Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Dear Readers: Barbecue season is here! Grilling is a nutritious and easy way to make one or several meals at a time. Planning side dishes can sometimes be tough. But potato salad is always a favorite! Here is my mother’s recipe for hot potato salad that goes way back, more than 40 years.
Hot potato salad
2 pounds small white potatoes
1‚Ñ2 cup diced bacon
3‚Ñ4 cup minced onion
11‚Ñ2 teaspoons flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1‚Ñ4 teaspoon pepper
1‚Ñ4 cup to 1‚Ñ3 cup vinegar
1‚Ñ2 cup water
2 teaspoons snipped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1‚Ñ2 cup sliced radishes
Celery leaves
Cook the potatoes in their jackets in a saucepan with about 1 inch of boiling water. When tender, peel and cut into 1‚Ñ4-inch slices. (Large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks will do fine.)
In a small skillet, fry the bacon until crisp and add 1‚Ñ2 cup of the onion and saute until just tender, not brown.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and pepper, then stir in the vinegar and 1‚Ñ2 cup water until smooth. Add this to the bacon and stir on simmer until slightly thickened.
Pour this hot dressing over the hot potatoes. Add the remaining onion, parsley, celery seeds and radishes. Serve lightly tossed and garnished with celery leaves. This recipe, as well as Chinese Beets, Fast Shrimp Spread, Easy Cookies From a Cake Mix and many more, can be found in my new recipe pamphlet. If you would like a copy, please send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (59 cents) envelope to: Heloise/New Recipe, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.
What are three colors of onions sold in many grocery stores? If you came up with white, red and yellow, then no crying, because you are correct. You can use any type of onion for this recipe, and red/purple adds more color! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I found a way to enjoy all the little school pictures of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I use them in my cookbooks as a bookmark on each child’s favorite thing — cakes, cookies, etc. I get to enjoy looking at how fast they grow from year to year. A.C. Harlan, North Highlands, Calif.
Dear Heloise: I collect all the crumbs in the bottoms of cereal boxes, cracker boxes and potato-chip bags. I crush them and add to my meatloaf mixture. Depending on the chips and crackers, you might not need to add salt. Carol Winter, Oceanside, Calif.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate