Potato Macaroni Salad

Got the recipe from here

5 large russet potatoes, peeled

1 – 1/2 cups small elbow macaroni (follow directions on box on how to cook)
1 Large carrot, finely shredded/grated (soak in water and squeeze out excess juice)
1 tablespoon finely minced onion (I add extra, as I LOVE onion)
6 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 Cups Best Foods mayonnaise (you may need to add more)

(I highly recommend making this salad the day before, as it sits and chill the better it tastes)

boil the potatoes the night before, drain them thoroughly, and then chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, cut the potatoes into bite size cubes

Cook the macaroni by following package directions, once they are cooked, rinse them with cold water until they are nice and cool. Drain completely. The Macaroni needs to be cooled completely before adding to the salad.

Once you have cubed the potatoes and the macaroni is nice and cool.

Add the rest of the ingredients

Eggs

Carrots

onion

Salt & Pepper

mayonnaise

Mix everything together, really well

Taste salad after you mix everything together. I felt mine was little dry so I added mayonnaise, and added a little more salt & pepper.

This salad is so yummy! I LOVE IT!

Serve with HAWAIIAN HULI HULI CHICKEN

Here is the recipe again:

5 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 – 1/2 cups small elbow macaroni (follow directions on box on how to cook)
1 Large carrot, finely shredded/grated (soak in water and squeeze out excess juice)
1 tablespoon finely minced onion (I add extra, as I LOVE onion)
6 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 Cups Best Foods mayonnaise (you may need to add more)

(I highly recommend making this salad the day before, as it sits and chill the better it tastes)

boil the potatoes the night before, drain them thoroughly, and then chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, cut the potatoes into bite size cubes

Cook the macaroni by following package directions, once they are cooked, rinse them with cold water until they are nice and cool. Drain completely. The Macaroni needs to be cooled completely before adding to the salad.

Once you have cubed the potatoes and the macaroni is nice and cool.

Add the rest of the ingredients: Egg, Carrots, onion, Salt & Pepper, mayonnaise

Mix everything together, really well

Taste salad after you mix everything together. I felt mine was little dry so I added mayonnaise, and added a little more salt & pepper.

How to make the perfect baked potato

when I do baked potatoes, I just use a Russet potato. I start by washing the potato and then rub olive oil on the outside and sprinkle garlic salt on the skin as well, and then wrap the potato in foil. Bake for about an hour (depending on the size of the potato) When I eat a baked potato I eat the skin as well as the potato. I know some peeps don’t really care for the skin, (I used to not). But now I love it!

So now toppings for baked potato are next. Gotta add bacon!

Source

Grab 2 strips of bacon (or more)

Chop the bacon up into bacon bits

Throw the chopped bacon in a skillet heated to medium high heat and cook until nice and crispy, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn

while the bacon is cooking away, grab some extra sharp cheddar cheese and grate desired amount (a lot)

once your bacon is cooked and nice and crisp, drain it on some paper towels

Once potato is done baking cut it in half, but not all the way in half, just enough to open the potato. Then add 1 tbsp of butter (or more) Season the inside of the potato with salt & pepper then add the cheese and top with bacon

I also add sour cream (LOTS) I took a picture of a normal amount that normal people would add. Then when it’s time to eat the potato I add even more!. It’s crazy how much sour cream I love on my potato…

(you could also add chives or green onions)

So there you have it, The perfect way to have a baked potato. Well the perfect way **I**like to have a baked potato…

Mustard Potato Salad

Got this recipe/idea from my friend Stacey’s step mom. I was informed by my two Cajun friends Stacey & Lori that when you make gumbo, you have to serve it with mustard potato salad. So I got the recipe via text from Stacey of what her step mom puts in hers and added and adjusted a few things to make it my own (of course). So you can do this with gumbo, or just by itself. It’s good either way!

So I started by boiling 6 eggs for about 15 minutes

once the eggs are boiled, I drained them and then placed them in a bowl and submerge the eggs in cold water and placed them in the fridge until I was ready to peel them

Then I peeled 5 red potatoes and rinsed them

Then I cut them into bit size chunks

then I placed them in a pot and filled it with water and brought the water to a boil and boiled the potatoes (for about 15-20 minutes) until they were firm, but not hard, and not mushy.

