Are you on the mayo or mustard side of the great potato salad debate? This recipe is made with mayo, which is what I prefer. Although, you could definitely add mustard if you prefer the tanginess. The great thing about this recipe is that the potatoes are marinated in a vinegar sauce, so the tanginess is built into the potatoes. This means that this potato salad will be delicious even if you prefer the mustard-based potato salad dressing. 

This potato salad is gluten-free and can be made vegetarian or vegan if you substitute the mayo and sour cream. I love to serve potato salad with grilled meat, corn, and baked beans. 

Red Potato Salad Recipe

My husband is NOT a picky eater. He will eat my burnt grilled cheese sandwiches without a word. He will eat my brownies even when they are overcooked and are as hard as a hockey puck. Have I mentioned that I really love my husband?

Now I have a son-in-law who has somewhat discriminating tastes.  In fact, we tease him and say that he has a “Golden Palate”. I don’t think that my hockey puck brownies would get past him in a New York City minute.

A potato salad your family will love

But back to potato salad.  I have made many a potato salad in my time and my husband has always eaten it.  No complaints, but no compliments either.  If I really think about it, I think it might be because his mother (obviously my mother-in-law) makes a GREAT potato salad and I don’t think he wants to compare my cooking to hers! He’s a smart man.

Well, I ran across this old recipe that I found in my files and decided to give it a whirl. We were barbecuing and I needed a great side dish.

One of the best things that I can say about this Red Potato Salad is that hubby liked it. 

And he even said so! 

Aren’t those the best recipes? When your family actually makes a positive comment about something that you’ve made? So this recipe quickly came out of my recipe archives and into my front and center recipe files. 

It’s simple, easy and I think that you’ll like it too.

Red Potato Salad Ingredients

This potato salad only requires a few ingredients but is packed with flavor. The vinegar and dill weed help give it a nice tang so you can enjoy it even if you prefer potato salad with mustard. Here are the ingredients that you will need to put together this husband approved red potato salad:

• Red Potatoes – make sure it’s a waxy potato so it holds its shape. I like red or Yukon potatoes
• Sour Cream – Adds extra creaminess to your potato salad
• Mayo – The classic base for the creamy “dressing” 
• Vinegar – Add some tang
• Green Onions – For extra crunch, you could use white and green onions. 
• Dill Weed – to mix in, as well as to garnish with
• Salt – you could also add some garlic powder
• Pepper – I like to freshly grind some pepper 
• Tabasco Sauce – this is totally optional, and I usually don’t use it.

Making your red potato salad

To make this delicious potato salad, first, you boil and dice your potatoes and allow them to cool down a bit. When I make mashed potatoes, I will boil them whole after washing them. This makes my life easier. I love that I don’t have to worry about washing an extra cutting board and knife.

Hey, it works. 

However, when I make potato salad, I prefer to dice the potatoes before boiling them. I don’t want the potatoes to get too mushy and I find that cutting them before boiling helps me better gauge when they are done.

I also like to cut my cubes kind of small so that the dressing gets on more of the potato. Don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of biting into a huge piece of potato with no mayo-dressing (what the heck do you call the mayo sauce on potato salad? Is it a dressing? If you know, fill me in below in the comments!).

Now its time to mix the potatoes with the dressing

Once diced, toss your cooked diced potatoes with vinegar, dill weed, salt, and pepper.  Leave that in the fridge to marinate for at least one hour. 

While the potatoes are marinating, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and green onions. Allow that to cool in the fridge while the potatoes are marinating. 

When you are ready to serve, mix the potatoes into the mayo sauce and incorporate them well. I usually like to fold the potatoes into the sauce. Don’t fret if you’re like Moira and aren’t sure what folding is – it simply means to gently mix in a folding motion.

This is to prevent the potatoes from becoming mashed. However, if they do get mashed, it’s okay, it’ll still be delicious. Bet you can guess how I know. Don’t worry, happens to the best of us. 

Chill for at least an hour before serving. The longer it’s in the fridge, the better it tastes in my opinion. That’s what makes this a perfect recipe to make ahead of time. 

Garnish with the remaining dill weed and serve with your favorite barbeque dish. You can also top this with slices of boiled egg or even chopped bacon or bacon bits. 

Don’t forget to chill before serving as it will taste better the colder it is. 

Tips for making a great red potato salad

For potato salad, I usually like to cut the potato into pieces before I boil them, unlike when I mash them. To make sure that my potato salad doesn’t turn into cold mashed potatoes I like to wash and dice the potatoes and then boil for a minute or 2 less than what I normally would. I want them to be cooked through but still firm. 

Chilling the potato salad overnight also helps eliminate the stress on barbeque day. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the kitchen making sides when everyone else is hanging out by the pool or grill hanging out. 

Make sure to let your potatoes cool down before you mix in the mayo dressing so that it does not get watery. I am not sure what the science is, but I know I did not like the results. 

If you prefer no skin on the potatoes, you could boil them whole, cut around the middle of the potato and then squeeze the skin right off, then dice them. This should be fine as long as you use a sturdy, waxy potato. 

Things to keep in mind when making your red potato salad

Remember to keep your potato salad chilled if serving it outside. 

Don’t forget to put the potatoes into the water while it is still cold so that they can warm up with the water. It is also important that you season the water. I like to add my salt once the water is already boiling. 

Don’t forget to let the potato salad chill in the fridge before serving. This is a great recipe to make the day before an event or holiday since it will taste better from chilling in the fridge overnight. 

Potato Salad Variations you can try

You could boil some eggs and top the potato salad with slices of them. 

I also like to add diced green bell peppers to my potato salads to give them more crunch and color. 

Add bacon bits or bacon crumbles over the potato salad. Bake the bacon between 2 sheets of parchment paper for mess-free bacon. 

If you like your potato salad extra tangy, add a few drops of mustard into the mayo dressing before mixing. 

Red Potato Salad is a wonderful side dish for barbeques and potlucks and dinner parties 

I love serving this potato salad with some grilled burgers, ribs, or chicken. It is the perfect accompaniment for any barbeque!

This potato salad is also a hit for potlucks and other large gatherings, not to mention summer holidays. My favorite part is that it can be made the night before so it is a stress-free potluck or dinner party option. 

This red potato salad goes perfectly with ribs, pulled pork, hamburgers, sausages, brisket, London broil, even grilled fish. No matter what the main dish you want to serve, this potato salad is sure to complement it perfectly. 

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Red Potato Salad

Course Salad

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 4 large red potatoes cooked and diced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• Green onions diced
• 3/4 tsp dill weed plus some extra for garnish
• Dash salt and pepper
• May add a dash of Tabasco sauce if desired. I did not add any to mine.

Instructions

• Toss vinegar, dill, salt and pepper with potatoes. Marinate one hour. Mix together sour cream, mayonnaise and green onions until well blended. Add to the potatoes and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with some extra dill weed on top.

Did you love this red potato salad recipe? Check out these other great recipes from This Grandma Is Fun:

I love how simple and delicious this red potato salad recipe is, and of course, I love that my husband loved it, too! Here are some other great recipes that are also easy and a hit whenever they are served, just like this red potato salad. 

• Sausage Potato Salad
• Southern Style Ham Salad Recipe
• 101 Tastiest Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
• 21 Perfect Christmas Side Dishes
• Mulling Spices Recipe

The post Red Potato Salad appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I love a new year and a fresh start. I love to set resolutions and look ahead to where I want to be at the end of the year. So naturally I have been looking at health plans and weight loss solutions just like everyone else. I had a health food post all planned and ready to go, but then winter finally hit Utah.

I’m from Arizona where winter just meant we had to wear a sweatshirt with our shorts and sandals. I’m usually really homesick during Utah winters, but so far this mild winter has made me feel right at home… until Christmas day. The snow finally hit, and it hit hard. Even this Arizona girl could appreciate our beautiful white Christmas, but the snow just kept coming! Then the temperatures plummeted and I found myself in a frozen wasteland.

It was 3 degrees when I woke up this morning. THREE. That’s simply not enough degrees. Obviously this is soup weather, so I changed my whole post to this delicious corn chowder. I pulled out the last of my leftover Christmas ham and threw together a hearty soup that everyone loved.

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Ham and Potato Chowder

A hearty chowder with a kick of flavor and a secret ingredient that makes all the difference. Perfect for using up your leftover holiday ham and warming you up on a chilly night.

Course Soup and Stews

Cuisine American

Servings 4 -6

Author FortyEighteen.com

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk or more, as needed
• 2 cups potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 cup diced ham
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 2-3 Tablespoons sour cream

Instructions

• Saute the bacon in a large skillet until brown and crispy. Drain it, crumble it, and set it aside.
• In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir frequently until the onions become translucent.
• Stir in the corn and thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes. The thyme should really start smelling good now.
• Whisk in the flour and let it cook for at least a minute or two until it browns slightly. If you don't cook it for a bit, your soup will taste like flour. Yuk. Then whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Keep whisking it so it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.
• Stir in the potatoes and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
• Stir in the ham, sour cream, and cheese. If the soup is too thick, add some milk until it's how you like it. Then salt and pepper to taste. You can stir in the bacon or add it as a garnish to each bowl. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Recipe Knead.

When I first tried this chowder, it was fine, but it was missing something. So I added the cheese and sour cream, and that was the secret! It went from “meh” to “my oh my.” This ham and potato chowder is the perfect tasty dish to warm you up on a chilly night – or a ridiculously frigid night like we’re having here in Utah.

You can find more tasty dishes to warm you up at Forty Eighteen.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Stuffed Meatloaf Muffins

Sunday Chicken Supper

Sausage and Potato Pie

Find Forty Eighteen on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Google+.

Thanks so much to Melanie for this yummy soup!  It was SEVEN degrees when I woke up this morning and I’m wishing I had some of this Ham and Potato Chowder already cooking for lunch today!

This post has been shared with Living Well Spending Less.

The post Ham and Potato Chowder appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Mouth-Watering Cheesy Bacon Ranch Tater Tots

Following the Story?

Cheesy Comforting Bacon Tater Tots

What You Need For A Crazy Tasty Tater Tots Recipe

What Do You Need?

• 1/2 cup Bacon Bits
• 1/4 cup Green Onions
• 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
• 1 Bag Frozen Tater Tots
• 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Milk
• Salt
• Pepper

How To Prepare Savory Cheesy Bacon Tater Tots

1. The first step is to cook the tater tots on a cookie sheet as per the package instructions. That’s an easy one because all you’ve got to do is to follow the instructions.
2. For the second step, in a medium-sized bowl, mix the sour cream, ranch dressing, and milk until well blended. With a manual whisk or an electric one, mixing should take a few minutes.
3. Once the mixture is well blended then pour the sour cream ranch mixture over your cooked tater tots.
4. The next step is cheesy. Haha. Sprinkle the cheese, bacon bits, and green onions all over the top of the tater tots. For this one, I always do lots of cheese coz I am that much fun of cheese. To an extent that I eat raw cheese.
5. The last step is to place the cookie sheet back into the oven until the cheese melts. When the meal is cooking in the oven, you can set the table so that once ready serving will be a minute’s work!

The meal is Ready. Finally!

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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Tater Tots

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen tater tots
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese or more if desired. I desired a little more!
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup real bacon bits
• 1/4 cup green onions
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cook the tater tots on a cookie sheet per the package instructions.
• Mix the sour cream, ranch dressing and milk until well blended.
• Drizzle the sour cream ranch mixture over cooked tater tots.
• Sprinkle the cheese, bacon bits and green onions all over the top of the tater tots.
• Place the cookie sheet back into the oven until the cheese melts and serve immediately.

This Pin Rocks!

If You Found Tater Tots, Then You Will Also Love These Recipes:

• 100 Rainbow Treat And Dessert Recipes
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• 101 Apple Recipes To Try Right Now
• You Will “Fall” In Love With These Holiday E-Book Recipes

The post Cheesy Bacon Ranch Tater Tots appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Often when I ask my kids why they put a certain thing on their Christmas wish list they wouldn’t really know why they wanted it, other than it was what everybody wants. If that many cool kids want the same thing, it has to be good!

This has been an exciting year for us here at MFP. Testing and trying out pins from Pinterest has been an adventure for us three sisters. When we began this blog just over a year ago, we worried that we would be drawn to the same projects and we would have problems with duplication. But you will see from our top ten, that the things that struck our fancy have been an eclectic collection of household tips and  and kitchen hints.

