Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

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Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Can you guys believe it’s already Memorial Day weekend? I am so thankful that summer is here! We spend a majority of our free time on the boat or at the beach in the summer months – a perk of be being sandwiched between the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. We also love to cook and enjoy meals outside when it’s warm, a tradition that the boys have loved. They’re always so excited to hear we’re going to have a “picnic dinner” in the backyard.

One dish that I find myself making again and again over the summer is this classic potato salad. It’s old school, but it’s the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Starchy potatoes, hard boiled egg, celery, and crunchy onions tossed in a dressing made of mayo, Dijon, and celery seed. Then, for my signature twist I like to add a bit of Old Bay on the top. Honestly, that’s actually my mom’s signature twist – this is her potato salad. And, her mom’s potato salad. But, I’ve adopted it as my own. The seafood seasoning mixture kicks plain old paprika to the curb!

Great to enjoy for a cookout, a potluck, a beach lunch, or a random picnic…anywhere, really. I love to enjoy leftovers for lunch as well. Try this one for your Memorial Day get together this year, and you won’t be sorry!

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

2.5 lbs (about 8 medium potatoes) starchy potatoes (like Russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and halved
8 eggs
1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup mayo (I’ve substituted half of this amount with Greek yogurt to great results)
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp celery seed
kosher salt
1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water. Add 1 Tbsp of kosher salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until potatoes are easily pierced with a pairing knife, about 20 minutes. Once tender, drain potatoes and let sit in colander until cool enough to handle and chop into 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside.

Hard boil the eggs by placing them in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain out the hot water and soak in cold until the eggs are cool enough to peel. Peel, chop, and set aside.

Make the dressing by combining the mayo, as well as the mustards, celery seed, and 1/2 tsp salt in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the cooked potatoes, eggs, onions, and celery. Gently toss to combine mixture evenly. Season to taste with salt.

Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with Old Bay.

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from my mom’s family recipe

 

Skillet Baked Ziti

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Skillet Baked Ziti

It’s been a pretty crazy past few days around here. Baby #3 (we’ve decided to call him Nathan from here on out!) ended up being a week overdue before he finally arrived late Thursday afternoon. He is a big boy, born at 9 lbs 11 ounces and a whopping 21 inches!

nathan

We didn’t home until Saturday night, and are using this week to really get into our new routines and the general “swing of things” with a new baby around. The boys are adjusting just fine, very interested and inquisitive about every detail of Nathan’s life. I feel so lucky to have all these boys to take care of!

Back to this pasta – a cheesy “baked” pasta that’s ready in just a few minutes and only uses one pan – is pretty much a gift sent from the Gods for the crazy nights we have coming up in our future. It was so darned good too, I found myself picking off pieces of pasta for “one more bite” before we packed the leftovers away!

The pasta sauce is easy to bring together, using pantry staples. It gets a heavy dose of flavor from the addition of pork sausage, and richness from the addition of a bit of heavy cream. And I’d imagine that any pasta shape would be fine – although I happen to be partial to the tubular pastas like ziti and penne for these kinds of applications. The pasta is cooked in the sauce on the stove, then when it’s al-dente it’s topped with a good amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese that gets melted and browned with a quick trip to the hot oven.

Served with a quick salad and a crunchy piece of garlic bread, it’s too good to be such a delicious and easy weeknight meal. Make this one soon, guys!

Skillet Baked Ziti

1 lb bulk hot sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 oz ziti
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 oz (about 1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until no longer pink, about 4 minutes, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the water and ziti and stir to combine. Cover, increase the heat to medium, and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and 3 Tbsp of the basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top, and transfer to the oven.

Bake until the cheese has melted and browned, and the sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of basil and serve.

Source: ATK’s Pasta Revolution, via Pink Parsley

Homemade Pretzel Buns

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Homemade Pretzel Buns

Pretzel buns are all the rage right now. Folks just love to make their burgers “twisted” but using a pretzel bun instead of a traditional sesame seed bun. I had yet to experience one, so a few weeks ago I set to making my own at home.

I’ve never made pretzels at home either, and I must admit I was worried about the whole boiling the dough in water process. But, it was actually really easy and my concerns were totally unfounded. After the initial quick-cook in the water bath, the buns are then finished off and baked in the oven to achieve a deep golden-brown color.

They have great pretzel flavor – chewy on on the outside, yet tender on the inside. We used half of them for our burgers that night, then I tucked the other half in the freezer to have on hand the next time we are throwing some burgers on the grill. It’s comforting to have something like this on hand in the freezer to make a quick-dinner extra special!

Homemade Pretzel Buns

1 3/4 cups warm water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 tsp instant yeast
1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
coarse sea salt, for topping

For the water bath:
2 quarts water
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup baking soda

Combine all ingredients for the dough (aside from the egg) in the bowl of a standing mixer. Using the paddle attachment, turn on the mixer and combine to form a shaggy dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until a smooth, cohesive dough is formed.

Allow the dough to rise in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for about 1 hour, until doubled. Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Prepare the water bath: Bring the water, salt, and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.

Drop 5 dough balls at a time into the water bath. Cook for 30 seconds, flip over, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Using a slotted spoon, return the buns to the baking sheet. Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut 1/2″-deep crosses into the center of each bun. Brush the top of the buns with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Bake the buns for 20 to 24 minutes, or until they’re a deep-dark brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.

Yield: 8 buns

Source: adapted from King Arthur Flour

Hawaiian Chicken & Coconut Rice

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Hawaiian Chicken & Coconut Rice

I’ve definitely been in a mood to grill the past few weeks, with all the warm weather we’ve been blessed with. This recipe was one I had bookmarked for a few months before I finally got around to giving it a try. It turned out absolutely delicious, so moist and flavorful!

It’s best when marinated overnight, but if you put it in before you went to work for the day – then grilled it when you got home, I think 8 hours would probably do a pretty good job as well. Some of my favorite ingredients go into the marinade – soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and pineapple juice meld together to create a perfect harmony of flavors for the chicken.

Then, there’s the coconut rice…which, couldn’t be easier. You’re basic recipe for rice, but you substitute 1 cup of coconut milk for 1 cup of the water. The coconut flavor isn’t overwhelming, but just enough to really set off the tropical flavors in the chicken.

We all really loved this one. I went ahead and grilled more chicken than we needed for dinner that night, as I knew the leftovers would be absolutely divine in some chicken salad. Which, they were. Instead of my usual dried cranberries I added a little bit of fresh diced pineapple for a Hawaiian spin. So delish, and perfect for summer!

Hawaiian Chicken & Coconut Rice

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 lbs of boneless thighs)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp of sesame oil

For the coconut rice:
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup long grain white rice
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cup water

Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, water, brown sugar, scallions, garlic, and sesame oil in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal. Squish around to coat the chicken in the marinade well. Place in the refrigerator and marinade for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill for about 5-7 minutes per-side, watching to make sure chicken doesn’t get too charred. If you do not have a grill you can use a indoor grill pan.

To prepare the rice, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice, and cook for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Carefully pour in the coconut milk and water, stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir once more and re-cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 18 minutes. Remove lid and fluff rice with fork.

Serve the chicken on a bed of the coconut rice. Garnish with additional scallions if desired.

Source: adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything