Blogger Guilt and Down-Home Cooking

Up until last week, I did not have a full appreciation for the phenomenon known as blogger guilt. After all, I didn't have a blog until recently. My friends who had blogs (be they little blogs or big blogs) lamented their lack of free time and berated themselves for failing to blog with appropriate ardor and frequency. Their blogs had become afterthoughts in their busy lives, more of an identity than a hobby, something for which they don't have much heart anymore but from which they can't seem to untangle themselves.


Sounds a lot like my current romantic relationship, actually. :-)


Anyway, last week was busy at work and I was consumed by reading newly-discovered foodie blogs all over the internet, pursuing my blogger identity...and neglecting to post. Not that anyone is reading my blog. But for the two of you who might be reading it, my apologies.


So, now that I'm here and blogging, I should probably post something, yes? I was out at the Shore this weekend and put together two big tubs of potato salad. I like potato salad in the summer, especially when it can be made ahead and left overnight. The flavors meld and mature and it is lovely and creamy and delicious. I am also not a huge fan of mayo, so I try to minimize the mayo in my potato salad. Thus, two recipes (a double-whammy!) for potato salad below:

Traditional Dilly Potato Salad
8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half (skin on)
1 1/2 c. light sour cream
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. dill
salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt, for my taste)
1. In a medium stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes about 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the sour cream, mayo, vinegar, onions and dill.
3. When potatoes are cool to the touch, cut them into 1" chunks and toss them with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).

Southern-Style Potato Salad (pareve)

8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsn sweet relish (I use Heinz)
3 large eggs
3/4 c. light mayo (I use Hellmann's)
1 tbsn apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (same proportions as above).

1. In a medium stockpot, bring lightly salted water to a bowl. Gently drop in eggs (I lower them into the bottom of the pot with a ladle). Boil 4 minutes and remove (also with ladle). Set eggs aside to cool.
2. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook ~20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (less salt/pepper) together in a small bowl and set aside.
4. When eggs and potatoes are cool enough to handle (usually about 30 minutes), peel and quarter eggs. Add dressing to potatoes and toss to coat, then add eggs and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).

I ate the dilly potato salad with grilled salmon and served the southern-style potato salad with BBQ chicken. The southern-style salad matches well with other strong flavors. Both salads get more intense on the second (or third) day, so be warned when tweaking the recipe to taste.

Enjoy! Have a great 4th of July. :0)