Classic Potato Salad - Recipe Video

You are entering Carb Heaven, please take a seat at my celestial table! Summer is here and it's time for a picnic or patio party cold Potato Salad! You know you want to serve it with your next backyard barbeque.

Nothing better than a creamy cool side with your hot grilled burger, whether it's a veggie one or a beefy one.

Potatoes are the cheapest vegetable. I get mine at my local Latin Market, Superior Grocers,  or 99c only Stores.

I like a little crunch in my Potato Salad, so there is chopped celery and onion. And these are cheap ingredients, too!

I like a rich Potato Salad with the addition of boiled eggs and a lot of real mayo. It's up to you how many eggs and the amount of mayo you like.

And Vegan Potato Salad can be had by leaving out the eggs and substituting vegan mayo.

You can get budge condiments like mustard and pickle relish at a regular grocery or Dollar Tree.

Of course, you can keep the Potato Salad vegan and use a mayo substitute and leave out the eggs.

This recipe comes together quite easily. Just boil the potatoes for an hour and the eggs for 10 minutes. Let them cool down then chop, chop, chop.

I peel my potatoes, but you can leave some skin on for a rustic version -- okay a lazy version!

I use about 5 large Russet potatoes on sale, but you can use more expensive Red or White potatoes, too.

My Mom makes a creamy Cajun Potato Salad that is more like mashed potatoes. I like her version too, and you can see it by clicking here.

Spring and summertime are when I pull out my yummy homemade Potato Salad. I'll make it several times for sure, and for the 4 of July too!

Potato Salad - Video

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 46 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 russet potatoes - large. Roughly mashed or cubed.
• 4 eggs - I used medium size. Okay to use less.
• 1/2 chopped onion - I like a finely chopped onion. 
• 1 stalk celery -  chopped.
• 3/4 cup mayo - add more or less to suit your tastes.
• 1 tablespoons mustard - any type, I used brown mustard.
• 2 tablespoons pickle relish - sweet or regular.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
Start by rinsing potatoes and add to a pot to a low boil. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, until they are easily pierced with a fork or knife.

Remove and allow to cool down for 5 or 10 minutes. When they are cool enough peel them. Potatoes are easier to peel when cooked.

Roughly break them apart into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large bowl.

You can boil eggs at the same time, but just for 10 minutes. Allow them to cool down afterward. Peel and roughly chop eggs.

Chop half an onion and one whole rib of celery. I like to chop these a little on the fine side -- not too chunky. Just my preference.

Now time to bring it all together in a large bowl. Add chopped veggies and egg.

Add 2 tablespoons of pickle relish, a tablespoon of any fave mustard and 3/4 cup of mayo.

Okay to add a couple tablespoons of mayo at a time to reach desired creaminess. Mix as you go and give a quick taste as you add relish, mustard, and mayo and stop when you like it!

Finally, add a little salt and pepper. Again, taste and adjust to your liking.

Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I've made a Potato Salad without celery and pickle relish, so you can adapt my recipe to the ingredients you can afford, or have on hand.

Loaded Tuna Salad - Video Recipe

I'm called "The Tuna Mouse" at home because of how quickly a Loaded Tuna Salad just seems to vanish!

The extra briny olives give color and the salty taste goes well with sweet bread and butter pickles. Mixed into canned tuna, for a rich flavor, are chopped eggs and mayo.

It's one delicious concoction that fits snuggly into pita bread or bread roll, fills a pitted half slice of ripe avocado, or scooped on a green salad. All all the ingredients I find easily at 99c only Stores and the Dollar Tree!

Click on any photo to see larger.

The addition of green olives makes this Loaded Tuna Salad extra unique. It's quite easy to find them at my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree markets. You can use the plain type or ones with pimentoes.

Eggs are still cheap these days, I get an eight-count container at my local Dollar Tree. I use one whole boiled egg, chopped. This ingredient is optional and okay to leave out.

You can use a little chopped pickle, or just go with pickle relish, which I always have a half-used jar left over from hot dogs, way back on a refrigerator shelf.

I also add finely chopped onion to my Loaded Tuna Salad, but leave it out if you don't care for the taste of raw onion.

Mustard and Mayo are cheap if you have a Dollar Tree or 99c only Store in the 'hood. Hey, even Grey Poupon shows up on my 99c only Store shelves every once in a while. Okay to use any favorite mayo, including Miracle Whip or vegan mayo.

The main ingredient, canned tuna, is a cheap$kate staple in my kitchen pantry. I usually get "Chunk Light" tuna in water. I use two small cans for this recipe. "Solid" canned tuna is more expensive because it is a solid hunk of tuna and almost twice as much the amount as "Chunk."

Make sure not to mistakenly get tuna in oil, unless you like it that way. Also, drain the tuna of water, so Tuna Salad doesn't get all soggy and mushy.

The basic recipe is good for other canned fish like salmon, or chicken, too. So get out the can opener and twist off a few condiment jar lids and mix up my tasty and Loaded Tuna Salad.

