Potato Salad

If you are using Russets and not Yukon Gold potatoes, peel them first, then cut them into 1-inch pieces for cooking. The bacon is entirely optional, feel free to skip it, or experiment with other ingredients. My dad likes adding minced carrots and chopped hard boiled egg to his potato salad.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes (you can leave the peel on if you want), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons of mustard 
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 dill pickles, chopped into 1/4 in cubes (about 3/4 cup)
• Coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper

METHOD

1 In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. (If you want, add some pickle juice to the drained, still slightly warm potatoes. The potatoes will absorb some of the juices, making them even tastier!)

2 In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard. Add a little salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and use a rubber spatula to gently combine. Add the rest of the ingredients, again gently combining. (Include a couple tablespoons of the pickle juice for good measure.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

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Spicy Crockpot Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Makes about 6 servings, Recipe created by Kalyn using this spice mix for sweet potatoes from Epicurious.com.

3 lb. orange-fleshed sweet potatoes/yams

2 T olive oil non-stick spray for crockpot 

2 tsp. sweet potato spice mix (see below) 

fresh ground black pepper to taste 

sea salt to taste 

Sweet Potato Spice Mix 

2 T ground coriander 

1 T ground fennel 

1 T dried oregano 

1 t cayenne pepper

 2 T kosher salt

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into pieces about 1 inch square. Put sweet potatoes into plastic Ziploc bag, add 2 T olive oil and 2 tsp. spice mix, seal bag and squeeze potatoes around until they're all coated with oil and spice mix is well-distributed.


Spray inside of Crockpot slow cooker with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I used a 3.5 quart crock pot for this recipe.) Put sweet potatoes in crockpot and cook on high, stirring a couple of times so they don't stick or get too browned on the bottom.


Sweet potatoes are done when they're completely softened and fragrant, about 3 hours. Mash slightly if desired, and season to taste with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt. Serve hot.


Make Ahead Tips: Sweet potatoes can be cut and mixed with olive oil and seasoning earlier in the day. Cooked sweet potatoes could be kept in the crockpot on low or warm for a few hours if needed.

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Light Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 large potatoes
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 4 green onions, chopped (some reserved for garnish)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups evaporated skim milk
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 
  

Directions: Combine all ingredients in crock of slow cooker except cheese. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove lid and mash potatoes with a potato masher, stir in cheese, replace lid and cook an additional five minutes, or until cheese is melted through. Pour into bowls and garnish with additional green onions. Serves 6.

Tips: Make your potato soup zesty by adding a few hits from your favorite bottle of hot sauce. Customize your soup without adding too many calories or fat grams by adding healthful mix-ins: crumbled vegetarian bacon, fresh corn, roasted red peppers, or diced japaneno are all welcome additions.

You can use regular skim milk, but evaporated skim has a creamier texture.

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