Hawaiian Potato Salad



My cousin, Stacy, in 1961      



Last week we celebrated my brother, Stephen's 50th Birthday, my niece, Delaney's 12th and my 57th! I also found out that my cousin Stacy had a birthday at the beginning of the month too!Stephen and I are on the same day only 7 years apart. I decided to make it a Hawaiian Luau. I pick up some recipes out of cookbooks and also off the Internet. But as usual I did not like all the ingredients and switched all of them up. My most successful and different was the Hawaiian Potato Salad. I have shared it twice now to applause so I think it is time to make it part of the My Recipes & Traditions repertoire!




My cousin, Tammy, in 1961

 

Hawaiian Potato Salad:

2 sweet potatoes - peeled and diced

2 yams - peeled and diced

4 regular potatoes - peeled and diced

3 celery stalks - diced small

1/2 Spanish onion - diced small

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

2 cups mayo - Best or Hellman's is my preference

1tbsp dill week

1tbsp salt

1tbsp white pepper - regular is OK too! White blends in to the white color better!



My cousin, Jeri Ann, in 1961.



Boil up the potatoes in a large pot with a dash of salt for 15-20 minutes - keep firm and NOT mushy!

Once cooked, drain immediately and pour cold water over it and re-drain. (This stops the cooking process immediately!) Let drain completely. In a large separate bowl, mix the onions, celery, mayo, relish, dill weed, salt and pepper thoroughly. Once the potatoes are room temperature mix the potatoes into the cream mixture - add more mayo (by the tbsp) until all the potatoes are covered in the cream mix. Now gently spoon into a serving bowl and cover. Keep refrigerated at least 4 hours then serve.

As some of you know, Stacy, Tammy and Jeri Ann and my siblings have been estranged for more than 50 years due to divorce. We are so blessed now to have them part of our lives I am so happy and look forward to the reunion - SOON!

Phyllis' Apple Dumplings



Dave, me and Phyllis at the Equestrian Center in July 2011 watching
Joe Nichols and Craig Morgan in concert!



I love our extended family! I get to have great friends, like my sister-in-law, Susan's mom, Phyllis. She and I have been great friends over the years obviously sharing similar interests in cooking, sewing and her grandchildren, Delaney and Morgan, my nieces. On her last visit to Colorado Springs, she left a couple of weeks ago, she taught me how to make her famous Apple Dumplings! I asked her the recipe and whether she gave me permission to post it and it is!

Phyllis' Apple Dumplings: Serving size 4

The sauce:

     2/3 cup sugar

     1 1/2 cup water

     2 tbsp butter
     1/4 tbsp cinnamon
 Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Then turn off and set aside.

Core and peel 4 apples - Granny Smith, Macintosh, Braeburn - a good cooking apple - set aside

The Cinnamon Mixture: 

     1/3 cup sugar

     2 tbsp butter

     1 tbsp cinnamon

Mix together the cinnamon and the sugar. Cut the butter into slices. Set aside to add to the middle of the cored apple before wrapping with the dough. 

Making the dough for the apple dumplings:

3 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 cup Crisco Shortening

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup ICE WATER

Cut the shortening and salt into the flour with a pastry blender until mixture crumbles. Make a hole in the center of the mixture and slowly add the ICE WATER until dough rolls into a ball.

With a floured surface and floured rolling pin use 1/4 the ball and roll out large enough to cover 1 apple completely. Place the apple in the middle of the dough. Spoon 1 tbsp of the cinnamon/sugar mixture into the cored center of the apple and then add a pat of butter on top of the mixture. Start wrapping the dough around the apple pinching the dough together with wet fingers. Place the apples in a casserole dish pour the sauce over each apple and allow to drain to the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle each apple dumpling with sugar.

Bake @ 425* for 40-45 minutes or until dumpling tops are golden. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream!!

Thanks Phyllis!!!