Welcome to Summer!

Finally, summer is here! Happy Summer!!!  My kids are out of school, I can sit back a little after a year of running around, no schedules for the most part and time to decompress!  Haven't picked up a book since last summer and can't wait to.  

The weather couldn't be more perfect, a little less humidity would help, but I'll take it over snow, ice and freezing temps. Still running around but it's been cut in half now that summer has approached. Love this time of year. The grill is in full mode, cold salads, marinated meats, what's not to love.

I decided to share with you a salad that goes back over 40 years ago. I remember my mom making this cold salad when I was a kid. It was a staple in the summer time, easy and could feed a lot of people. Hardest part was peeling the potatoes unless she went for the red bliss, but we didn't use a lot of those back them. When my parents opened up the pool it meant family, friends and a lot of cookouts! My mom was a great cook and don't ever recount her ever making a bad meal, well one, we called it ping pong chicken, rubbery substance thanks to a brand new microwave. Never microwaved chicken again after that.

This salad was usually on the table along with hotdogs and hamburgers and a whole cut up watermelon with the seeds!!!  I don't know about you but when we were little while eating watermelon we engaged in a seed fight, not pretty but a lot of fun. Our kids today don't know what that was, they don't even know what a seeded watermelon is, ah what they missed!!

 It's Cold Potato Salad with Green beans, sounds boring but its so flavorful and so different because there is no mayonaise in this dressing at all.  I can see my mom making the salad, adding the green beans and mixing it all together. The one memory that stands out is that she use to use this huge stainless steel bowl to store it in and then cover it, not with cling wrap or tin foil, but with this God Ugly flat rounded slime green plate. Well wouldn't you know, I have the stainless steel bowl and yes, right now that god ugly green round plate is covering the top of the bowl.  It's best to make this salad the day before so you can adjust the seasoning the day you serve it.

To this date, can not find this recipe in her old recipe box, or on scrap paper. I'm not sure if she made it up herself or got it from a friend or took it out of a Betty Crocker cookbook.  Speaking of Betty Crocker, I still have my Betty Crocker cookbook from 25 yrs ago, it's in pieces, but still use it. Now that we have the internet at our fingertips and most of the time I use google, but every now and then I go to my good old trustworthy friend Betty!

It's Mom's Potato Salad with Green Beans for a nice summer side salad that won't disappoint.

Potato Salad with Green Beans

First make the dressing:

Now here is where I had to wing it. I do recall vinegar, so here it goes. I don't measure so I eyeball it, use as much or as little and adjust.

• Whole Grain Mustard (you can use dijion but i like seeing the little mustard seeds in the dressing over the potatoes)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Canola Oil
• Kosher Salt and Pepper

(I didn't use any minced garlic like some vinergrettes call for, opted out and I don't think it needs it)

Whisk it all together and add more or less vinegar and oil, taste and adjust.

Potato Salad:

3lbs of Potatoes (whatever you want to use, make more or less depending ont he size of your crowd) I peeled and chunked them up as you would for potato salad

Boil in salted water for about 8 mins or so till fok tender, drain, let slightly cool.

In a large bowl add the following:

• 1 Handfull chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Small Red Onion Thinly sliced 
• 1 Large bunch of Fresh Green Beans (cut in half) boiled for about 4-6 mins, test them make sure not mushy.  Drain, then shock them in an ice water bath (bowl of water with ice it in) to stop the cooking. It keeps the beans green and crunchy.
• Add the potatoes (still warm, when you add the dressing to warm potatoes it will absorb more flavor)
• Salt and pepper

Chill overnight or earlier in the day and adjust the seasonings the day you serve it.

Hope you enjoyl