Sprinkle the salt, pepper and dill weed evenly over the cucumbers and onions, then plop the yogurt on
 top of it all. Using a large spoon, gently stir with a folding motion, until mixed well and all pieces are coated with the dressing. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with additional chopped red onion and just a pinch of dill weed. Serve immediately or chill for an hour or two.

 

One last thing.

Cucumber Salad - make it prettyMake it pretty. If  neither you nor your guests mind eating cucumber skin, you can skip the peeling step and do this instead: wash and dry the cucumbers, then scrape the tines of a fork the full length of the cuke, on all sides, before slicing. This gives you cucumbers slices with frilly edges, which adds eye appeal to a salad. Personally, I do this only if I can get unwaxed cucumbers from a local market rather than from the grocery store. While the coating material is Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA, I just don’t care to eat it.

 

Bobbie Laughman is an elder caregiver and freelance writer living in Gettysburg, PA. One of her favorite pastimes is the annual game of ”Dodge the Tourists and College Students” played by area residents, whether they want to or not.

Contact Bobbie at Bobbie@home-ec101.com if you have a question you’d like her to answer.

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Simple Tomato Salad Recipe and Basil Chiffonade Tutorial

August 2, 2011 By 7 Comments

 

 

Bobbie says:
What’s the best way to eat a homegrown tomato?

1) Open your mouth.
2) Take a bite.
3) Swoon.

I’m totally serious, but you’re probably looking for something just slightly more involved. Make a Simple Tomato Salad. The most basic version is merely to arrange sliced tomatoes on a plate or cut chunks of tomatoes into a bowl, sprinkle with salt & pepper, then finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or a plop of mayonnaise. Toss (or don’t) and serve. I’d never thought of serving just tomatoes and mayonnaise until my husband asked for it. Simple, yet satisfying.

Honestly, some heirloom varieties have such a splendid tartness to them that the juice itself can sub for vinegar – it combines with the oil or mayo and makes a lavishly flavorful dressing, needing nothing more than salt and pepper for completion.

Still wanting a little something more – like an actual recipe? Can do, but if you have genuine homegrown tomatoes that are already amazing on their own, keep them center stage. Create a salad around the tomatoes to highlight, rather than overpower, their delightful piquancy. Use just a few other ingredients to enhance that all-too-rare tomato experience without diverting attention from the star player.

As an example, here’s a tomato, onion and basil salad with the simplest kind of vinagrette possible – drizzle and you’re done. The hardest part is the basil chiffonade, and even that’s pretty easy. Never heard of chiffonade? Don’t panic – it’s a twenty-five dollar name for a simple, useful technique. Let’s get started.

Simple Tomato Salad Recipe and Basil Chiffonade Tutorial

  • 4 large fresh basil leaves
  • 2 large, very ripe, homegrown tomatoes, about the size of your fist. Use an heirloom variety, if possible
  • 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion
  • Black pepper to taste, freshly ground if you have it
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Chiffonade is French word, literally meaning “made of rags.” It’s a method for easily cutting herbs or leafy veggies (such as lettuce or spinach) into long, thin strips. It’s handy here because, while fresh basil is a wondrous thing, discovering you’ve got an entire basil leaf in one’s mouth is not appreciated by everyone. This technique yields lovely little strips that mix into the salad nicely.

Wash the basil leaves and pat dry. Trim off stems, if present, so you have only the leaves. Stack the leaves on your cutting board, and, starting from a pointy end rather than a side, carefully begin to roll up the stacked leaves. Neatness is not important here – just try to get them into a roll about the diameter of your pinky finger, more or less.

 

 

 

Firmly hold the rolled leaves on the cutting board with the fingers of your non-knife hand, then using a very sharp knife, slice the rolled basil leaves into thin strips, about 1/8 inch wide. Set aside.

 

 

 

Wash the tomatoes and trim off any spots you find unappealing. Some tomatoes have a stem (or core) that go deeper into the tomato than you may find in other varieties. These parts can have a woody texture, so be sure to find and remove all of the stem/core or you may have an unpleasant surprise in your salad. (It won’t hurt you – it’ll just be rather hard to chew and taste more like tree than tomato.) Cut the tomatoes into largish chunks, right into the serving dish.

