Comfort Food #4

We are still alive and kicking here, and I haven't forgotten about my last few comfort foods!  I could actually use a few of those foods right now as we got about 8 inches of snow last night, and Jeff and Payton are living it up in Costa Rica, which means we have no snow shovelers around here!

Really, we are fine.  We spent the snowstorm with some great friends (Thanks Leatherwoods!) and today, a sweet neighbor and friend shoveled the driveway for us (Thanks Mark!).  Tomorrow, it's back to school and our routine.  Then Jeff and Payton will be back next Monday.  Jeff has sent a few emails saying they are having a great time, and that Payton got his machete on their first night there!  Not sure how they plan to get that home on the plane, but that was ALL Payton talked about before they went.  So now he's happy, and the trip will be deemed a success!

Comfort Food #4 is actually more accurately titled "Comfort FoodS" as I have decided to combine two of my mom's amazing "salads" into one post.  In my opinion, potato salad and chicken salad are two foods that a person doesn't universally like.  In other words, I LOVE potato salad and chicken salad but only if it's my mom's potato salad and/or chicken salad.  I don't know if it's just liking what you're used to or if I'm just picky, but I have never had either of these foods that tasted anywhere near as good as  they do when mom makes them.

From what I know (mom, correct me if I'm wrong), both of these recipes came from newspaper/magazine articles when my parents were newly married.  (I know the chicken salad recipe was titled "The Bride Makes Chicken Salad" so my guess is that it came from here, which was while my mom was pregnant with me!)  They really aren't anything super-brilliant nor do they require any exotic ingredients or hours of labor in the kitchen.  But they are THE BEST, hands down.  And my sweet memories of eating one or both of them at every family picnic or enjoying them on hot and muggy summer evenings when it was just too hot to turn on the oven in the avocado green kitchen make them taste even better as they years go by!  Enjoy!


Mom's Potato Salad

4 cups diced potatoes, cooked and drained
1 cup mayonnaise (NEVER Miracle Whip!)
1 tspn. mustard
1 tspn. salt
dash pepper
1 cup celery, diced
2 hard boiled eggs, cut up

In large bowl, mix mayonnaise (NEVER Miracle Whip!) and mustard.  Add salt and pepper then add celery and eggs and mix.  Add potatoes and stir to coat well.  Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

* Above recipe doesn't make a huge amount of potato salad.  I always half it again or even double it.
* I love the eggs so I always add extra.


Mom's Chicken Salad

In large saucepan, place one 5-pound whole chicken, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 large onion, 6 black peppercorns, and 1 quart water.  Bring water to a boil over high heat then reduce heat and simmer covered for two hours or until tender.  (After one hour, turn chicken over.)  Remove from heat and let stand uncovered for one hour or until meat is cool enough to handle.  Remove all meat from chicken, shred or cut into small pieces, and chill for one to two hours.

Mix the following in large bowl:

1 cup mayonnaise (NEVER Miracle Whip!)
2 TB lemon juice
2 TB milk
1.5 tspn. salt
dash pepper
2 cups celery, diced

To the above ingredients, add chicken and then chill all together for about 1 hour.

*  Also delicious with red grapes (halved).
*  Walnuts can be added as well. (but it's not quite so delicious, in my humble opinion!)