Then I drained them

Then I grabbed  a large bowl and placed the drained potatoes in the bowl

Then I grabbed the eggs I boiled before

peels them and then chopped them up

then added them to the bowl with the potatoes

Now chop up 1/2 a red onion, small dice

add to the bowl with the potatoes and eggs

Now I have done this recipe before with sweet pickles, but I LOVE dill pickles so this time I did it with dill pickles

first, added a little pickle juice (about a tbsp)

I used 3 stacker pickles and chopped them small

Then added them to the boil with the potatoes, eggs and onion

Then I added the following:
2 kinds of Cajun/creole seasoning because I LOVE Cajun/Creole seasoning
Miracle Whip
Yellow mustard
Salt
Pepper

First I added about 3/4-1 Cup of Miracle Whip (I knew this recipe was good because the recipe called for Miracle whip, I know most people like their potato salad with Mayonnaise, My mom, and grandma always made their potato salad with miracle whip, and that how I make mine and like it)

Now add the mustard (about a tbsp)

Now add the pepper, I added a lot. As I LOVE pepper. I didn’t measure but if I were to guess I would say about 1 tsp

Then add in the Cajun/Creole seasoning and I did about 1/2 tsp each

Stir everything together and add 1/8 a tsp of salt. I did very little because the Cajun/Creole seasonings are pretty salty. Taste the salad for the seasonings and add more if needed.

So my mom would also sprinkle paprika over her potato salad when it was all done, so I decided to do the same so I went with smoked paprika to add a little extra flavor


So cover the salad and put it in the fridge and let it chill for a couple hours. Then serve either with gumbo or with whatever you want! Either way its yummy!

Here’s the recipe:

6 eggs, boiled
5 red potatoes, peeled and boiled

start by boiling 6 eggs for about 15 minutes

once the eggs are boiled, drain them and then place them in a bowl and submerge the eggs in cold water and place them in the fridge until ready to peel them

peel 5 red potatoes and rinse them, cut them into bit size chunks
place them in a pot filled with water and bring the water to a boil and boil the potatoes (for about 15-20 minutes) until they were firm, but not hard, and not mushy.
Then drain them
Grab a large bowl and place the drained potatoes in the bowl

peel eggs and chop them up
then add them to the bowl with the potatoes
Now chop up 1/2 a red onion, small dice

add to the bowl with the potatoes and eggs

add a little pickle juice (about a tbsp)

I used 3 stacker pickles and chopped them small
Then add them to the boil with the potatoes, eggs and onion

Then add the following:
2 kinds of Cajun/creole seasoning
Miracle Whip
Yellow mustard
Salt
Pepper

First add 3/4-1 Cup of Miracle Whip
Now add the mustard (about a tbsp)
add the pepper, about 1 tsp
Then add in the Cajun/Creole seasoning and I did about 1/2 tsp of each

Stir everything together and add 1/8 a tsp of salt. Taste the salad for the seasonings and add more if needed.

sprinkle the top of the salad with smoked paprika to add a little extra flavor, about a tsp

cover the salad and put it in the fridge and let it chill for a couple hours. Then serve either with gumbo or with whatever you want! Either way its yummy!

Ham & Cheese Skillet al la Jamie

So when I was a kid we would go to Village Inn and they had this skillet and it was called the Ham & Cheese skillet, So when I would go I would get it every time. It was potatoes, ham, onion, cheese and topped with eggs cooked the way you liked (scrabbled of course). So I recreated this skillet at home many times, and here is another version of it…

So start with potatoes, I had Russet Potatoes, but Red or yellow potatoes work too…

Peel and wash the potatoes, I ended up with about 6 potatoes, then chop them into bite size chunks

then you will also need:
One onion, chopped into small chunks
green bell pepper, chopped into small chunks
ham steak, chopped into small chunks
Cajun seasoning (or you could just use salt & pepper or garlic salt, whatever you like)
extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
5 eggs
vegetable oil

so start with grabbing a large skillet and heat your burner to medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the oil

let the oil warm up a little 1-2 minutes, then add in your chopped potatoes

season them, to taste with the Cajun seasoning

you can never have too much cajun seasoning

then add in the chopped onion (I had to change skillets at this point because the skillet I was using the potatoes stuck too, so I switched to my cast iron skillet)

stir the onion in with the potato and let cook 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent

next add in the chopped ham

stir the ham in with the potatoes and onion
Now add in the chopped green bell pepper

stir everything together

let everything cook together for 12-15 minutes, stirring and flipping everything occasionally, making sure everything is cooked, and that the potatoes are nice and fork tender

while that cooks, go ahead and grab a medium bowl and crack your eggs in it

Now add a little milk to the eggs, and salt and pepper, to taste

whip everything together.

