I'd like to make potato salad tonight. I've never made it, mainly because I've only ever like the potato salad my mom made, and I haven't been able to find a recipe that sounds anything like what she made.

No, I don't have her recipe. I do know how to cook the potatoes, I do know I need mayo, and mustard. But the rest, I'm lost.

Does anyone have a great potato salad recipe (no onions) that they'd be willing to share?

My mom's was very creamy, very flavorful, and she always hard boiled eggs and sliced them on top. My mom was German, if that helps. I know she got the recipe from her mom, and so on.

Anyone? I'd love to make potato salad tonight. :)

This is a good one:

Grilled Mustard Potato Salad Recipe - Allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Mustard-Potato-Salad/Detail.aspx)

LOL! Leave it to a man to find a potato salad that you make on the bbq. ;)

Thanks Cats. :)

Did she use mayo or Miracle Whip? My mom is German and swears by the latter for her potato salad. I'll dig out her recipe and post it.

*ADDED after calling my mom.

Cold Potato Salad

6-8 (or more, if small) potatoes (she uses Idaho or Yukon Gold)
2 boiled eggs (sliced)
Small amount of prepared mustard
Finely chopped celery
Sweet gherkin pickles (grated) + 1 tbsp. pickle juice, to taste
1 sweet onion (grated), to taste -- omit this
One cup or more of Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper

Peel and rinse the potatoes, slice or dice (my mom sliced), and boil them until they are fairly tender. Pour off the hot water, let cool for a short time, and add the mustard, celery, pickles and juice, and salt/pepper. (Proportions are all according to your family's taste.)

Add a cup of Miracle Whip. Stir gently so as not to mash the potatoes. Add sliced eggs and a dash of paprika on top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Did she use mayo or Miracle Whip? My mom is German and swears by the latter for her potato salad. I'll dig out her recipe and post it.

Eek! Truth told, I'm really not sure WG. I always thought it was mayo, but it very well could have been miracle whip. Sadly I'm only going by what I remember it tasting like, and I'm not very good at differentiating between those two.

I'd really appreciate the recipe. :)

LOL! Leave it to a man to find a potato salad that you make on the bbq. ;)

Thanks Cats. :)

Ovens are for bread. EVERYTHING else needs smokin'.

Ovens are for bread. EVERYTHING else needs smokin'.

LOL! Typical man.

Sadly, when it comes to potato salad, I'm picky. It's moms, or Oma's (both deceased) or it's crap. Actually, my Oma's potato salad was even better than my moms, and you can't tell my mom that so there's no way for me to get in trouble for saying it.

Creamy, yummy, seasoned, and just so good.

Damnit! My mouth is watering. :(

I'd really appreciate the recipe. :)
I added it to my previous post. She said you need to taste as you go and add a little bit rather than a lot of something, then you can always add more. She said to tell you she feels MW gives potato salad a better taste and texture, but again, it's your call.

I added it to my previous post. She said you need to taste as you go and add a little bit rather than a lot of something, then you can always add more. She said to tell you she feels MW gives potato salad a better taste and texture, but again, it's your call.

I actually talked to hubby and told him about this thread, and he said "I remember your mom always had miracle whip, but never had mayo, so she probably used miracle whip". He's running to the store now to get some, because I never use it. :)

Thanks WG. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm giddy about it.

Do you know how to make spinach too? Not a salad. My mom ground up the spinach, added stuff, and made it into a hot runny porridge consistency. I have all her cook books, all her recipes, but can't find it anywhere. I haven't had her spinach for over 11 years now, and it was my all time favorite meal, the meal I'd ask for on birthdays and special occasions. She always served it with sunny side eggs and boiled potatoes. I'd make you a keybox, or any wooden thing you want if you could find that recipe.

Was there bacon in the spinach?

My Goltermann grandmother made the spinach dish. This is very close to her recipe (plus has photos!) --

German-Style Simmered Spinach | The Domestic Man (http://thedomesticman.com/2013/03/26/german-style-simmered-spinach/)

Was there bacon in the spinach?

