My mother's Perfect Potato Salad

ay 4, 2005
Mother's Perfect Potato Salad
Ingredients:

6 to 8 large, whole unpeeled potatoes, well-scrubbed

4 to 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1 large onion, peeled and diced
chopped dill pickle or sweet pickle relish, to taste (usually 1 medium or 1 large dill pickle)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
2 dill pickles, chopped fine, or 1/4 to 1/2 C sweet pickle relish
1 psckage fresh mushrooms, cleaned,sliced and lightly sauteed in butter
1 large jar pimiento, drained
1 can pitted black olives, drained and sliced

Mustard and Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Optional:6 to 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
and cubed ham or diced cooked skinless chicken

salt, pepper (paprika if desired)

Instructions:

Place the scrubbed potatoes in a large dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender over medium heat. Drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool until they can be easily handled. Remove the skin from the potatoes with your fingers or by using a clean towel to rub the skin away. Cut into bite size chunks, and place in a large bowl that has a tight-fitting cover. Add the eggs and chopped vegetables, and stir to combine. Add the ham or chicken, if desired. Combine, in a smaller bowl, the mustard and Miracle Whip, using more mustard if a tart flavor is preferred, or more Miracle Whip for a less tart flavor. Use enough of the dressing to thoroughly moisten the potato mixture. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Cover tightly; chill at least one hour before serving. Store unused portion tightly covered and use within 2 or 3 days.

Note: This recipe makes a huge bowl of potato salad, so adjust the quantities of ingredients used if making this for a small number of people.

History:

This recipe is one that my mother makes to perfection for family get togethers. I've tinkered with it by adding the celery, mushrooms, black olives, bell pepper and the chicken or ham. When my son was young, he wouldn't eat vegetables unless they were in this potato salad. One day he asked if I "HAD" to include all those vegetables in the salad. I replied, "no, I don't have to include them, if you don't want it to taste right." He never complained about the vegetables again.