Classic Potato Salad

This is my personal best and most favorite way to make potato salad.

We all have our own recipe for potato salad, but lately people have been getting too fancy with their picnic fare. Champagne vinegar with mint and chanterelles and a bit of foie gras on top.......no thank you.

Try not to use non fat mayonnaise (please), or any non fat products if you can help it. They are just not REAL foods. (except for nonfat milk products, such as yogurts, which do not need chemicals to make them taste good).

A tablespoon of mayo once a year, won't kill you.

There, I have spoken.

I make this once a year, on July 4th only.
Why? Because I love it so much, I could eat the entire bowl.
I hide it in the garage refrigerator, so as to forget it's there.

This is a recipe from my childhood. Plain and simple, old school.
Nothing fancy.

The only difference in my potato salad and Elayne's (that would be my mother), is the variety of potatoes used.



30 years ago, people stood and peeled tons of baking potatoes for potato salad.
I use the small red skinned potatoes with the skins left on. Makes life much easier.



Classic Potato Salad: THE BEST!

1 lb. of small red potatoes, with skins on
3 stalks of celery, sliced thin (I sometimes use carrots too)
1/2 white onion, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, mashed with a potato masher (in a separate bowl)
handful of fresh parsley, chopped

optional ingredients: 1 red or green pepper, chopped
handful of sliced green onions
fresh dill is another nice choice

Dressing:
3/4 cup of Hellman's REAL mayo (I should get paid by them for the amount of times I give them a plug!)
1-2 tbsp of Gulden's spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup of pickle relish
salt and pepper

I never measure, so add as much or as little or as much mayo, celery or egg as you like, but use this recipe as a guideline.

Boil your little potatoes in salted boiling water for about 22 minutes.

So I don't have to wash another pot, I time the potatoes so I can throw my eggs in the same pot with them and boil them for the last 13 minutes of cooking time!



So smart, aren't I?

If you have iron hands, such as I, you can quarter your potatoes while piping hot.
If you don't have iron hands that can touch scalding food, then wait until the potatoes are cool enough to handle.

Throw them in a big bowl with your chopped celery, onion and parsley.

Now mix the dressing right in the bowl, on top of the potato mixture.



Add salt and pepper to taste and mix gently.

You can make this 2 days ahead and it still tastes fantastic!
This is my favorite all American classic. I hope you try it!