But today is about new beginnings. So in celebration of the New Year, we are sharing with you the best of the best, the creme de la creme of all the things we have tried. These are this year’s most popular posts. It is what all the cool grownups on the internet are looking at! You don’t want to miss this great collection of our Top 10 of 2013.

Mold is gross! But…our number 10 most popular post this year is Easy Shower Mold Solution. At least we can feel better that if that many people come to see the post, we are not the only ones with a problem. Misery loves company, but not any more. Your shower mold will disappear with this easy cleaning method.

At number 9 we have Mini Apple Pie Cookies that are a year round favorite.  Apple pie filling with a touch of caramel that fits in your hand? Um, yeah, we think it is a great idea too.

We have several MAGIC cleaning tips for your and our number 8 most popular post is where it all begins. Cleaning Your Stove Burner is as easy as it gets!

Elegant, easy, healthy and delicious all in one recipe? At number 7, Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Salmon Marinade is a hit! Perfect with Garlic Parmesan Roasted Squash.

We had never even heard of number 6 until Debbie found it on Pinterest. Monkey Butter is a pineapple, banana, coconut spread that is crazy good!  Like monkeys swinging from the rafters good. Like Gorilla pounding on their chest good. 

For our number 5 post we are working more magic. Hate cooking in a dirty kitchen? Well get out your magic wand and poof! Clean Your Oven the Magic Way.

Do you have recipes that when you make them and take them to an event, that you are ALWAYS asked for the recipe? At number 4, Lipton Onion Potatoes is one of those recipes.

But let’s work a little more magic. Have you been grilling on grates that have burnt on gunk on them? Our third top post is the Cleaning Your Grill the Magic Way! No scrubbing, that’s right, no scrubbing!

Short on time, but want something fabulous for dinner? How about million dollar fabulous? You don’t need to settle for regular spaghetti, when you can have

Million Dollar Spaghetti!

With over 432,00 views and pinned over 38, ooo times, we end our collection with the best of our magic tricks! A way to wash your outside windows with no squeegee and no streaks! What a great finale!

The Magic Way to Clean Your Windows

Here at MFP we are so grateful for the things we have learned, but even more for the friends we have made. Thank you for following our blog, for supporting our work and making our first year of blogging a pleasure. May you have a prosperous New Year.

We are happy to link this post to these great blogs: Lamberts Lately  – Living Well, Spending Less – Live, Laugh, Rowe – 52 Mantels – A Glimpse Inside – What’s Cooking Love

The post Top Ten of 2013 appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

When my husband’s brother moved into our same town, the Sunday dinner invitation was extended to them and we all looked forward to getting together on Sundays to enjoy each other’s company.  I only have sisters so my mother didn’t have any boys and so she LOVED to cook for my husband and his brother.  They licked the plates clean and we rarely had any leftovers.  It was so fun!

I now have son-in-laws myself and it is so fun to cook for my one son and my other two “boys”.  One of my son-in-laws is a meat and potato kinda guy.  Give him a steak and a baked potato and he is a happy camper.  Knowing this about him, I  try to have this kind of meal when they come to visit so I am always on the lookout for some great potato dishes.

Enter this Cheesy Potato Gratin that I pinned from Williams-Sonoma!

This son-in-law will be coming for the Christmas holidays so I wanted to try this dish before they are here, so I made this for dinner last night.

My daughter made three comments about this dish:

When she entered the kitchen as I was cooking this dish:  “Mom, something smells REALLY GOOD.”

Sitting at the table when I set this out:  “Mom, this looks sooo good!”

And then…. “Mom, these potatoes taste SOOO good!”

I think my meat and potatoes son-in-law will be a happy camper at Christmas!

This Pin Rocks!

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Williams-Sonoma Cheesy Potato Gratin Recipe

Course Side Dish

Author MadeFromPinterest

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. Add the chopped shallot under tender. I cooked mine for about 4 minutes. Add the flour, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the stock and heavy cream. Next, add the Gruyère cheese and thyme and stir until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and coat them well. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the potatoes into an oven safe dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan-Reggiano cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until it is golden brown and bubbling.
• Let cool slightly before serving.

 Looking for some other great potato dishes? Check these out!

Lipton Onion Potatoes

Parmesan Potatoes

Oven Baked Steak Fries

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