Red Skinned Potato Salad with Bacon

Made this for a summer gathering yesterday. It's based on a recipe found on "Allrecipes.com" but I tweaked it a little. Husband and friends said it was the best they had ever had. :)

Prep time: 1 hour. Chill time: 1 or more hours. Serves: 10-12

• 2 pounds baby red potatoes- scrubbed clean and cut out any blemishes or sprouts, leaving most skin intact.
  
• 6 eggs, boiled, cooled and cut into chunks
  
• 6-8 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained, and crumbled.
  
• 2 stalks green onion, washed, and chopped
  
• 1-2 tsp white vinegar
  
• 2 cups mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip) (can use the olive oil mayo for added flavor)
• 3 tbsp milk or half-n-half
  
• 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper
  

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully add potatoes and boil until tender but still firm (15 min.) Remove from heat and pour off hot water, Run cold tap water over potatoes for a couple minutes. Cool completely.
   
2. While potatoes are boiling: cook eggs in a small pan and cover with cold water and dash of salt. Bring water to a boil and boil for 10 min. Remove from heat. Immediately run cold water over eggs 3-5 min. Let them remain in the cold water until completely cool to touch. Peel and rinse.
   
3. Fry bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and cool. Crumble when completely cooled.
4. Cut up potatoes & eggs into bite sized chunks, chop the green onions. Place all into a large bowl. Add crumbled bacon. In a smaller bowl mix mayo, milk, vinegar, salt and pepper together until well blended. Pour over potato mixture, gently folding them until well coated. Cover and put in fridge for 1 hr or more before serving.
   

I only used 6 slices of bacon...but would probably use a couple more for more flavor.

Cheesy Tuna Noodle Hotdish

7 ounces tuna
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup
6-10 ounces egg noodles, boiled and drained * I use a whole package and add another can of soup. and a little more milk.*
1-1.2 cup shredded Colby or other favorite cheese
3/4 cup frozen peas.. optional

mix ingredients minus the noodles in a large bowl.. add cooked noodles ..pour into a greased casserole dish. You can top with crushed potato chips if you like or more cheese.
bake 350º F for 45min or until bubbly and heated through.
:)

I have to thank my aunt Bea for this recipe. It is one that we enjoy often.

Cheddar Chowder

2 cups water
2 cups potatoes-peeled and cubed
1/2 cup carrots-sliced (I often use baby carrots cut into chunks)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups 2% or whole milk
2 cups grated medium cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed ham

Cut up vegetables and ham. Grate cheese and set aside.

Combine diced veggies with salt and pepper and place in a 2 quart kettle. Add the water and boil for 10-12 min until tender. Do not drain!

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, make the white sauce by melting the butter, and adding the flour. Whisk until smooth- about 1 min. Slowly add the milk and cook until thickened. (it will resemble pudding) Add the cheddar cheese to the white sauce and stir until melted.

Add the cheese mixture and cubed ham to the veggies which have not been drained, and stir well. Heat through and serve. Really good with a crusty loaf of french bread.

This is one of our favourite recipes. It originated in the introductory issue of Country Magazine submitted by a woman named Laura Rothlisberger of Green, Kansas.

Towering Fears

Towering Fears©

Accusations of treason brought me to these
Barren stone walls, lacking comfort
Guarded like a thief, my fears take flight.
I oft hear my mother’s ghost echo my present fate! [1]

The Tower walls, a pale bone white
Bloodless countenance, I fear
Within these confines, breathing stale air.
The good Lord my only friend.

My attendant Jane sits and sews in calm,
Near window light, filter’d through the London haze.
“Jane! Bring me paper and quill” I cry,
Meekly, “Yes m’lady, “and jumps at my command.

The pompous plot of Wyatt’s sealed my fate. [2]
That I should appear in his camp: Absurd!
My cork heels tap out heartbeat distress so
Stainless I am, and shall be proved a

Virgin in this tyranny and deceit.
I severed not my loyalty, nor wish for decollation[3].
Alas that I would attain my freedom, from
Traitors gate; the gait I do not tread.

DeAnna Slevin, 2008

---

[1] Unable to bear King Henry VIII a male heir to the throne, Anne Boylen, Elizabeth’s mother, was accused of witchcraft, incest and adultery, and was imprisoned then executed at the Tower of London, 19 May 1536

[2]After the death of King Edward VI, Sir Thomas Wyatt plotted to overthrow the newly crowned Queen Mary I, and help Elizabeth gain the throne. Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London under suspect of involvement, which was never proved.

[3] Decollation: to be beheaded or decapitated.

No part of this poem may be reproduced without the author's consent. To do so is theft and plagiarism and will be punishable to the full extent of the law.

Grandma's Swedish Meatballs

Heat oven to 350º F
Spray a 2 quart glass casserole dish and set aside.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 12 ounce roll Jimmy Dean's light pork sausage
1/3-1/2 cup bread crumbs (you can use seasoned or plain)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 small onion peeled and chopped fine
1 small peeled russet potato, grated fine*
2 tsp ground sage
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine above ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. On a counter top pull out a 3 foot long sheet of waxed paper. Dump meatball mixture onto one half of the waxed paper and fold the other side over. Using the waxed paper to keep your hands clean, flatten out the meat mixture into a roughly rectangular slab approximately 1" thick. Then peel back the top waxed paper and with a long knife score the meat into equal 1 " grid portions for easy, uniform rolling.

Then roll each square by hand into a meat ball and set aside until all of your meat mixture is rolled.

In a heavy skillet spray with light non-stick spray and heat on medium. Add several meatballs at a time to the pan turning gently to brown on all sides, until no pink shows. Transfer browned meatballs to the greased casserole dish. Continue until all of the meatballs have been browned.

Then, in the same skillet, drain any excess grease, then add 1 small can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, and 1 can of milk. Heat through, then pour over top of meatballs. Cover casserole dish heavy aluminum foil, and bake for 30-40 min in preheated oven. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.


* My Grandma Mamie always added grated potato, and this recipe can be made gluten free by omitting the bread crumbs and using a large potato instead, as well as omitting the mushroom soup gravy.