 

 

 

Thinly slice the sweet onion and cut the slices into halves or thirds, separating the layers into strips. Add
 these to the dish, then scatter the basil over the top. Give a light sprinkling of salt and pepper to the veggies. Drizzle with the olive oil, then the vinegar. Let stand at room temperature up to half an hour.

Toss gently just before serving. This is a salad that can be served as an appetizer. Oh, and the wondrous blending of olive oil, balsamic vinegar with the tomato juices & seasonings will beg to be sopped up with a good, crusty bread.

 

Balsamic vinegar (in my opinion) is perfect with tomatoes, but experiment with red or white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or lemon or lime juice. Use different onions, or use no onions. Or try shallots. Or….garlic! Vary the herbs. Use a combination. Or use none. Toss another veggie into the mix: a bit of colorful sweet pepper, either fresh or roasted & peeled. Cucumbers &  tomatoes, chunked, then tossed with  mayonnaise is a very quick and surprisingly good salad when you need something last minute.

What’s the surest way to kill a good tomato? Refrigerate it. Oh, it still LOOKS like a tomato, but the texture is transformed from firm to mealy, and the sharp flavor will become dulled. Personally, once a tomato’s been chilled, I’ll only use it for cooking. For peak flavor and best texture, homegrown tomatoes should be stored at room temperature and used as they ripen. I’m not passionate about many things in life, but decent tomatoes are near and dear to my heart, and I will do without fresh tomatoes rather than eat the flavorless, mealy pretenders that are foist upon us out of season.

The rather bossy opinions expressed herein are those of the author, Bobbie Laughman, and not necessarily those of the management of Home Ec 101.

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Last-Minute Bean and Corn Salad Recipe

July 22, 2011 By 5 Comments

Bobbie says:

Have you ever been almost, but not quite, ready to serve dinner when a giant light bulb goes on over your head (so brightly that everyone in the room gets an instant tan) because you suddenly realized that all you actually have prepared for dinner is grilled chicken and potatoes? Or burgers on buns? Or…whatever and NOTHING ELSE? If you’ve never forgotten to plan (and actually prepare) side dishes, you are officially Better Than Me. If you have, then Last-Minute Bean and Corn Salad is a side dish you should keep up your sleeve. (Figuratively speaking, of course.)

Four salad ingredients get tossed in a bowl with four quick dressing elements, et voila! You’ve got mail salad.  And if you’re the one who never forgets anything — Hi there! I’ve always wondered if you really existed or if you were just an urban legend. Don’t you forget to try this salad, too, because it’s even better if you plan ahead and have the exact ingredients you want and don’t have to wing it with what’s on hand.

total brag photo - I took this picture and loved it and just wanted to show it off

Last Minute Bean and Corn Salad is a very flexible recipe. If you don’t have black beans, use pintos, chickpeas, kidney beans, or whatever you have on hand. Use any color bell pepper you wish – I’ve often used a combination of red and green.  The flexibility also goes for the onion – use your preference or what you have on hand. While I used scallions for the photos, I’ve also prepared Bean and Corn Salad with chopped onion – either red or a sweet onion would be good choices. (I’ve even used celery when I was out of peppers. Also, the onions can just totally be left out if you don’t have any, and it’s still very good. And one less item to prep if you’re crunched for time!)

My sister recently told me that Bean and Corn salad is also great served with chips, as you would use a salsa. She was right. If you are intending to use it as a salsa, you’ll want to finely chop the peppers and onions and use black beans or another variety on the smallish side.

 

Last-Minute Bean and Corn Salad Recipe

  • 15 oz can black beans (or your choice)
  • 12 oz can whole corn
  • 1 bell pepper (any color, or combination)
  • 3 scallions or 1 medium onion, either red or a sweet variety
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice (lemon can be used, but I prefer lime)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce

 

Open the can of beans and dump it into a colander. Rinse the beans thoroughly then drain well. Dump those into your serving bowl. Open and drain the corn and add it to the bowl.

Clean the pepper and coarsely chop it into about ¼ inch pieces.

Slice the scallions, including the green tops. If using red or sweet onions, chop into pices about ¼ inch in size.

Sprinkle the cumin over all, then measure the lime juice, oil and soy sauce right into the serving bowl.

Using a large serving spoon, gently mix to coat the salad lightly with the dressing.

