German potato salad is traditionally served hot -- perfect for the fall potluck. It usually has a hot vinegar dressing flavored with herbs and spices -- like this classic recipe served at a potluck luncheon at our house recently. Time tested and stamped approved!!! Start with boiled potatoes. The peel will slip off the boiled potatoes easily. You can rub off the peel by using a clean dish towel. Hold the potato with the towel in one hand and rub off the peeling with the other -- somewhat similar to drying a cup. Or hold the potato on a cutting board with a fork and gently tease off the peel with the tip of a knife. Stir the cooked potatoes into the dressing gently to avoid breaking them. I would also tip the skillet to make the dressing run to one side and spoon it over the ... [Read More]
Vegetables
Layered Taco Salad
This layered salad with a Mexican twist makes six servings of about 1 cups each. A glass 8x8 pan is the perfect size. I have a vintage covered refrigerator dish that works great! Use any sturdy lettuce or lettuce mix as the base – iceberg, romaine,etc. A 12 ounce package seems to be the norm, but a 16 ounce package will also work with the proportions above. Feel free to up the amount of taco seasoning for more kick. 1 teaspoon is very mild, 2 teaspoons is medium and 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) makes the flavor pop! Wait till the last minute to add the tortilla chips so they stay crunchy. Wheels and Bytes like to have extra chips to moosh on their plates as a foundation to top with the salad. Avacado is optional, but if you choose to use it, add it at the last minute as well so it ... [Read More]
Basic Creamed Peas
Creamed peas are good on their own but they are also very versatile. You can dress them up with onions, mushrooms or small new potatoes. Creamed peas are one of those traditional family dishes that are rarely given a thought. Some families add to the basic sauce. Things like a spoonful of sugar -- or a dash of nutmeg, a bit of crushed garlic, a couple slices of crumbled bacon, some cheese. Just one or two from the list to lift the dish from bland to memorable. My own preference is butter --- LOTS of it! Creamed peas served over mashed potatoes are a traditional accompaniment to salmon patties – along with sweet coleslaw. The sauce is a basic white sauce. Not only does it make a great sauce for creamed peas, but making a good white sauce is a basic and versatile cooking ... [Read More]
Bacon Ranch Garden Patch Salad
We love a main dish salad for dinner in the summer. Bacon Ranch Garden Salad has it all – meat, pasta, veggies and bacon! It’s perfect for a summer day – make ahead in the morning when the kitchen is cool and it’s ready to serve on the shady deck for the evening meal! Use your favorite pasta, mini or regular. Hidden Valley has a bacon ranch dressing with their signature creamy ranch flavor, Kraft’s version is more zippy with a hint of vinegar in the base. Add bacon cooked crisp and crumbled or packaged real bacon crumbles to up the bacon flavor. To make Bacon Garden Ranch Pasta salad even quicker and easier, I buy the packaged fresh broccoli that has already been trimmed and cut into pieces. They are usually the same price at my store as the heads of broccoli with less work and ... [Read More]
Ten Things Good Cooks Know about Fruits and Vegetables
The Frugal Girls-- How to Keep Strawberries Fresh DIY and Crafts -- How to peel a head of garlic in 5 seconds The Creekline House -- the One Tear-Free Onion Cutting Trick that Actually Works Recipe Tips -- All About Apples The Kitchn -- How to cut a cauliflower Kidspot.com -- How to Cook Vegetables (printable) Fifteen Spatulas -- How to Pick a Superstar Watermelon BuzzFeed Food -- Yes, it matters what kind of onion you use B O N U S T I P :=) A Pinch of Joy -- How to Steam Corn in your microwave I’m so glad you stopped by today! Be sure to follow A Pinch of Joy so you don’t miss a thing! I’d love to have your company on this venture!! Subscribe: email on the sidebar or follow on Facebook / RSS feed / bloglovin’ / ... [Read More]
Grow Potatoes in a Container
St. Patrick's Day is the time to plant potatoes in much of the Midwest. They will withstand the less severe frost of early spring -- at least the usually less severe frost. This year -- hard to predict :-) My dad loved to garden and I remember his excitement at getting ready to plant potatoes because that meant spring was here. Barring rain or blizzard -- potatoes were in the ground in the middle of March as close to St. Patrick's Day as possible. Eventually the neighbor, also an avid gardener, came up with a great labor saving method he'd heard about. Save a spot in the big compost pile and just shove the potato eyes in the crumbly mix of organic material --near St. Patrick's Day -- and wait. I was reminded of this when pins began proliferating on Pinterest claiming that you ... [Read More]