now grab a medium, non stick skillet and heat that to medium low heat, coat the bottom of the pan with about a tbsp of butter, then add the eggs in
w

scrabble the eggs. I like mine nice and light and fluffy and a little runny

once the potatoes are cooked and the eggs are done

grab a plate and add desired amount of potatoes and then top with some eggs

and grate desired amount of cheese over the top

and eat up!

Recipe

• So start with potatoes, I had Russet Potatoes, but Red or yellow potatoes work too…
• Peel and wash the potatoes, I ended up with about 6 potatoes, then chop them into bite size chunks
• then you will also need:
• One onion, chopped into small chunks
• green bell pepper, chopped into small chunks
• ham steak, chopped into small chunks
• Cajun seasoning (or you could just use salt & pepper or garlic salt, whatever you like)
• extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 5 eggs
• vegetable oil

• so start with grabbing a large skillet and heat your burner to medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the oil
• let the oil warm up a little 1-2 minutes, then add in your chopped potatoes
• season them, to taste with the Cajun seasoning
• you can never have too much Cajun seasoning
• then add in the chopped onion (I had to change skillets at this point because the skillet I was using the potatoes stuck too, so I switched to my cast iron skillet)
• stir the onion in with the potato and let cook 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent
• next add in the chopped ham
• stir the ham in with the potatoes and onion
• Now add in the chopped green bell pepper
• stir everything together
• let everything cook together for 12-15 minutes, stirring and flipping everything occasionally, making sure everything is cooked, and that the potatoes are nice and fork tender
• while that cooks, go ahead and grab a medium bowl and crack your eggs in it
• Now add a little milk to the eggs, and salt and pepper, to taste
• whip everything together.
• now grab a medium, non stick skillet and heat that to medium low heat, coat the bottom of the pan with about a tbsp of butter, then add the eggs in
• scrabble the eggs. I like mine nice and light and fluffy and a little runny
• once the potatoes are cooked and the eggs are done
• grab a plate and add desired amount of potatoes and then top with some eggs
• and grate desired amount of cheese over the top
• and eat up!

Hash Brown Cups

One morning I was in my kitchen trying to decide what to make for breakfast…so I just found some things and just made this recipe up as I went along

So I had a russet potato

Peeled it

grated it

Rinsed the grated potato until all pieces were nice and clean, get all that potato starch off

squeeze a handful of the potatoes at a time, to help get the excess water out of them

Grabbed a muffin tin

Grabbed three green onion and washed and trimmed the ends off

Chop them up

Add the onions to the grated potato

Then I decided to add an egg

Whisk the egg and added some dill

add that to the potato

One egg wasn’t enough, added a 2nd

Then decided on adding bacon salt, to taste

then Italian bread crumbs (about 1/4-1/3 cup)

Mix everything together

Then I greased the heck out of the muffin tin

Then grabbed my ice cream scoop and scooped some potato into the scoop and scooped them into the muffin tin

I topped each scoop of potatoes with a few extra green onion

had enough potato to fill 5 of the cups in the muffin tin

Then topped each one with a little butter

baked them at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, Check them, they may need to bake longer…

Let them cool enough and then remove them from the muffin tin and eat!

Recipe

• So I had a russet potato
• Peeled it
• grated it
• Rinsed the grated potato until all pieces were nice and clean, get all that potato starch off
• squeeze a handful of the potatoes at a time, to help get the excess water out of them
• Grabbed a muffin tin
• Grabbed three green onion and washed and trimmed the ends off
• Chop them up
• Add the onions to the grated potato
• Then I decided to add an egg
• Whisk the egg and added some dill
• add that to the potato
• One egg wasn’t enough, added a 2nd

• Then decided on adding bacon salt, to taste
• then Italian bread crumbs (about 1/4-1/3 cup)
• Mix everything together
• Then I greased the heck out of the muffin tin
• Then grabbed my ice cream scoop and scooped some potato into the scoop and scooped them into the muffin tin
• I topped each scoop of potatoes with a few extra green onion
• had enough potato to fill 5 of the cups in the muffin tin
• Then topped each one with a little butter
• baked them at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, Check them, they may need to bake longer…
• Let them cool enough and then remove them from the muffin tin and eat!