That’s it!  If you do what I have done in occasional moments of ” Determined To Be Organized and Prepared” and actually had containers of chopped onions and peppers in the fridge this could be an almost-instant salad.

Refrigerate leftovers immediately and use within 2 days.

 

 

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Simple Radish and Egg Salad

June 8, 2011 By 10 Comments

Bobbie says:

Radishes are one of my favorite veggies and while I love them straight-from-the-garden plain, I’d been wondering if there wasn’t something more that could be done with them. Well, here’s something a little different : a simple radish and egg salad that goes together in a snap. The sour cream and eggs counter the bite of the radishes and onions to make this salad an  unexpected and lighter change of pace from the traditional macaroni or potato salad fare found at picnics and barbecues. It  would also pair well with many entrées as a new and interesting side dish.

Recently while my sister was visiting from Ohio,  we made a lunch of this salad and some sauteed pierogi (which aren’t exactly hot weather food, but sometimes you just need pierogi) and we thought they went quite well together. Debbie’s not nearly the onion fan that I am: she buys her onions one at a time – can you imagine? So, she thought she might not like the radish and egg salad, as it’s rather green-onion-heavy, but she enjoyed it at least as much as I did.Radish and Egg Salad - ready to serve

If you’re fortunate enough to find radishes in colors other than red, go for it! Some varieties of radish have color all the way through – get a variety of colors if you can for a dish as bright as it is tasty.

Recipe: Simple Radish and Egg Salad

  • 1 pound radishes – red or whatever colors you can find
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs
  • 1 bunch of scallions (or green onions or spring onions)
  • 1/2 cup dairy sour cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • dash of pepper (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed (or fresh, if you have it)

Radish and Egg Salad - slice thinlyWash and trim the roots and stems from the radishes. Using a very sharp knife with a thin blade, cut each radish in half from stem to root, then cut each half into slices as thinly as possible.

Peel the eggs, rinse them to remove any remaining traces of shell, then coarsely chop and add to the radishes in a large bowl.

To add to the color of the dish, we’re going to use the green tops of the onions as well as the white parts.Wash and trim the roots from the onions, and remove any bits you’d rather not eat. Cut into slices between 1/4 and 1/2 inch wide.  Add to the bowl, along with the sour cream, and sprinkle the salt, pepper and dill evenly over all.

Radish and Egg Salad - ready to mix

Stir with a large spoon or rubber scraper, until all pieces are evenly coated with sour cream. Place in serving dish and garnish with more dill, if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and chill. Refrigerate any leftovers, and use within a couple days.

As a variation, I also tried roasting some radishes, but I was less than impressed with the results, so I’m still looking for more ideas – what do you like to do with radishes?

Bobbie Laughman is a part-time caregiver and freelance writer living in Gettysburg, PA. Bobbie is working to overcome her lifetime struggle with chronic foot-in-mouth. She was recently observed uttering an entire sentence with both feet firmly on the ground. Progress! You can email her at Bobbie@Home-Ec101.com


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Simple Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip Recipe

May 23, 2011 By 3 Comments

Bobbie SaysBobbie says:

This recipe for Simple Chunky Blue Cheese Salad Dressing and Dip was the result of the quest of a lifetime. I thought I’d share it so you can be armed and ready for incredible salads when lettuce season hits hard. It’s scrumptious as a dip for buffalo hot wings and celery sticks. Use a dish of Simple Chunky Bleu Cheese Dressing and Dip as the star of a raw veggie tray.

Simple Blue Cheese Dressing - finished salad

My love affair with Bleu Cheese Dressing began a few decades ago when my parents took my sister and me to our first dinner at a grown-up restaurant. You know the kind: you sit at a table and a very polite person comes to ask you what you want and then brings it to you, on real plates, and you eat with actual metal forks and knives. (Previously we’d only been to the kind where you go up to a counter and got something wrapped in paper or a Styrofoam box.) Dad and Mom took us to a steak house with dim lights and cloth napkins, and real candles on the tables. The  salad that came with my steak was a wedge of iceberg lettuce drenched in a creamy white dressing. I had no idea how one was to eat a wedge salad, but after getting instructions from the parents on how to go about tackling it politely, I was sold. I don’t even remember what I thought of the steak, but ever after, blue cheese has been my salad dressing of choice.

Once I was grown up and into cooking, I was not happy with most bottled dressings, so I tried to make homemade blue cheese dressing that tasted like blue cheese. In so many, the blue cheese flavor was overpowered by other ingredients. Overpowered? Well, yes, I’ve tried many recipes for blue cheese dressing that only barely tasted of blue cheese. Those ingredients that did the overpowering are not found in this recipe. This makes about one cup, but is easily doubled or tripled.

 

Recipe: Simple Chunky Blue Cheese Salad Dressing and Dip

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese
  • 1/3 cup sour creamSimple Blue Cheese Salad Dressing - lemon reamer
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large pinch white pepper (black is okay, too)
  • 1 quick dash of salt
  • Cream or milk to thin, if desired

 

Simple Blue Cheese Salad Dressing - ingredientsInstructions

I always make my Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing in a glass pie plate, because the preparation method requires a flat surface to press against, and a pie plate gives you plenty of room.

Measure the sour cream and mayonnaise into the pie plate, then put about half the blue cheese crumbles in there as well.

 

Using a large fork, begin mashing the bleu cheese into the mayo and sour cream. Don’t just stir themSimple Blue Cheese Salad Dressing - mashing the cheese in together – the idea here is to get the flavor of the cheese permeate the dressing rather than just being a creamy dressing with pieces of blue cheese floating in it. (Of course, you can do it in a blender/food processor, but then it’ll be overly smooth, and then you’ve got that machine to clean up, too.)

Once the sour cream, mayonnaise and blue cheese are mixed pretty well, add the lemon juice, pepper and salt, as well as the rest of the blue cheese crumbles. Mix it up well. That’s it.

At this point, it will be a nice, thick dressing, but it will thicken a bit more after being refrigerated for a while.

You can thin the dressing with cream, half & half or milk if you like a slightly thinner dressing, but go easy – you can always add a bit more, but you can’ take it back out if it was too much. Add milk or cream only a tablespoon at a time & stir well before deciding if you need more.

Since you’ve blended part of the blue cheese into the dressing very well, the flavor will be good immediately, but it will get even better after a few hours in the fridge. This should keep in the refrigerator for about week, although I’ve never been able to prove it. In my house it always does a vanishing act within a couple days.

 

Serving suggestions for Simple Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing or Dip

Make a Buffalo Chicken Salad. Toss chunks of cooked chicken with your favorite hot sauce, like you would use for hot wings (buffalo wing sauce recipe). Add this to a salad of torn lettuce and sliced red onion. Top with blue cheese dressing, add celery sticks on the side. Or use it on a buffalo chicken sandwich.

Top a Steak, Burger or Prime Rib. Yes, we’ve done this. Yes, it’s amazing. Beef and blue cheese is an unbelievable combination.

My favorite salad of all time is torn iceberg or romaine lettuce, thinly sliced red and/or green pepper & red onion, pickled beets, topped with real bacon bits and blue cheese dressing. (Oh, my…)

Bobbie Laughman is a freelance writer with delusions of normalcy, living in Gettysburg, PA.

 

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Hearty Potato, Egg and Green Bean Salad Recipe

May 4, 2011 By 5 Comments

Bobbie says Bobbie says:

Hearty Potato, Egg and Green Bean Salad is a great spring recipe. These three components  get cooked in the same pot and a versatile dressing that can be made ahead of time means you can have a very easy but hearty main dish salad on the table in just over half an hour. Since baby potatoes, fresh green beans and eggs are plentiful in many areas, it might be a relative bargain. The salad is served warm, but is also delicious prepared ahead and chilled.

Hearty Potato Egg and Green Bean Salad - tossed with Caesar dressing

This salad is tossed with a sort of Caesar style dressing, but without the bother of the raw eggs and anchovies required by a more traditional Caesar dressing recipe. It gets a touch of anchovy flavor from the  Worcestershire – did you know traditional worcestershire sauce contains anchovies? Some brands omit this ingredient. Mayonnaise adds some creaminess, otherwise it would just be pretty much a vinaigrette.

If you’re looking for timesaving recipes, you’ve got it — the potatoes and eggs get cooked together, then are removed from the boiling water and the green beans get tossed into that same water for a brief swim. Another timesaver is that the potatoes don’t need to be peeled – they have a very thin skin, and the red color adds eye appeal to the completed dish.

