I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam......

Hot german potato salad
 

I finally was given the recipe for my old friend's Hot German Potato Salad. It was always "warm". She didn't have a microwave so re heated it in the oven.

Simple but wonderful.........nice change from mayo...


Ingredients:
4 bacon strips, diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Dash pepper
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes,
cooked, peeled, halved and sliced. Not chunks or wedges. Slices.


Directions:
1.In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels.

In the drippings, saute the onion until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in water, vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

2.Stir in the potatoes,and reserved bacon. Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish.

To warm:
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Can be doubled or quadrupled for a crowd.


Nice served with bratwurst, kraut, rye bread....or what have you.

Our friend passed in 1999 and with her, a generation of honest down to earth cooking and recipes....the old fashioned homestyle way. From scratch.

She hosted dozens upon dozens of us "young at the time" parents with babies and school aged children who were always welcomed into her tiny kitchen filled with love. Her non healthy spinach dips in carved out bread bowls, along with her healthy hummus and eggplant spread.....I guess all in moderation, even then......she and her husband loved entertaining the neighborhood of younger couples with kids.

She was the neighbor who would knit ski caps for all the little ones and pass them out.......she'd make us all "toilet paper" covers when she'd crochet......did we ever use them....??? Nope. But, the typical loving "grandma" German lady who loved children and loved to cook for their parents.

Her funeral was jam packed with folks from the neighborhood to support her husband, who continued to make home made soups for all the neighborhood.....living another 15 years into his '90s.

I still recall her calling me to ask "what to do" after her hubby had suffered a mild heart attack and was balking at the "heart healthy" no eggs etc. diet the cardiologist had put him on......

I gave her my cannelini bean (white beans) pasta recipe.....sauteed onions, garlic, basil , cannelini beans tossed with hot pasta.

She made that regularly for him and they all loved it. He outlived everyone....while she worried constantly about his health and having to take the skin off his chicken, etc...........

Now eggs are back on everyone's diet plan.

With his wife out of the picture, he remembered the doc saying he should eat lots of fish in place of red meat..........so he began going to a local fish fry with his stepson.

Again, he appeared to be in robust health breaking all the rules and did outlive all his peers.......passing in his mid 90's. Most of all we miss his wonderful sense of humor and young at heart personality (which is why he lived so long........not by his diet alone). He also was a diabetic.

We miss all the oldtimers...........and now we are their replacements.

I sauté a bag of fresh spinach in a tablespoon of butter, over medium heat; add salt and pepper to taste, garlic if you want as well for about five minutes. You want it wilted not overlooked. I have not purchased a can of spinach since I started doing this, it tastes so much better.

spanakopita is the best thing ever. So much tastier than lasagna!