Charlie's Potato Salad!

I guess I need to start with an apology. My girls have been back to school for one week and I don't know who is busier, them or me? I had grand plans to keep to a schedule for my blog once school started, but between homework, laundry, PTF, sports and just keeping up with the house....my life is crazy. Enough of the excuses - back to the good stuff.
As my mom and I were looking through my blog this summer, neither one of us could believe I hadn't posted our favorite potato salad- Charlie's Potato Salad! My parents discovered this delicious recipe when they lived in Minnesota and ate at Charlie's Restaurant in Minneapolis. The key ingredient, which is different from most, is the Pimientos. You will find these little guys living among the olives on your grocery store shelf.



Charlie's Potato Salad
5 Medium cooked potatoes- freshly cooked
1 teaspoon salt
dash of white pepper
1 (4oz) jar chopped Pimiento (somewhat drained)
2 Tablespoons chopped green onions (sometimes I just throw in some onion powder)
3 hard cooked eggs
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup diced celery

Boil potatoes until tender. Cut into cubes.
In separate bowl combine Mayo, salt, white pepper, Pimientos, green onions, and celery.
Gently combine potatoes into mixture. Add hard boiled eggs.

Enjoy - and try to remember summer!!!!

Bobi's Bites: Potato Salad - on the Sweet Side!

My mom threw this together one night when we were in Florida last week. It was delicious! With every bite my brain didn't know whether to register sweet, salty or savory. I enjoyed the confusion immensely! Confuse your brain today and whip up a batch!

2 Sweet potatoes
3 white potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon PickaPeppa Sauce (may substitute Worcester sauce)
1/2 red onion, minced
1 stalk celery (she wanted to put 2 stalks in - but you know how I feel about celery)
4 oz pimentos, drained
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

Peel and dice potatoes. Boil white potatoes - about 1/2 way through add sweet potatoes. Drain when fork tender. Cool in fridge at least 1 hour.
Mix remaining ingredients then add cooled potatoes to mixture. Serve and Enjoy!

Cheating: My friend made me do it!

I have had this "Cheater Tip" in my back pocket for quite some time. I did not know how I was ever going to write about it though. My sweet little friend Robin Sue over at Big Red Kitchen, has opened the door for me this week with her series on "Cheating"! I have loved her post and her honesty. I, for one, love a good short cut- and if it doesn't short cut on taste -all the better. Run over and check her posts -- I'll wait.
Here is how this one came about. One Easter I had my friend Sarah and her family over. She said she would bring a potato dish - so of course I said great! She brought the most delicious potatoes EVER. When the meal was over her recipe was the one all the ladies wanted. She was horrified! She told us it was a family secret and did not know if she could share it with us. After much pleading- and snickering - she gave it up!
You guessed it - FAKE potatoes! She took 2 packages of Idahoan Baby Reds and one 8 oz package cream cheese. Make potatoes according to package. When complete, stir in 8 oz cream cheese and chives if desired.
Don't forget to hide the packages the potatoes came in deep in the bottom of the trash can. Trust me - No one will ever know! These have been a staple in my pantry ever since. Hope your family enjoys them as much as my family does.

Sweet Scalloped Potatoes with Blue Cheese

I imagine I either completely lost you with the title or completely sold you on this recipe. I don't think there is any middle ground when it comes to Blue Cheese. I personally, feel it should be a mandate at every meal. In fact, if this were the only cheese left on the face of the earth - It would be good! I take that back - It would be GREAT! Tony the Tiger GREAT! I LOVE blue cheese, my kids love blue cheese and I am fortunate enough to have married a man who adores it as well. I have a friend, on the other hand, and if you barely mention the name her gag reflex kicks in! If you are a "Lover" - put this side dish on your foods to try. It is amazing, and the perfect accompaniment to that Christmas ham I am trying to eat up!

Sweet Scalloped Potatoes with Blue Cheese

4 Baking potatoes
4 large Sweet potatoes
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled Blue cheese
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup milk
Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Slice potatoes. In a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, make 3 layers as follows:
1/3 mixed potatoes slices
1/3 of the Cheddar cheese
1/3 of the Blue Cheese
Paprika (I used Smoked)
Salt and Pepper

Repeat 2 more times.



When ready to bake - dot top with butter and pour 1 cup milk (preferably whole) over top.



Cover with foil and bake in a 350 oven for 1 1/2 hours.

The sweet and salty combination is perfect! Your taste buds will thank you - trust me!

Creamy Dijon-Dill Potato Salad

I was raised on "Charlie's Potato Salad". I have not blogged about it - but I will. I love this potato salad. Tons of hard boiled eggs, perfectly cubed potatoes, pimentos, and just the right amount of mayo makes it the perfect pinkish potato salad you have ever tasted! My mouth is salivating as I write this. My mom found the recipe in a library book when they lived in MN. I guess that means that they have been making it for about 50 years. The other day my mom called and said, "I found a potato salad I think I like just as much"! I didn't believe her because for the last 38 years (My life) my parents have played the game "I like it - but it's not as good as mine". You know the game! My mom made the salad and took these pictures for my blog-- Thanks mom!



A Florida acquaintance,Betty, brought this to a party she attended. She got it from Dave Lieberman off the Food Network.

Creamy Dijon-Dill Potato Salad

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks celery
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh dill
1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tablespoon grainy or regular Dijon mustard

Put the potatoes in a big pot with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Season with salt and bring the water to boil. Cook just until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the uncovered pot off the heat. Let them sit until almost room temperature. Cooling them in the warm pot will get rid of any excess water in the potatoes, and that's good.

Meanwhile, cut the white parts off the ends of the celery stalks. Cut the stalks in half lengthwise, then across into 1/4 inch slices. Stir the celery, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining ingredients together in a serving bowl large enough to hold all the potatoes.

When they're cool, cut the potatoes into 1 inch pieces, and add them to the bowl as you go. Stir gently until all the potatoes are coated with dressing. You can make the salad up to a couple of hours in advance. Keep covered at room temperature. Don't refrigerate or the potatoes will loose their rich, smooth texture.

Eat it up!

Potato Souffle

Do you want to make your potatoes happy? Just tell them they are going into this recipe and you'll see the smiles in their eyes!



Most recently I made this to go along with "MarY's" pork - or as I refer to it "MY" pork! I took it to the new parents and so I made it in a disposable dish - The tired mommy can just throw it away, and that, my friend, is the real gift!



This recipe starts with 2 cups of mashed potatoes. I usually cut my potatoes into fourths and boil.



On one of my trips to my parents cabin in the Catskills, I found this jewel in a box in their garage. Since my mother didn't know the last time she had even seen it, she knew she could easily part with it. Lucky me!! I am now the proud owner of a 1970 something potato ricer. My gadget total is now 1067!



I don't know how hard it is to use a 2008 potato ricer, but I have decided that "Potato Ricing" should be an Olympic sport! I literally broke a sweat trying to push those puppies out those little holes. My daughter Logan was laughing at me and asked to try. She quickly agreed and now is in training for the 2012 Olympics in London.

Potato Souffle
2 cups mashed potatoes (warm or cold)
milk
8 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
1 small onion (I just use onion powder)
2 Tablespoons flour
3 1/2 oz can french fried onions
salt and pepper

Mash potatoes using half as much milk as normal. Add softened cream cheese, eggs, onion and flour. Beat at low speed until blended, then at high speed until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into a greased 9 inch round baking dish. Sprinkle french fried onions over top.

Bake at 300 for 35 minutes.

Picture at top is a double recipe.

Enjoy your happy potatoes!