Today I made potato salad. Do I like potato salad? No. Will I eat the potato salad? Nope. So why did I make it? Well, my hubby likes it and he doesn’t often get things only he likes to eat with dinner. So, today I made potato salad.
I remember watching my Mom make potato salad as a kid. Cutting the taters and veggies and just “eye balling” the mayo and seasoning as she whipped it up to perfection. I wish I was that good. But alas, I needed a recipe. I used the basics from Tyler Florence’s recipe on the Food Network’s website… but I didn’t get all worried if I didn’t have all the ingredients in the recipe. I just used what we had in the pantry and did what my mom did… “eye balled it.”
The hubby says it’s super delicious. I think I’d make my Mom proud too. :)
JavaCupcake’s Potato Salad
Makes about 4-5 cups salad
*NOTE* When you make this, if you don’t have everything I do… it’s okay. Use what you’ve got in your kitchen. Also… measurements aren’t exact, I put what I thought looked like a good amount of everything in and estimated what the amount was for the recipe! It’s not like baking where it has to be exact! Have fun with it!
1 1/2 lbs white potatoes (I used two large potatoes)
2 eggs
1 tbsp salt
2 scallions, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pickles, chopped
2 large strips bacon, crispy and chopped
1 tbsp pickle juice
1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 generous cup mayo
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
salt/pepper to taste
- In a medium pot, bring potatoes and eggs to a simmer in salted water. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the eggs and continue to cook the potatoes until a fork goes in easily to the center, about 10 more minutes. Do not over cook the potatoes, you don’t want them mushy.
- While that is simmering, cook the bacon crispy and chop into small pieces. Reserve a small amount of bacon as a garnish. Set the rest aside.
- Prep the rest of the salad. Chop the scallions, celery, bell pepper, red pepper pickles, and bacon into 1/4″ pieces. Reserve a small amount of scallions for garnish.
- Add the bacon, pickle juice, pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, mayo and brown mustard to the veggies. Mix until well combined.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Check on the potatoes and remove from the water to cool if they are cooked.
- Cut the eggs into small chunks and gently fold into the vegetable mixture.
- Cut the potatoes into approx. 1″ chunks and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before folding into the vegetable mixture.
- Add more salt/pepper if necessary.
- Garnish with any extra bacon or scallions.