Yukon Gold, Rosemary Potatoes

I love potatoes! I think I have told you this before! But I do! Normy likes rice and I like potatoes. red, Yukon gold, russet, you name it and it’s a potato, I like it!

I love chicken and potatoes together. I think they go so perfect together.

So I took  8 Yukon gold potatoes and washed them and placed them in a large pot and filled the pot with water, so the potatoes are completely underwater

Place the pot on a large burner and heat to high heat and boil the potatoes for 30 minutes

Then drain the potatoes and place them on a cutting board

Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Cut the potatoes in half, they are really hot so use a fork to poke and help hold the potatoes in place, while you cut them in half and then place the halves in a medium cast iron skillet skin side down

Then grab a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, and remove the rosemary from the stem

and finely chop the rosemary up

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over each potato

Then I seasoned the potatoes with fry seasoning I got from a BBQ place that Normy and I went to in Kansas City. You could season yours with garlic salt, or Cajun seasoning, or just salt and pepper

I sprinkled the seasoning over the potatoes, to taste

then sprinkle the chopped rosemary over the potatoes as well

Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

Then flip the potatoes

Bake another 10 minutes and remove from the oven and serve

Recipe

• So I took 8 Yukon gold potatoes and washed them and placed them in a large pot and filled the pot with water, so the potatoes are completely underwater
• Place the pot on a large burner and heat to high heat and boil the potatoes for 30 minutes
• Then drain the potatoes and place them on a cutting board
• Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees
• Cut the potatoes in half, they are really hot so use a fork to poke and help hold the potatoes while you cut them in half and then place the halves in a medium cast iron skillet skin side down
• Then grab a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, and remove the rosemary from the stem
• and finely chop the rosemary up
• Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over each potato
• Then I seasoned the potatoes with fry seasoning I got from a BBQ place that Normy and I went to in Kansas city. You could season yours with garlic salt, or Cajun seasoning, or just salt and pepper

• I sprinkled the seasoning over the potatoes, to taste
• then sprinkle the chopped rosemary over the potatoes as well
• Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
• Then flip the potatoes
• Bake another 10 minutes and remove from the oven and serve

Leek soup topped with sauteed ham and leeks

Got the inspiration for this recipe from a post I did back in 2009 Leek and Potato Soup (Potage Parmentier)

A recipe from my book

I read the recipe and then just kind of did my own thing…

So this is what I came up with:

You will need:
Kosher Salt, to taste
Garlic salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Milk (we use lactose free as Normy is Lactose intolerant)
Freeze dried dill (You could use fresh or dried too)
4 tablespoons Butter (because butter makes EVERYTHING Better)
2 Leeks, Chopped
2 carrots, Peeled and chopped
1 Ham steak, chopped into bite size pieces
(Not in picture) Red potatoes, about 8, peeled

So start by peeling your potatoes (I had normy help me with this)

Grab a sauce pan and fill it with water and add the potatoes and bring to a boil

I boiled my potatoes for about 20-30 minutes or until they are tender when you poke them with a fork, if they are tender then drain (if not boil 10 minutes longer and check, and keep boiling until they are tender when you poke them with a fork)

While the potatoes are boiling cut the dark green part off the leek

and then cut the end of the leek (roots) off. Then cut the leek in half, length wise

Then chop up the halves

Place the chopped up leeks in a medium-sized bowl and fill with water.

soak the leeks in water, while you peel and chop the carrots and celery

Take your hand and kind of break the leeks apart up a bit and stir them around a little to help get the dirt out between the layers. When you drain the bowl, you will see all sorts of dirt in the bottom.

So grab 2 carrots and peel them, and grab 4 stalks of celery and wash them

Chop both the carrots and celery up into bite size pieces. Doesn’t have to be exact as you will be blending them up later in the soup.

