Potatoes fill out the meal plan . . .

We all have favorite recipes for the potato. Just in case you need an inspirational nudge, begin with the following and follow your inclinations. Who knows, one of the following might work into your Thanksgiving Holiday dinner.

Potato Wedges are simply that! Scrub, peel and cut into lengthwise wedges, four or five russet potatoes. Wedge them between the pieces of chicken in the baking pan and brush with  olive oil.  Don't forget to salt and pepper.

Whipped Potatoes are easy. Once you make your own, you will never want to use boxed ones again! Scrub, peel and dice four to six baking potatoes. Simmer in a pot of water until the potatoes are just tender. Drain (save the potato water for your next bread baking!), place in mixing bowl with ½ cup hot milk, three tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste. Beat until light and fluffy. Scrape into a microwave bowl, cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve. The potatoes heat up beautifully in the microwave at high for five to eight minutes.

Potato Salad comes in every taste, shape and type. My favorite way is to scrub, peel and dice six to eight white rose potatoes, depending on the size. Simmer until just done, drain and place in bowl for mixing. Splash with a quarter cup of cider vinegar. Toss in a packet of dry Italian salad mix, mayonnaise, brown mustard, sweet relish and chopped, hard-boiled eggs. This is just a basis. Taste and adjust to your family's likes. You can have a picnic at your kitchen table when  Barbequed Chicken and potato salad make their appearance.

Potato Salad - summer holiday fare .. .

Planning on making a batch of potato salad today and thought I'd share my recipe with you. I know every family has their favorite. I also know that my own recipe has evolved, over the years, as other people shared their secrets with me and I found them unique and very usable in my own.

Barbara's Potato Salad

Peeled and cubed potatoes, raw

I like to do the peeling and cubing ahead of time to save time. I used to watch my mother pay 'hot potato' with her own version of the salad as she tried to pull the peel of a just boiled potato. Anyway, boil the cubes of potato in heavily salted (1-2 tablespoons salt) water until just done. Drain and let rest while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

This is for a relatively medium batch so adjust to your needs.

1 cup mayo (I like the olive oil version)
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tablespoons regular yellow mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
Sweet or dill pickle relish or a combination of both
1 small can of already sliced, black olives (use green ones if you like)
2 teaspoons hot, powdered mustard
2-3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped (optional)

Place your still-warm potatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of cider vinegar (or regular vinegar if that's all you have on hand)  Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing gently so you don't smash up your potatoes too much. Do a taste test and see what else you might want/need. Refrigerate until needed/cold.

I like to use the small potatoes but have gotten excellent using the Russet or baking potatoes, too. Just have to be more careful in not over cooking the baking potatoes. My husband actually prefers the softer, Russet potatoes for his salad.

Other additions:

Finely chopped, red onion
Chives
Crumbled, cooked bacon
Drained can of tuna if you want a more hearty side dish
Canned chilis for a spicy version
Diced ham, again, for a substantial offering
Braised cloves of garlic, pureed and added with the mayo dressing
An addition of Ranch or Thousand Island dressing
Fresh, diced tomatoes, use Roma tomatoes as they don't release as much liquid into your dish
A tablespoon or two of Feta cheese