Friday, April 6, 2012

Easter Traditions - Kate Duly's Irish-German Potato Salad

On the major holidays my brothers and sisters and I, along with our families, get together to celebrate. This Easter we're going to my brother Tim's house. Each family brings special dishes to the feast.

I'm baking a turkey and making strawberry-angel food dessert. Bridget is bringing a baked ham and making green bean bundles. Brother Jim is making his fabulous baked beans. Nieces and nephews are providing salads, appetizers, and other goodies. But my sister Kathleen is making the dish most requested by family members: our mom's German Potato Salad.

On this Good Friday I thought I'd share a recipe that my family has enjoyed for more than 50 years. Since my family is Irish-American and not German, the title has been modified. My husband, who was born in Germany, insists that real German potato salad does not have mayonnaise and is not eaten cold, so to keep peace after I got married, the name of the recipe was modified to Irish-German Potato Salad.

My mom's name was Katherine, but one of her nicknames was Kate, so the official name of the recipe is Kate Duly's Irish-German Potato Salad.

Here is the recipe for Kate Duly's Irish-German Potato Salad, courtesy of my sister Kathleen:

5 lbs of red potatoes

1/2 lb of regular bacon (not maple cured or flavored, etc)

1 cup each white vinegar and white sugar

6 hard boiled eggs (chopped)

6 green onions (chopped)

1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and celery seed

One and a half to two cups of real mayonnaise

Boil 5 lbs of red potatoes, peel and cut into small chunks. Cover in a bowl so they don't turn dark.

Fry 1/2 lb of regular bacon, cool and crumble, save drippings in skillet.

Add 1 cup each of white vinegar & sugar to the bacon drippings and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Pour over cut up potatoes in a large bowl, mix well and let cool.

Add chopped green onions & hard boiled eggs, salt, pepper and celery seed.

Add real mayo and blend to a smooth consistency.

Refrigerate and serve cold.

More mayo may be added later if needed to get desired consistency

This dish is so good, it makes your mouth smile. So, no matter what nationality you are, I hope you enjoy!

Happy Easter!

I'll be back next week with a few posts about a tour I recently went on--and I'll even have some photos.

18 comments:

  1. This recipe does sound so good "it makes your mouth smile". Love that phrase. Happy easter and have fun with siblings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda,
      After I re-read that I figured--what else would smile besides your mouth?
      Thanks. Hope you have a wonderful Easter with your loved ones too.
      Donna

      Delete
  2. I am not a potato salad fan (don't know why--I love potatoes and I love mayonnaise) but the rest of my family does. So, thanks for sharing the recipe. I'm printing it off, and sometime soon, I will make it for a get-together.

    (Since it has the Donna stamp of approval, it HAS to be good. By the way, I just sent off a CS submission for the "Writers" anthology. You're one of the featured characters. Hopefully it will be accepted and then--another hunk of hope needed--you will sign a release. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on both happening...)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sioux,
      My money is on your story being accepted. And of course I'll sign the agreement.
      Donna

      Delete
  3. Oh, I wish I were eating at your house this weekend! Sounds wonderful. The potato salad sounds good too...so many ways to make potato salad and this one is very similar to my family's recipe...only no sugar in ours and pickles instead! Happy Easter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Claudia,
      My German sister-in-law also uses pickles in her potato salad.
      Donna

      Delete
  4. Donna, you have a way with words, and food. Enjoy your celebration!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm going to print this recipe and save it for the summer family reunion pot luck. I LOVE potato salad and this sounds wonderful. Happy Easter. He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Donna, that potato salad sounds so good it made my mouth water. It would be a perfect addition to my Easter dinner. Thanks for posting it here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Sally,
    Hope you enjoy. My mom would be thrilled to know her recipe was shared by many people.

    Hi Patricia,
    Hope you enjoy. Happy Easter.

    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  8. Am so glad I stopped in because I've been looking for a great potato salad recipe! Happy Easter to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tammy,
      Thanks! Happy Easter to you and your family too.
      Donna

      Delete
  9. Speaking as a confirmed bacon-aholic, this sounds yum-a-licious!

    Pat
    Critter Alley

    ReplyDelete
  10. This recipe is really close to my mother-in-law's. I think I have it on my food blog... err which I haven't been blogging on at all. Oops. But here it is in case you're interested: http://lynnowhatsfordinner.blogspot.com/2011/06/potato-salad.html

    ReplyDelete

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