Baked Potato Salad

I have been making this recipe for years, but am now finally blogging it!

I don't use reduced-fat anything, so I used regular sour cream.  I recommend making the bacon extra crispy.  Otherwise, you'll end up with limp bacon, which isn't very appealing!

I found this recipe on Pinterest, originally, but I can't find the link at the moment.  

Baked Potato Salad

4 pounds potatoes, peeled

15 slices bacon

1 (16 ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons dried chives

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, and allow to cool to room temperature. Dice once cooled.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool, and crumble the bacon into a large bowl.

Place the cooled potatoes into the bowl with the bacon, and mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, chives, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Greek Tortellini Salad

About two and a half weeks ago I was planning on attending a family reunion.  The kind where you bring a dish to pass.  In my younger days I did chips and dip.  Or I made a dessert.  But I find these days that people want healthier options (unless your event is going to be loaded with kids, then cupcakes and chips are fun choices).  But there is "too healthy" - people are taking the day to have fun, eating as if they're on a very restricted diet isn't any fun.  As in carrot and celery sticks or a green salad.  I also wanted to pick something that would be relatively safe to transport in a cooler and sit out for a bit of time - which removed all the mayonnaise based salads.  So I turned to pinterest and found this recipe that I had pinned approximately three years ago.  I made it and it went over very well!  It certainly will remain at the top of my list of choices for when I have another dish to pass event.  I only found frozen tortellini at the store, but that cooks up quickly too.  A bit of chopping and mix the dressing and you're done!

1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 cup kalamata olives, pit removed and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain the tortellini and rinse with cold water.

2. Place the tortellini in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta cheese.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until salad is well coated. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator.

Note-this salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I had been thinking I should try my hand at making my own salad dressings (blame too many food and nutrition blogs and becoming aware of how much sugar goes into some dressings) so I looked on pinterest and found a few different pins for different dressings.  I thought I would start with Buttermilk ranch as that's been my favorite bottled dressing lately (I also adore Thousand Island - that's in the future).  I finally picked this recipe which calls for fresh herbs, but says you can use dried (awesome!  I don't have an herb garden).  The first time I made it, I hadn't remembered that we did not in fact have dried chives, so I tried dried minced onion - it was okay, but too onion-y.  I also take the easy way out and use jarred minced garlic.  The following is the recipe quartered, with the dried herb amounts - that way it stays nice and fresh in my fridge.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp freeze dried chives
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
dash salt (1/16 tsp)
pinch black pepper (1/8 tsp)
1/4 tsp jarred garlic
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup buttermilk (I use about a 1/4 cup, sometimes upwards of 3/8 cup depending on how well I measured my mayo and sour cream)  - start with the 1/8 cup and thin gradually until you get the right consistency for you and if you're using it for salad or for a dip

Whisk together until smooth.  (The original recipe says that it will last three days covered and refrigerated).

Wells Cesear Salad

While I've seen many versions of Ceasar salad (I have a small cookbook devoted to them!), this is the version I almost always make.... Many, many years ago at college, while I worked in Dining Hall (as nearly all first years did), I saw one of the cooks making up a batch of Cesaer salad - which I should mention was always a hit when it was put out on the regular salad bar.  I took to making single servings of it for myself when I wanted it but it wasn't out, and then sometimes some friends asked for me to make it for them.  I brought the dish home and it's become one of my family favorites, particularly during holiday dinners.  Because I only observed her making it, I can't guarantee I didn't miss an ingredient, and this is one of those that I've *always* eyeballed.  I have no idea of quantities.