The dressing will be about double what you’ll need to finish the salad. If you decide to put the entire salad together ahead of time, add just enough dressing to coat the ingredients. At serving time, you can either add a bit more dressing and gently mix again, or allow each person may to add more if they wish.

I know, I know — SIX CLOVES of GARLIC? No, that’s not an error. Yes, it’s somewhat of a garlicky dressing. If you’re not a huge garlic fan, use less. If you’re like my daughter, you’ll use at least 12 cloves of garlic. (She earned that reputation during a 4-H cooking class and will laugh when she reads this.)

Two Methods of Preparation

You can use a blender or food processor, which yields a smooth and creamy dressing, but then you’ve got to clean the machine. Or you can toss everything in a jar and shake it up, which will give you slightly lumpy results and you have to clean a cutting board (Because you would never, ever use a knife on your bare countertop, right? Of course you wouldn’t.)

As for potatoes, wash them as well as you need to – this will vary. I was fortunate to find potatoes that only needed rinsing, but sometimes they can be quite dirty when you get them. If that’s the case with yours, you’ll need to rub them gently with your fingers as you wash them. Avoid using a scrub brush on them, unless you have one with very soft bristles. Anything rough will tear the delicate skin on these baby potatoes, and we do want the skins intact on them. While you’re washing them, look for any blemishes, and remove them with a small, sharp knife.

Recipe: Potato, Egg, and Green Bean Salad Dressing

Ingredients

  1. Hearty Potato Egg and Green Bean Salad - mincing garlic6 cloves garlic
  2. 1/2 teaspoon salt (I prefer Real Salt brand, or Celtic Sea Salt)
  3. 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  4. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce* (If you are gluten free, ensure the brand you have is gluten free)
  5. 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (FRESH, not bottled. Don’t make me come back there, kids)
  6. 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  7. 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I like to use homemade, but don’t always have time)
  8. 1/4 teaspon black pepper
  9. 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

     

  1. Peel the garlic cloves. If you’re going the food processor/blender route, just put all the dressing ingredients in and blend until smooth, then scrape into a jar with a tight fitting lid.
  2. Otherwise, using a large, sharp knife, finely mince the garlic into very tiny bits. At this point, I sprinkle the salt over the garlic, then continue to mince and mix it up using the knife. It may be all in my head, but it seems to bring out the flavor more. You can do it or not. Scrape the garlic into a jar with a tight fitting lid, add the remaining dressing ingredients. Cover tightly and shake it until well mixed. Set aside, or refrigerate if you’re making the dressing ahead of time.

Recipe: Hearty Potato, Egg, and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

Hearty Potato Egg and Green Bean Salad - Three easy ingredients

  1. 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter)
  2. 8 large eggs
  3. 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon salt  (divided)
  4. 3/4 pound fresh green beans
  5. 3/4 cup Potato, Egg, and Green Bean Salad Dressing

Instructions

Wash your potatoes and put them in a large pot. Carefully place the eggs on top of the potatoes. Add the 1 tablespoon salt, then fill with water to a depth of about 2 inches higher than the potatoes and eggs. Set over high heat until the water comes to a boil. Once the water boils, lower the heat – medium to medium-high. You want to keep it at a gentle boil. Cook, uncovered, 20 minutes. (Set a timer!)
While the eggs and potatoes cook, wash the fresh green beans. Trim off the stem ends and any bits that look like you’d rather not eat them. Otherwise, leave the beans whole. If you didn’t make the dressing ahead of time, make the dressing now.
Test a potato once the 20 minutes are up. Using a small sharp knife, pierce the center of the potato. If it goes easily into the flesh, the potatoes are ready, and the eggs will also be done. Using a large slotted spoon, carefully remove the eggs and potatoes to a heatproof dish or plate. I used my roasting pan because I had it handy, and it allowed everything to spread out to cool.
Turn the heat back up to high to return the pot of water to a rolling boil. Once it’s boiling again, add the beans and set a timer for 6 minutes. Put a colander into the sink and get out a large bowl for assembling and serving the salad. Make sure it’s large enough to hold all the ingredients and allow room for gentle mixing.
Peel the eggs as soon as you can hold one in your hand without burning yourself, and set them aside for the moment. To cool the eggs more quickly, they can be put into a bowl of water. Don’t let them get cold, as cold eggs can be harder to peel.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, start cutting them into chunks that are just bite-sized, not really small. Put them into the large bowl as you cut them. When the timer for the beans goes off, check them. You only want the beans lightly cooked, still bright green and still having some snap to them. Think “blanched” without the cold water bath at the end. Turn off the burner, remove from heat and pour into the colander. When well drained, add them to the bowl.
Cut the peeled eggs into quarters, lengthwise, and add to the serving bowl. Do not stir the ingredients yet — sprinkle the 1 teaspoon salt over the potatoes, eggs and beans, distributing it well over all.
Shake the jar of dressing, then pour about half a cup onto the salad. Using a large spoon, very gently mix the salad with the dressing. The eggs will break up some and the yolks will fall out of the whites, but try not to break them up very much. This is meant to be a rather chunky salad. If it looks too dry, add up to 1/4 cup more dressing. Serve warm, or cover and chill until serving time.