Grab a big pot or dutch oven and heat your burner to medium heat and add 4 tablespoons of butter and let it melt

once the butter has melted, add in the chopped carrots and celery and saute

Drain the leeks really well, put about 3/4 a cup aside to use for toppings for later, then add the rest to the carrots and celery

Then add the potatoes whole, to the carrots and celery

stir everything together, and season with salt and pepper, to taste

Then add in about a tsp of the freeze-dried dill, and a Cajun/creole seasoning to taste

Stir everything together

Then add in chicken broth, I used enough to cover the potatoes and veggies

then add in about 2 cups of milk

Then I grabbed my hand blender and blended everything together

Blend it till its nice and smooth

Then I seasoned with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, stir everything together really well

Take half the ham steak and chop it up into small cubes (save the other half of the ham for something else) heat a smallish skillet to a burner heated to medium heat and place ham pieces in pan

then add the leeks that you set aside

saute, stirring occasionally

saute until everything is nice and caramelized

turn burner off and set aside

Stir soup and taste for seasonings

Serve up a bowl full of soup and add some sautéed ham and leeks on to top

Delicious!

Recipe

• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Garlic salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Milk (we use lactose free as Normy is Lactose intolerant)
• Freeze dried dill (You could use fresh or dried too)
• 4 tablespoons Butter (because butter makes EVERYTHING Better)
• 2 Leeks, Chopped
• 2 carrots, Peeled and chopped
• 1 Ham steak, chopped into bite size pieces
• Red potatoes, about 8, peeled

• So start by peeling your potatoes
• Grab a sauce pan and fill it with water and add the potatoes and bring to a boil
• I boiled my potatoes for about 20-30 minutes or until they are tender when you poke them with a fork, if they are tender then drain (if not boil 10 minutes longer and check, and keep boiling until they are tender when you poke them with a fork)
• While the potatoes are boiling cut the dark green part off the leek and then cut the end of the leek (roots) off. Then cut the leek in half, length wise
• Then chop up the halves
• Place the chopped up leeks in a medium-sized bowl and fill with water.
• Soak the leeks in water, while you peel and chop the carrots and celery
• Take your hand and kind of break the leeks apart up a bit and stir them around a little to help get the dirt out between the layers. When you drain the bowl, you will see all sorts of dirt in the bottom.
• So grab 2 carrots and peel them, and grab 4 stalks of celery and wash them
• Chop both the carrots and celery up into bite size pieces. Doesn’t have to be exact as you will be blending them up later in the soup.
• Grab a big pot or dutch oven and heat your burner to medium heat and add 4 tablespoons of butter and let it melt once the butter has melted, add in the chopped carrots and celery and saute
• Drain the leeks really well, put about 3/4 a cup aside to use for toppings for later, then add the rest to the carrots and celery
• Then add the potatoes whole, to the carrots and celery
• stir everything together, and season with salt and pepper, to taste
• Then add in about a tsp of the freeze-dried dill, and a Cajun/creole seasoning to taste
• Stir everything together
• Then add in chicken broth, I used enough to cover the potatoes and veggies
• then add in about 2 cups of milk
• Then I grabbed my hand blender and blended everything together
• Blend it till its nice and smooth
• Then I seasoned with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, stir everything together really well
• Take half the ham steak and chop it up into small cubes (save the other half of the ham for something else) heat a smallish skillet to a burner heated to medium heat and place ham pieces in pan
• then add the leeks that you set aside
• saute, stirring occasionally
• saute until everything is nice and caramelized
• turn burner off and set aside
• Stir soup and taste for seasonings
• Serve up a bowl full of soup and add some sautéed ham and leeks on to top

Baked Potato Cheese Soup

I just came up with recipe on my own….had some red potatoes that I bought and needed to use them, so I thought how about baked potato cheese soup MMMMM

So the ingredients I used for my soup are:

Sour Cream (can’t have a baked potato without sour cream, I add a dollop or 5 on top of my soup)
Carrots because I always start (pretty much) all my soups with a Mirepoix -“a mixture of chopped celery, onions, and carrots”
Onion
Celery
about a 5 pound bag of red potatoes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
milk (we use lactose free as Normy is lactose intolerant)
Extra sharp cheddar cheese (about a pound), that you will grate later
garlic salt (to taste)

not in the picture, but you will need for this recipe:
olive oil
butter
better than bouillon, chicken
water
bacon
chopped green onion