A heart of romaine lettuce (or leaves off a head, but a single heart from a package of 3 hearts makes a nice amount for a dinner for 4)
Some bacon bits - about a palmful, but to taste
Some grated parmesan cheese (using Kraft or store brand is fine), a couple three shakes, again to taste
Croutons, about half a package, give or take
Ranch salad dressing, a good amount, start light and then add as needed, feel free to experiment with other versions of ranch or try a creamy Ceasar

Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces, add bacon bits, parmesan, and croutons.  Pour in some salad dressing - mix well to combine, add more if needed.  Lettuce and croutons should be lightly coated.  Serve immediately.  Can be prepped ahead of time by washing and tearing the lettuce, adding the bacon bits and parmesan and storing bowl in the fridge.  Just before serving, add the croutons and dressing as the croutons will start to get soggy.

Mom's Potato Salad

This is my mom's recipe for potato salad, which as far as I'm concerned is PERFECT and is what all potato salad should taste like!

It calls for Nance's Sharp & Creamy Mustard, which is tough to find outside Central New York.  Substitute whatever mustard you like.  Nance's is really tangy, which is what I love about this recipe.  I would imagine a dijon would be a nice exchange.

 

My mom's secret is to rinse the pickle relish so it doesn't make the mayo funky.  My grandma always said the vitamins were in the skins, so you should boil the potatoes skin-on and peel them afterwards.  That is really difficult to do!  I sacrifice any vitamins that might be in the skins and I just peel them first.

Mom's Potato Salad

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes

1/3 small jar of sweet pickle relish, rinsed

2 radishes, finely diced like confetti

1/2 green pepper, finely diced like confetti

1/2 bottle of Nance's Sharp & Creamy Mustard  (I think the bottles have gotten smaller!  Half of a 10 oz bottle wasn't quite as "zingy" as I've made it before!)

Mayo to the desired texture (I only use Hellman's)

Boil the red potatoes whole until they are cooked through, but not mushy.  Rinse them in cold water and let them cool enough to handle them.  Cut in cubes of desired size.

Add relish, radishes, pepper, and mustard.  Stir to combine.  Add mayo until potato salad is of desired consistency.  

Enjoy!

Pesto Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for our summer party as a meatless option for our guests.  Delicious!   I sometimes skip pine nuts in a recipe because they're so expensive.  Don't skip it in this recipe!  They really add a wonderful flavor to the salad.

This recipe comes from the August 2012 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Pesto Pasta Salad

1 lb dry penne pasta
2 cups frozen green peas
1/2 cup pesto, homemade or purchased
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp minced lemon zest
1 Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 grated Parmesean cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Cook penne in salted water according to package directions.  Add peas during last three minutes.  Transfer penne and peas to a bowl of ice water; drain well. (I just rinsed it all in cold water)

Whisk together pesto, lemon juice, oil, zest, and garlic in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in penne, peas, spinach, Parmesan, and pine nuts.  Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 20 servings (about 15 cups).

Cucumber and Blueberry Salad with Feta

I saw this last year on the Wegmans website and have been meaning to make it since last summer.  I finally got around to picking up all the ingredients tonight and put it together.  I enjoyed it although it's not a salad I would eat every day; it's more of a special occasion kind of dish.



3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced thinly (half moon shape) (about 4 cups)
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries, rinsed and picked over
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Wegmans White Balsamic Vinaigrette (Produce Dept)
3 Tbsp thinly sliced Food You Feel Good About Fresh Mint Leaves
1 cup (about 1/4 lb) Wegmans Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese (Cheese Shop)

Directions:
    Combine cucumbers and blueberries in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Add white balsamic vinaigrette, mint, and feta. Toss gently to combine.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I've had a recipe for strawberry spinach salad kicking around for ages from a friend of the family.  When I brought home yet another quart of strawberries, it seemed like it was time to dig it out.  Unfortunately when I looked at it, I realized the friend had typed it up much too quickly and it called for nearly 2 tablespoons of paprika, so I turned to allrecipes.  It turned out excellent!  Forgive the picture though, I took it after we'd eaten and that was the leftovers.  Still tastes good, just doesn't look as pretty after the dressing's sat on the spinach for awhile.  And I used a 1/2 cup of almonds, since I didn't want a half package of them leftover and we both love nuts.

Ingredients

    2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    1 tablespoon poppy seeds
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1/2 cup olive oil
    1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon paprika
    1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 tablespoon minced onion
    10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
    1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
    1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Directions

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
    In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Green Bean and Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

When I made this, I thought it was good....but it was missing something.  I had skipped the tarragon because I've never used it before and I didn't have any.  The next day I thought, "What about some dill?"  I added that to the leftovers and it became delicious!

Next time, I might bake the potatoes in olive oil and rosemary, rather than boil them like a traditional potato salad.  I think it might add some carmelized taste to it, which would just increase the yumminess.

This recipe comes from the August 2011 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Green Bean and Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp minced shallots (I used onion)
2 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Salad

3 lbs red or yellow new potatoes, cut into 1 inch wedges
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise*
6 strips of bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon

Whisk all ingredients for vinaigrette in a small bowl and set aside.

Cover potatoes with salted water and bring to a boil.  Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.   Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Pour 3/4 cup of vinaigrette over warm potatoes.  Let cool 20-30 minutes.

Boil beans in same water until tender, 3-4 minutes.  Drain.  Transfer beans to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette.  Set aside to cook 20-30 minutes.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Gently stir potatoes, scallions, tarragon and remaining 1/4 cup vinaigrette into beans.  Season salad with salt and pepper and top with bacon.

*  "Halving them crosswise" would add a ridiculous amount of time to this recipe!  I just snapped them in half when I was trimming them.

Multi Colored Pepper/ Black Bean/Corn/ Pea Salad

I just made this delicious salad. It was so easy and tasty. The lime juice made the salad fresh tasting and summery and the spices made it zippy. I would suggest you use what you have available and enjoy. I’m sure it will be different each time I make it!

4 generous servings

Ingredients:

1-2 cup chopped peppers (I used one green pepper and several small red, yellow, and orange peppers)

3 stalks celery

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 green onion, sliced thin

½ cup frozen corn

½ cup frozen peas

Juice of 1 ½ limes

Olive Oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Cayenne pepper

Cumin

Chili Powder

Mix the ingredients together and enjoy at room temperature. (The amounts of the last six ingredients are “to taste”.)

Lemonade Fruit Salad

What a fantastic version of fruit salad!  The sauce makes it very sweet and yummy.  This is excellent as a side dish, dessert, or breakfast/brunch option. 

While it is POSSIBLE to pit a cherry without a cherry pitter, it isn't your best option.  It's easy enough, but my fingers are stained with cherry juice now!  Since we liked this so much, I see a cherry pitter purchase in my future.

Lemonade Fruit Salad

1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 lbs seedless red grapes
1lb fresh dark sweet cherries, pitted

In a small sauce pan, bring water and sugar to a boil.  Add lemon and orange peels.  Remove from heat and cool completely.  Stir in lemon juice.

In a large bowl, combine fruit and drizzle with syrup and toss gently to coat.

Colorful Couscous Salad

I originally found this bright refreshing salad recipe on allrecipes.com and made a few changes. Except for the time to chop the vegetables, it is easy to prepare. I make it ahead of time and let it set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The amounts and kinds of vegetable can vary according to how you feel and what is available. Enjoy!

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 1/4 cups water or broth

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Cayenne pepper to taste

Chili powder to taste

4 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (or a combination of different color peppers)

½ English cucumber, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

½ cup carrots, chopped

Several cherry tomatoes, quartered

¾ cup frozen corn kernels

1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring water or broth to a boil in a 2-quart or larger saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder. Add vegetables and toss to coat.

3. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

Words cannot describe how delicious this recipe is! With grilling season right around the corner, we will be making this A LOT. (We like to grill the chicken -- it is tastier that way!)

It comes from Simple & Delicious. Chris hates Gorgonzola, so I pile it on mine separately. :-)

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, tomatoes, onion, bacon and Gorgonzola cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, basil, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.