Loaded Tuna Salad - VIDEO

Play here, video runs 1 minute 36 seconds

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 1 can of solid tuna in water - about 6 ounces, or 2 cans of "chunk" tuna. Drained.
• 1 boiled egg - peeled and chopped.
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion - red, white, green or yellow onion.
• 1 tablespoon green olives chopped or sliced - with or without pimento.
• 1 tablespoon sweet relish - okay to use chopped pickle.
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise - add more or less to your taste.
• 1 teaspoon regular or dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste - I find canned tuna salty enough, so I usually leave out salt.

Directions
Set aside 1 boiled egg (15 minutes at low boil) to cool.

 Fine-chop onion. Roughly chop green olives and a pickle (if you don't have pickle relish.

To a bowl add drained tuna, along with peeled and chopped boiled egg, chopped pickle (relish,) green olives and onion.

Add one tablespoon of mayo at a time to reach desired creaminess. As you mix all ingredients and taste. I like a little black pepper to season my Loaded Tuna Salad. I find there is enough salt from canned tuna.

Serve in pita or regular bread. Delicious as an appetizer with crackers or add a scoop to an avocado half, or fave salad.

How about a Loaded Tuna Melt? Just add a slice of cheese to Tuna Sandwich, and brown it with melted butter in a stove top pan, just like you would a regular Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

It's okay to leave out some ingredients. The main ones are tuna, mayo and pickle relish.

Lazybones shortcut

The Best Chicken Salad Recipe - Video

I love Chicken Salad as much as Tuna Salad. It's a milder taste compared to tuna, so the crunchy veggies and mayo/mustard come forward in flavor. My Chicken Salad recipe video will have coming back for seconds and thirds once you've had your first bite.

The ingredient list is small. I like a little fine chopped onion and celery for crunch. And those veggies are about the lest expensive ones you can find at any grocery store.

I also include a tablespoon of pickle relish. I find it at my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. You can add more or less veggies and relish to suit your taste. You can even leave out the veggies for a more meaty salad.

I add a little mustard with a lot of mayo for extra creamy Chicken Salad. Again, you can adjust the balance to please yourself and the family. If you don't like mustard then leave it out.

Some recipes call for the herb Dill. Again, use it if you like it, or forget about it.

All the ingredients come cheaply these days. I get dark chicken leg quarters for way less than a dollar per pound and white meat for around 99 cents per pound from Superior, my local Latin market. Dark meat is harder to filet than white meat, but after you've done it a few times it does get easier

I lightly boil or poach the chicken pieces so they stay moist. You can use any chicken you have on hand, either fresh-baked or sauteed, too. I've used leftover roasted whole chicken from the deli case of my local grocery chain store when it's on sale, usually at the end of the work week. Leave out the skin and bones. Canned chicken is fine to use, too - just drain it, like you would with canned tuna.

Poaching Video

I always can find mayo and mustard on sale. And onion and celery are some of the least expensive veggies around.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Chicken Salad is a versatile recipe that's delish between 2 slices of bread, or as an appetizer and spread on any favorite cracker. Put a big scoop on your favorite green garden salad for extra flavor and heft.

So get out the leftover cooked poultry and mix up my latest video recipe of Chicken Salad.

Chicken Salad - Video

Play it here. Video runs 1 minutes, 38 seconds.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients

• 1/2 chicken breast - cooked and cubed. About 2 cups. Okay to use dark meat leg quarter (leg plus thigh.) Use leftover cooked turkey during Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.
• 1/4 cup chopped onion - okay to add more or less to taste. I fine chopped 1/4 of a white onion. You can use any type of onion including red and green onion.
• 1/2 cup chopped celery - okay to add more or less to taste. I used one celery rib.
• 1 tablespoon pickle relish - optional.
• 1 teaspoon mustard - or Dijon mustard. I've made this salad without mustard.
• 3 tablespoons mayo - any favorite light or whole mayo. Again add a tablespoon at a time to reach your preferred creaminess.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 1/4 teaspoon Dill - herb can be dried or fresh. Optional ingredient.

Directions
Use boneless and skinless cooked chicken. I used leftover breast meat from a roast chicken.

You can boil/simmer chicken pieces about a half hour in seasoned water. Or, saute chicken in a little oil. Just make sure chicken is cooked all the way through - no pink or red juices.

While chicken cooks you can chop celery and onion. I like onion in salads (tuna, chicken, turkey, egg) fine chopped. For celery, I like pieces a little larger. Okay to chop veggies anyway you like.

Now time to bring it all together. Add chicken and chopped veggies to a bowl.

Mix in a tablespoon of pickle relish. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the herb Dill (optional.)

Stir in a tablespoon of mayo at a  time to reach your desired creaminess. I mixed in about 3 tablespoons. Add teaspoon of mustard. Okay to add or subtract amounts of mayo and mustard.

Finally salt and pepper to taste. Store Chicken Salad in the refrigerator. If you wait a couple of hours before serving, then all the ingredients will have time to meld and become more intense.

I like to scoop my Chicken Salad onto a toasted onion bagel. You can serve Chicken Salad with crackers as an appetizer. Add a scoop of Chicken Salad to your fave salad.