I started by having Normy help me and he peeled all the potatoes

while he did that I peeled some carrots

peeled 5 carrots (to be exact)

cut the ends off the carrots and then cut the ends off the celery and washed them and used 5 celery stalks as well

then I chopped the carrots and celery up into medium sized chunks (I will be pureeing the soup later with a hand blender, so I went with small to a medium sized chop).

chopping away while Normy peels away all the skins on the potatoes

I also chopped the onion as well

Normy filled one size of the sink with cold water for the peeled potatoes to chill in while he peeled all the potatoes (that’s a lot of potatoes)

so once all the potatoes were peeled, I chopped them all into chunks and then threw them in a large pot and filled it with water and then sat the pot on a burner to high heat to be boiled

while the potatoes boiled, Normy grated the big chunk of cheese we bought. (I like freshly grated, not already grated cheese)

boil the potatoes for 30-35 minutes.

I checked mine to see if they were nice and soft by picking a bigger chunk of potato by poking it with a fork

drain potatoes and set aside

then grab a nice big, deep pot and set it on the already hot burner and heat the burner to medium high heat and coat the bottom with olive oil and about 2 tbsp of butter. Let the butter melt all the way

add your Mirepoix – chopped Onion, Celery and carrots to pot

season with salt and pepper, to taste

saute for 5-7 minutes, or until your onions are translucent

then add the chunks of potatoes

season the potatoes with freshly ground black pepper and garlic salt, to taste

stir everything together

at this point I took about 2 cups of the potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery and place it in a measuring cup and set it aside, will add this later after I blend the soup, to add chunks to the soup

then add in water (about 2-3 cups) or vegetable/chicken broth. I added water and then I added in better than bouillon (Read the back of the jar to see how much to add)

then add milk (I added about 2-4 cups) I basically added half water, half milk until it went up to the potatoes so pretty much everything was submerged in liquid.

stir everything together, then let everything come up to almost a boil and then turn the heat down to medium low and then I grabbed my hand blender and blended everything together so it was nice and smooth

so remember how I told you pull aside the chunks of potato, carrots, celery and onion?

After you have blended your soup really well and its nice and smooth, then I added the chunks back in. I know strange to make it all smooth and blend it, just to add the chunks back in. Just thought it would be a nice little treat to be eating my soup and get a chunk of potato, or onion here and there. Stir everything together

Then add in the grated cheese, I added all the cheese Normy grated and then I had more cheese that I grated to top my soup with when serving

I wouldn’t add as much cheese as I did, I think it may have been too much cheese, unless you LOVE cheese then add it all.

Stir the cheese in and let it melt into the soup. Then taste the soup for taste. Add a little more salt, pepper, garlic salt if needed.

Then serve up in a bowl.

I added extra grated cheese I had to my soup

Oh and don’t forget the MOST important topping to the soup, BACON!

I also added chopped green onion

Normy also likes Tabasco on his

and sour cream

Cheeeeeesy

 

Recipe

• Sour Cream (can’t have a baked potato without sour cream, I add a dollop or 5 on top of my soup)
• Carrots because I always start (pretty much) all my soups with a Mirepoix -“a mixture of chopped celery, onions, and carrots”
• Onion
• Celery
• about a 5 pound bag of red potatoes
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• salt, to taste
• milk (we use lactose free as Normy is lactose intolerant)
• Extra sharp cheddar cheese (about a pound), that you will grate later
• garlic salt (to taste)
• you will need for this recipe:
• olive oil
• butter
• better than bouillon, chicken
• water
• bacon
• chopped green onion

