Tag: Potatoes (Page 3 of 5)

German Potato Salad

May 22, 2015 / Jenny / 24 Comments

I have been wanting to share this recipe for quite some time. I love this classic potato salad, and a couple of friends and relatives have asked me for this recipe, since they have enjoyed it at picnics. So here it is! It is a recipe I found years ago in my Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book, 10th Edition (June 1, 1989) Ring-bound, and reminds me of the potato salad my German/Swiss grandmother used to make when I was a child. My husband, not a fan of the mayonnaise and egg type of potato salad, loves it too. Since I lean toward the vegetarian end of things, I have tried making this salad without the bacon, and cooking the onions in olive oil. But it just doesn’t taste the same. So I find the highest quality of bacon I can find. It’s not imperative to crumble the bacon and add it to the salad, but it seems important (at least to me) to cook the onions in the bacon drippings. I have also tried making it without celery seed, since one time I didn’t have celery seed, and that also didn’t taste as good. So I would not leave those two ingredients out unless you really need to. As with everything involving vegetables, the better the potatoes, the better this salad will taste as well. I am excited that new potatoes will be appearing soon at the farm stands around here.

We are just kicking off picnic season with Memorial Day weekend upon us, so I thought this would be a fitting time to share this delicious recipe. I like this potato salad because it is very portable. It tastes good warm, cold, or at room temperature. I am sure we will be taking it with us this weekend to my daughter’s soccer tournament. I don’t know why, but food often tastes better when eaten outside. Maybe because it’s novel and exciting after a long winter, or maybe the fresh air whips up our appetite. We have our screened in porch cleaned up and ready to use, and I am looking forward to eating out there as much as possible, in addition to lots of picnics! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! With it being Friday, I am going to take this recipe over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Cooking with Aunt Juju and The Chunky Chef.

German Potato Salad

Servings: 4
Time: approximately 30 minutes
Print

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes (or six smallish ones, about 1 and 1/4 pounds)
4 slices of bacon
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
fresh chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions: Cook the potatoes in a covered saucepan of boiling, salted water for about 20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool. (I do not peel my potatoes, because I like the skins. Peel them if you want to, but it is not necessary). When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into cubes or slices. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the 4 slices of bacon until it is crisp. Remove the bacon and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon when it is cool. Add the chopped onions to the bacon drippings in the skillet. (There should be about 2 tablespoons-worth. If there is more than that, drain it out till there’s about 2 tablespoons). Saute the onions over medium heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the sugar, flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Then stir in the water and vinegar. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the potatoes and bacon. Garnish with chives and/or parsley if desired. Enjoy with your chosen main course!

This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Tenth Ring Bound Edition.

Green Infusion Soup with Potatoes and Miso

February 6, 2015 / Dragonfly Home Recipes / 9 Comments

I was at the grocery store several times this week, and I noticed something: I kept gravitating toward green things–deep, dark green spinach, Swiss chard and kale, crunchy celery, bright, leafy parsley, even pistachios. I took this as a sign that my body is craving the many nutrients found in green foods. Though I love green smoothies, I was also craving something warm and cozy. In the last week, we have gotten at least 18 inches of snow and endured very cold temperatures, so soup sounded comforting. I have always loved putting leafy greens in soups, but yesterday, I decided to focus most of the soup on green foods. I also had some miso paste in the refrigerator that has been calling out to be used, so I decided to create a soup with the green vegetables and the miso paste, and add some potatoes to make the soup more filling, therefore hopefully satisfying my eaters who have hearty appetites. Miso is made from fermented soybeans (and in the paste I have, it also contains brown rice), and is often used in Japanese cooking. I love the tangy, rich flavor of miso, in addition to all the health benefits. Miso is full of minerals, protein, and antioxidants, and because it is a fermented food, it also has probiotics, which are good for our digestion. I probably don’t need to go into the health benefits of green foods–we all know they are loaded with nutrients. If you are not a big potato fan, you could also substitute soba or some other kind of thin noodle for the potatoes and sill reap the benefits of this tasty and nutrient-infusing soup. I am going to bring a bowl of this healthy and delicious stuff to Angie’s Fiesta Friday potluck at the Novice Gardener, hosted by Sonal from Simply Vegetarian 777 and Josette from The Brook Cook. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Green Infusion Soup with Potatoes and Miso

Servings: 4-6
Time: about 15 minutes preparation, about 25 minutes cooking time
Print

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into small cubes
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
6 cups of vegetable broth
2 teaspoons of chives, finely chopped
3 cups of dark, leafy greens (spinach, Swiss chard, and/or kale)
4-5 tablespoons dark miso paste
about 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (more if desired)
about 1/3 cup shelled pistachios (optional)

Directions:

Wash and chop the potatoes, celery, chives, and parsley. In a large pot, bring the 6 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Gently tip in the potatoes and celery. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer the potatoes and celery for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender. Add the chives. Gradually add the miso paste, one tablespoon at a time, stirring to dissolve the paste in the broth after each addition. Go by your own tastes–you may want more or less miso, but 4-5 tablespoons is a good estimate. Then add the greens, cooking until they just begin to wilt. After you add the miso and greens, do not bring the soup back to a boil; just gently heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, and add the parsley and optional pistachios to garnish. Enjoy!

Golden Potato Soup with Cabbage and Butternut Squash

December 12, 2014 / Dragonfly Home Recipes / 17 Comments

I guess I am in a bit of a soup mode right now. What better way to cut the damp chill in the air than to make a pot of hot, steaming, vegetable-filled soup. What better way to soothe a sore throat and nourish a loved one back to health. A couple of us in my house had some kind of a mild illness last week, and homemade soups served us very well. Even without a sore throat, my husband has benefited from the warmth and vitality of the vegetables. At the risk of posting too many soups in a row (my daughter, who isn’t really a soup fan, warned me of this–I think she just wants me to make a dessert), I am sharing a delightful variation of the soup I posted a few days ago. This particular soup has no meat, and it has a smooth, buttery taste, though it also has no butter. The butternut squash gives it just the right creaminess. This soup is chock-full of nutrients with the potatoes, cabbage,onions, and squash. I added some Parmesan cheese to my bowl when I served it, and that gave it an extra amount of richness. Aside from chopping some vegetables, this soup takes almost no effort to make, and can be done all in one pot. You can serve it with some crusty bread, crackers and cheese, a green salad, or sandwiches. Or you can simply sip it on its own for a little comfort and revival of your energy. I’m going to take a couple of bowls over to the the Fiesta Friday link-up party at Angie’s blog, the novice gardener, where there are lots of other delicious dishes to check out!

Golden Potato Soup with Cabbage and Butternut Squash

Servings: 4-6
Time: about 15 minutes to prepare, about 20-30 minutes to cook
Print

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
4 cups potatoes, diced
6 cups chicken broth–I love Better than Bouillon chicken base because it gives soups a rich texture (if you wish, you can use vegetable broth)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup milk
dried or fresh dill for garnish
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Wash and chop the onion, cabbage, and potatoes. Wash, peel, and chop the butternut squash. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and the cabbage for about 5-7 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the potatoes and squash. Then add the broth, a teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring the broth just to a boil, and then lower the heat to simmer (medium-low). Simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes and squash are tender. Add the milk and more salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Top with a teaspoon or so of dill, if desired. When serving the soup, add some Parmesan cheese to the bowls, if you wish. Serve with bread, cheese and crackers, a green salad, or sandwiches. Enjoy!