No bacon. Spinach, some seasoning, but nothing else major. It was a tiny bit thinner than porridge consistency, you didn't need a bowl, just a plate, to eat it, it was thick enough to stay on the plate. I know she used a grinder that had a wheel, and she had to physically turn the crank and push the spinach through to grind it. There were no big pieces of spinach in it, all ground very fine.

I'm so bad at describing things.

My Goltermann grandmother made the spinach dish. This is very close to her recipe (plus has photos!) --

German-Style Simmered Spinach | The Domestic Man (http://thedomesticman.com/2013/03/26/german-style-simmered-spinach/)

Sadly that's not it. My moms was like a green porridge. You couldn't see spinach leaves in it at all. The spinach was ground very very fine.

Was the grinder attached to the edge of her countertop when she used it?


433944339543396

But does the bacon sound right? And the cream?

How about this one? http://whatscookingamerica.net/GermanCreamedSpinach.htm

But does the bacon sound right? and the cream?

How about this one? German Creamed Spinach, How To Make German Creamed Spinach, Creamed Spinach Recipe, Spinach Recipes (http://whatscookingamerica.net/GermanCreamedSpinach.htm)

That's a bit closer, but it was even finer than that. I really wish I could find a picture, but I looked and couldn't find anything.

I know there wasn't any bacon, the rest, I'm not sure. :(

That's a bit closer, but it was even finer than that. I really wish I could find a picture, but I looked and couldn't find anything.

I know there wasn't any bacon, the rest, I'm not sure. :(
She probably cooked the spinach, ground it fine (easy enough to do), added whatever (probably a white sauce) and maybe some ginger or other spices. It sounds easy enough to experiment with.

She probably cooked the spinach, ground it fine (easy enough to do), added whatever (probably a white sauce) and maybe some ginger or other spices. It sounds easy enough to experiment with.

I think I'll give it a try. The only reason I haven't is that I'd be the only one in the house to eat it. Rod came over for spinach at my parents house once, and wasn't a fan. I know the kids wouldn't eat it, because it's green, and mushy, so of course it has to taste bad (kid mentality). It's a lot of work (or so my mom always said) for just one person. :(

Are you sure it didn't have bacon in it? Bacon is a favorite addition to many German dishes. Plus, that would make sense if she served it with eggs and potatoes.

Are you sure it didn't have bacon in it? Bacon is a favorite addition to many German dishes. Plus, that would make sense if she served it with eggs and potatoes.

The only thing I'm very sure of is the bacon. There was no bacon at all. I know my Oma made it, and my dad hated it. It wasn't until my dad married my mom and had her spinach, that he actually liked it. My Oma was insulted.

I had my Oma's spinach once, after my parents died, and it was horrible. Looked the same, but the taste was not even close. My Oma said that the only thing she added to hers, that my mom didn't was flour.

Maybe I should ask my Aunt's in Germany. Surely one of them must know how to make it. Why I didn't think of that until now, I don't know. :(

Depending on how tangy you want it go with the mayo if you don't want tangy Miracle whip for tangy or you can use mayo and add a little vinegar or mix mayo and miracle whip to the taste you want.

Real German potato salad to my mind is dressed with oil and a little vinegar.
I have on rare occasions made it with really good olive oil dribbled on the potatoes when they are warm, and then not too much mayo. Extra extra rich melt in your mouth.

Oh I saw that she wanted potato salad. Didn't see that it was German. Noticed others were talking about mayo vs miracle whip.

Real German potato salad to my mind is dressed with oil and a little vinegar.
I have on rare occasions made it with really good olive oil dribbled on the potatoes when they are warm, and then not too much mayo. Extra extra rich melt in your mouth.

Do you have a recipe?

I still haven't found anything that comes close to my moms. I miss it, it was so very good.

I wish I had a written recipe. My mom makes really good potato salad and I just learned from her taking a few shortcuts because I like easy. I use
A bag of red potatoes (peel them or not)
6 eggs (4 through the eggs slicer twice. 2 sliced for the top)
A tiny jar of pimentos drained on a paper towel until they stop bleeding through
A green pepper same as the pimentos
Mayo hellmans it does make a difference
Salt and pepper to taste


My mom makes german potato salad too but I think she serves it warm

I wish i had a written recipe. My mom makes really good potato salad and i just learned from her taking a few shortcuts because i like easy. I use
A bag of red potatos (peel them or not)
6 eggs (4 through the eggs slicer twice. 2 sliced for the top)
A tiny jar of pimentos drained on a paper towel until they stop bleeding through
A green pepper same as the pimentos
Mayo hellmans it does make a difference
Salt and pepper to taste


My mom makes german potato salad too but i think she serves it warm

Thank you. I'll give it a try.