    Cooking time (duration): 30

    Servings: 4

    Diet type: Vegetarian

    Meal type: dinner

    Culinary tradition: USA (General)

Serves 4 as a main dish. Accompany with wholegrain bread and fresh fruit or other light dessert. Also makes a great side dish – serve instead of a traditional potato salad at a picnic or barbecue. If desired, you can make it seem more salad-ish by serving on a bed of lettuce leaves.

Variations:

Use asparagus instead of green beans. Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Make a composed salad. Instead of tossing everything with the dressing, use your artistic talents and arrange the potatoes, eggs and green beans on plates or one large platter. Drizzle with some of the dressing and serve the rest in a bottle or gravy boat for easy passing.

This is what my attempt looked like — yours will probably look more artsy.

Hearty Potato Egg and Green Bean Salad - a composed salad

Finally, the dressing, while not a true Caesar, can be used as if it were. I’ve heard people say that it does something amazing to a simple bowl of fresh baby spinach and sliced red onions, but those may be only vicious rumors.

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Coleslaw Done Right

February 4, 2011 By 17 Comments

Bobbie sezBobbie says:

Several years ago, I developed this recipe for Coleslaw Done Right as a copycat of Marzetti’s Slaw Dressing (which you might find in your store’s produce department.) It’s creamy, tangy, and not overly sweet. Best of all, this simple coleslaw recipe can be put together with ingredients that are easy to have on hand all the time.

Coleslaw recipe "I'm ready for my closeup Mr. DeMille"

Coleslaw Done Right - up close and personal

As a child, I felt quite coleslaw deprived. Now, it’s not that my parents never made coleslaw. They just didn’t make good coleslaw. Dad would mix cabbage with mayo and a dash of red wine vinegar and call it done. Mom would throw in some celery seed and perhaps a touch of sugar with the mayonnaise. The occasions when I got my hands on (and spoon into) decent coleslaw was a rarer-than-a-planetary-alignment visit to Kentucky Fried Chicken (that’s KFC to you young’uns), or when I convinced mom or grandma to splurge on a jar of Marzetti’s Slaw Dressing. It did not happen often, but to me, that was the Holy Grail of coleslaw: what all coleslaw yearns to be. I still feel that way, to be honest, but the price is a bit steep. I couldn’t find a copycat version on the internet, so I tinkered until I came up with my own.

I have family members who insist I bring some along when visiting. Every. Single. Time. I think they’d still let me in the house if I didn’t, but I wouldn’t take bets on it. If you’re cooking seasonally, winter is a perfect time to serve coleslaw instead of tossed salad, since cabbage is plentiful and bound to be a bargain when compared to lettuce.

Coleslaw Done Right
(Marzetti’s Slaw Dressing copycat)
Printable Shopping List

  • 1 pound green cabbage (smallish head – may not need it all)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (full fat so it’s creamy)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 small carrot (or use a little more cabbage instead if you like)

Trim any discolored parts from the cabbage, discarding outer leaves if desired. Wash the cabbage, then get your very sharp chef’s knife (say that five times fast, but first put down the knife.)

