Jane's Addicted.: Other things that make me happy (besides quilting...)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Other things that make me happy (besides quilting...)

Jane's Addicted... to Potato Salad...

Sara's Famous Super-Veggie Healthy-Dressing Baked Potato Salad

Allow about 3 hours...

Ingredients:

2 eggs

head garlic

sweet onion

8-12 potatoes

fresh vegetables (bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, celery, swiss chard)

dill pickles

fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, dill)

balsamic vinegar

salt, pepper, spices

olive oil

nonfat greek yogurt

lowfat mayonnaise

nonfat sour cream

Preheat oven to 350/400.

Part I:

1. Prep onion and garlic. Place a clean, whole onion in foil along with a head of garlic. Drizzle a t. of olive oil and seal up foil. Cook for about 1 hour. Might need to check the garlic after 45. When done cooking, set aside til cool. Slice onion when cool and set aside. Add to mixed, raw veggies when they're ready.

2. Prep potatoes. Scrub clean & dry... Drizzle with 2-3 t. olive oil and then salt with 2t. mixed salts. Sprinkle with pepper. Rub the oil and salts into the potato skins til thoroughly coated. Pop in oven.Cook for about 45 minutes. When potatoes are done cooking, allow to cool to touch, then slice vertically to fully cool. When fully cool, dice into 1/2" to 1" chunks, leaving skin on and removing any bad pieces. Place in large bowl and refrigerate while prepping the remaining ingredients.

3. Hard boil the eggs. The method I use is to put cold eggs in cold water, bring to boiling. When water starts to boil, turn off heat and let sit in the hot water for about 15 mins. When you take the eggs out of the water, put in icebath. When cool, peel and set aside.

Part II: The Big Chop.
While all the above cooking is taking place, start prepping the veggies & dressing.

4. Dice and slice a variety of vegetables. I use about 1/2c each of:

- celery (sliced very thinly)

- zucchini

- carrots

- red, yellow, orange, green peppers

- raw onion/purple onion

- swiss chard (leaves and stems)

As each vegetable is prepared, throw it in a bowl in the fridge to keep cool. The only veg I would say is important for taste is the celery, but several cups of crisp vegetables (especially in a variety of colors) makes this potato salad what it is... Chop up a few pickles and that roasted onion up there and add to the fresh veggie mixture.

5. Fresh herbs. I use about 1T each of thyme, sage and rosemary, and about 2T of fresh dill. You could add others but this is what I typically use. Chop and set aside.

6. Dressing. Mix 1/2c. nonfat greek yogurt, 1/2c. lowfat Hellman's mayonnaise, and 1/3 c. lowfat or nonfat sour cream. Squeeze the pulp from 1/2 the head of roasted garlic and mix with the dressing. Use one yolk from one of the hardboiled eggs and smoosh with 1T. balsamic vinegar and 1t. olive oil, then mix this into the dressing mix. Refrigerate.

Part III: Assembly

7. When all ingredients are prepared, divide the potatoes by thirds to facilitate mixing... Layer ingredients - 1/3 potatoes, covered by 1/3 of the veggies, 1/3 of the herbs, 1/3 of the dressing. Gently mix with a spatula. Repeat with the next 1/3, then with the last third. Gently turn the whole mixture a couple times and then refrigerate.

8. Chill for at least one hour. Garnish with some fresh herb sprigs. Variations: added bleu cheese and crisp bacon pieces... or spicy mustard and added mustard seeds...