Sadly, I can't even tell you what's in my moms old recipe. I'm guessing that it's German, because she was, and so were her parents, her grandparents, etc. etc, and it was a recipe passed down generation to generation, until me. She died before I learned how to make it. :(

It was creamy, but not as creamy as the potato salad I've bought premade at the store. I know it didn't have onions. It may have had celery in it. I know there was vinegar, and I'm fairly sure she used mayo, and mustard. She always hard boiled eggs and put them on top.

One thing I've learned since I started this thread, a families potato salad recipe, is unique to each family. There are literally millions of different recipes for potato salad. Finding the specific one I'm looking for, may be impossible unless I find something in one of her many recipe books (she liked to put her own recipes on paper and stick them in actual recipe books).

I could ask my Aunts, her sisters, but I do remember when I got married, and we had company from Germany (two Aunts, two Uncles). My mom made her potato salad, we went to the hairdresser to get our hair done, and when we came back my Aunt was in the kitchen adding things to my moms potato salad. One of those things was onions. My mom was livid. So was I. Who wants to eat onions right before you get married? I had to kiss a lot of people that day, and having onion breath was not an option. ;)

So, even within the family, the recipe has changed. In other words, my mom may have been the only one that actually knew how to make her potato salad. I really wish I had paid more attention as a child, but who knew I'd lose her before she could pass down all her recipes?

I'm also looking for her spinach recipe, and that one is even more difficult that the potato salad. :(

My sister doesn't like mustard so there isn't any in this potato salad. Same with pickles and relish. Those are also common ingredients in potato salad. Maybe there was originally. It has just been this way for as long as I've been paying attention. A lot like deviled eggs with potatoes mixed in.

Ask your aunts for the recipe. Maybe you'll get the correct base. Just skip the ingredients you don't like. Good luck!

My sister doesnt like mustard so there isnt any in this potato salad. Same with pickles and relish. those are also common ingredients in potato salad. Maybe there was originally. It has just been this way for as long as ive been paying attention. Alot like deviled eggs with potatoes mixed in.

Ask your aunts for the recipe. Maybe youll get the correct base. Just skip the ingredients you dont like. Good luck!

Thanks Melanie. I guess I'll ask the Aunts. Odds are one of them still make it the way mom did.

Now I have to ask, deviled eggs with potatoes? Do tell.

I guess the eggs and mayo combo makes me think of deviled eggs.

The post makes me think that maybe I should be paying better attention when I cook and write it down. I can add little notes about peeling potatoes and adding parsley garnish when "company" comes.

So many of the things my mom, dad, and now I cook are so far from the recipes they originally came from that without help, my kids wouldn't be able to make them.

Thank you

I guess the eggs and mayo combo makes me think of deviled eggs.

The post makes me think that maybe i should be paying better attention when i cook and write it down. I can add little notes about peeling potatoes and adding parsley garnish when "company" comes.

So many of the things my mom, dad, and now i cook are so far from the recipes they originally came from that without help, my kids wouldnt be able to make them.

Thank you

It's something I'm doing now for my kids. My mom was very much the kind of person that went by feel when she cooked. The recipes she made often, she never wrote down. I often asked how to make certain things and she wouldn't be able to tell me, at least not in a way that would lead me to an actual recipe. She was a "pinch of this" and a "dash of that" sort of person. What the heck is a pinch? Well, in some recipes a pinch was a teaspoon, in others it was as much as a cup. It depended on the other ingredients.

Every meal my kids love, I write down exactly how I made it, and I get them to help me make it. I'm hoping that this will allow them to make it for themselves when they're grown, and I'm no longer around to help.

The spinach and the potato salad are the two things my mom made that I miss most, and the only two things I haven't been able to replicate.

Every family should have a cook book, that's my opinion. :)