• I started by having Normy help me and he peeled all the potatoes
• while he did that I peeled some carrots
• peeled 5 carrots (to be exact)
• cut the ends off the carrots and then cut the ends off the celery and washed them and used 5 celery stalks as well
• then I chopped the carrots and celery up into medium sized chunks (I will be pureeing the soup later with a hand blender, so I went with small to a medium sized chop).
• chopping away while Normy peels away all the skins on the potatoes
• I also chopped the onion as well
• Normy filled one size of the sink with cold water for the peeled potatoes to chill in while he peeled all the potatoes (that’s a lot of potatoes)
• so once all the potatoes were peeled, I chopped them all into chunks and then threw them in a large pot and filled it with water and then sat the pot on a burner to high heat to be boiled
• while the potatoes boiled, Normy grated the big chunk of cheese we bought. (I like freshly grated, not already grated cheese)
• boil the potatoes for 30-35 minutes.
• I checked mine to see if they were nice and soft by picking a bigger chunk of potato by poking it with a fork
• drain potatoes and set aside
• then grab a nice big, deep pot and set it on the already hot burner and heat the burner to medium high heat and coat the bottom with olive oil and about 2 tbsp of butter. Let the butter melt all the way
• add your Mirepoix – chopped Onion, Celery and carrots to pot
• season with salt and pepper, to taste
• saute for 5-7 minutes, or until your onions are translucent
• then add the chunks of potatoes
• season the potatoes with freshly ground black pepper and garlic salt, to taste
• stir everything together
• at this point I took about 2 cups of the potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery and place it in a measuring cup and set it aside, will add this later after I blend the soup, to add chunks to the soup
• then add in water (about 2-3 cups) or vegetable/chicken broth. I added water and then I added in better than bouillon (Read the back of the jar to see how much to add)
• then add milk (I added about 2-4 cups) I basically added half water, half milk until it went up to the potatoes so pretty much everything was submerged in liquid.
• stir everything together, then let everything come up to almost a boil and then turn the heat down to medium low and then I grabbed my hand blender and blended everything together so it was nice and smooth
• so remember how I told you pull aside the chunks of potato, carrots, celery and onion?
• After you have blended your soup really well and its nice and smooth, then I added the chunks back in. I know strange to make it all smooth and blend it, just to add the chunks back in. Just thought it would be a nice little treat to be eating my soup and get a chunk of potato, or onion here and there. Stir everything together
• Then add in the grated cheese, I added all the cheese Normy grated and then I had more cheese that I grated to top my soup with when serving
• I wouldn’t add as much cheese as I did, I think it may have been too much cheese, unless you LOVE cheese then add it all.
• Stir the cheese in and let it melt into the soup. Then taste the soup for taste. Add a little more salt, pepper, garlic salt if needed.
• Then serve up in a bowl.
• I added extra grated cheese I had to my soup
• Oh and don’t forget the MOST important topping to the soup, BACON!
• I also added chopped green onion
• Normy also likes Tabasco on his
• and sour cream

German Potato Salad

Got the recipe from here

3 pounds red potatoes
1 pound bacon, chopped
1 large red onion, diced
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water.

Boil for about 45 minutes or potatoes are tender. How I make sure they are tender enough is poke a fork into the biggest potato if its not tender then boil until tender.

Drain, and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes in a large bowl

Place a large pan on stove and heat burner to medium high heat. Add the bacon

and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft,

about 7 to 8 minutes.

In a bowl or measuring cup add the vinegar and mustard seeds

then whisk in the canola oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

add bacon and onions to the potatoes

Then add parsley

Add the dressing to the potatoes, bacon, and onion and toss gently to coat.

Then add in the green onions

Mix everything together really well then taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed

I made this potato salad for a BBQ at our friends Allan & Karen…

Check out the other foods at the BBQ

Artichokes al la Margaret

Roasted tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella and white beans with Olive oil and balsamic vinegar drizzled over the top, and topped with chopped basil al la Karen

Fire Crackers al la James

Steaks!

Dinner!

Yummy Food with Great company!

 

Recipe

3 pounds red potatoes
1 pound bacon, chopped
1 large red onion, diced
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water.
Boil for about 45 minutes or potatoes are tender. How I make sure they are tender enough is poke a fork into the biggest potato if its not tender then boil until tender.
Drain, and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes in a large bowl
Place a large pan on stove and heat burner to medium high heat. Add the bacon
and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft, about 7 to 8 minutes.
In a bowl or measuring cup add the vinegar and mustard seeds
then whisk in the canola oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
add bacon and onions to the potatoes
Then add parsley
Add the dressing to the potatoes, bacon, and onion and toss gently to coat.
Then add in the green onions
Mix everything together really well then taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed