Perfect Potato Salad

 

Perfect Potato Salad

Prep time: Give yourself an afternoon to get it made, it's not labor intensive, but it does take time for things to cook and then cool.
Cook time: 45-ish minutes

With summer just around the corner, for me that means grilling and eating fresh, cold, potato salad!  I can't have a hamburger without it!  If you like food with a lot of texture and bold flavor, this is the perfect side dish to any picnic, potluck, or summer meal!

*Potato Salad is fraught with food born issues if not handled properly.  Please make sure you keep things refrigerated!*

Ingredients:

8-9 medium red potato's
3 hard boiled eggs
Dill Pickles (I use 2 4inch pickles, you can use more or less depending on how chunky you want it.)
2-3 TBSP Pickle Juice
1/3 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Miracle Whip
1-2 TBSP Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
Pepper to taste.
Paprika and Chives or Parsley for garnish

Boil red potato's whole until soft (usually around 40 minutes.) drain and set aside to cool to almost room temperature or until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, boil 3 eggs, cool. 

Slice eggs through the middle, leaving 6-8 slices for garnish (cover and refrigerate these until later) Chop remaining eggs, pickles, and onion add to a bowl.  Add Mayo, MW, 1TBSP Vinegar, 2TBSP Pickle juice, salt and pepper.  Mix well. Add more pickle juice and/or vinegar until it becomes a smooth, thick dressing consistency.  It will be very salty- if it's not, add more salt.  (My mother says that if you taste it you should dry up and blow away from all the salt -Maybe not quite to that point, but you want a lot of salt because the potato's will balance it out.)  Refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, peel the skins off the potato's.  In a medium sized bowl (here comes the fun part!) Squish your potato's....Yes, grab them in your fist and squeeze...Kids love this!  This will give you parts that are mashed and parts that are still chunky.  If it needs to cool a little longer, let it, otherwise add your dressing and mix well.

Add the egg slices on top and sprinkle with paprika and chives. Steal a bite or two while it's fresh, then cover and promptly put it in the fridge so the flavors can blend and it can get cold.