Coleslaw recipe - safely cutting head of cabbage
Now, cut the head in half through the core to the top of the head, then cut each half in two. Carefully cut the core from each quarter and discard. Lay one of the quarters on a cutting board, flat side down, and hold firmly in place. Using the chef’s knife, carefully slice down the other flat side, making long, thin shreds. Move these into a large mixing bowl as they get in your way. Continue until you’ve got one pound, or slightly more, of thinly sliced cabbage.

Coleslaw recipe - carefully slice cabbage into long, thin shreds

Watch the fingers!

Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage. Using your hands, mix and squeeze the salt into the cabbage until it starts to give off some juice and feel slightly softer. Gather it all into a small mound, cover the bowl if you wish, then set it aside for about 20 minutes.

Now, this part is tough – pay attention: Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, white wine vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl, and stir until the sugar dissolves. If you didn’t get that, no problem. I’ll just wait here while you read it again. *whistles*

Are we good? Good.

Rinse the cabbage. I do this by adding water to the bowl until the cabbage is completely submerged, swishing it around well, then dumping it all into a colander. Let it drain very well, pressing down to get as much water out as possible. Dry out the cabbage bowl, then return drained cabbage to it. If you want to add carrot for a touch of color, now’s the time. Finely shred the carrot and add to the cabbage. Add the dressing and mix it all up. This can be served right away, but it’s much better if chilled at least an hour.

That’s it.

Now, a few notes:

Could you use a food processor instead of a knife? Sure, if you’ve got one with a slicing disc, go ahead. Unless you broke off that Tiny But Significant Little Plastic Thingy on your food processor the morning of your daughter’s wedding day, while you were trying to shred cheese for the nacho bar and now it won’t work unless you hold it together just so, which makes using it a complete pain, so you’d rather do it by hand. (Who, me?)

If you prefer your coleslaw in smaller bits, instead of the longer shreds, then use the shredding disc of the food processor, or a box grater with large holes. Salting and rinsing may not be necessary if you do this. Perhaps add just a bit of salt to the dressing instead. Not the whole teaspoon – maybe just ¼ teaspoon.

You may need to adjust the amount of dressing to suit your tastes. I like it to be rather drowning in the dressing, so the flavor permeates every bite, but then I serve it with a slotted spoon so the dressing doesn’t drown everything on my plate. Your Mileage May Vary.

Coleslaw can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for a few days. In fact, it’s best to make it at least several hours before serving, because the flavors have time to get all cozy with each other.

Coleslaw Recipe Copycat Marzetti's Slaw

Dig in!

Besides being Full of Wonderful in its own right, and in my humble opinion, perfectly acceptable as a snack food, coleslaw really does go well with so many main courses. We’ve enjoyed it with chicken, barbecued ANYTHING, roast beef, burgers, sloppy joes or seafood, and it’s Extra Awesome with pulled pork sandwiches.

That does it – hungry now!

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Western Dressing, Two Variations

August 17, 2010 By 9 Comments

I’m staying with my in-laws for a couple of weeks way up in the Lakes Country of Minnesota, posting may be sporadic over the next couple of weeks as my internet connection is tenuous at best. At least I’m getting a break from sweating, right?

Heather says:

My friend Heidi was recently lamenting that there is no Western Dressing to be found in the state of South Carolina, except for the occasional overpriced bottle in the fancy supermarket. This morning, I was perusing my mother-in-law’s cookbook collection and in a community cookbook, The Kugler Cookbook, I stumbled upon these two recipes1. I hope they at least give Heidi a good starting point in her search for authentic western dressing.

Western Dressing 1

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 TBSP minced -very finely chopped- onion
  • 1 can tomato soup
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 cup salad oil -extra light olive oil would work
  • 1/2 tsp crushed celery seed -optional

Mix together all ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for ten minutes. Cool before serving.
Darlene Bauman Lee, Granddaughter of Tillie Shol

Western Dressing 2

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1/3 tsp celery seed
  • 1 (12oz) bottle chili sauce -this is found near the ketchup
  • 3/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Blend well in a food processor. Refrigerate.

Sharon Swanson, Granddaughter of John

1 For those concerned about copyright: in the US a list of ingredients and basic directions are not copyrightable, on the other hand collections of recipes, photographs, and narratives are. I have saved the ordering information for anyone interested in buying their own copy of The Kugler Cookbook. I’m not an affiliate, I just happened upon this neat old cookbook full of authentic and very Minnesotan recipes.

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