Is It a Salad If It Isn't Green?

I really like summer foods - grilling, fruit, cold soup and lots of "uncooked" foods.  I was never a fan of mayonnaise-based salads, things like potato salad and macaroni salad.  First, I have problem with something calling itself a salad with nothing green in it.  Second, I am not a big fan of mayonnaise.  Too thick, too goopy and not enough flavor.  Others in the house do enjoy a little picnic side dish.  I have bought pre-made versions from various delis and grocery stores over the years.  Matt and Sarah have been happy, but I never could develop taste for it.

Since I have been trying to eat better and be more aware of what our food is made with, I decided to make my own potato salad.  I consulted a trusty go-to cookbook that I count on for all standard, old-fashioned recipes.  (It will remain unidentified.)  The recipe called for 2 pounds of potatoes, a little onion, a little mustard, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 6 hard-boiled eggs and 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise.  Now I had never made potato salad before, but 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise?  Was a going to eat this or cover my entire body with it?  6 eggs?  Was this an omelet for an army?  Sugar?  I thought this was a side dish, not dessert.

In the end, I used no sugar, 2 eggs and 3/4 cup of mayonnaise.  And, you know what?  I liked this version, a lot.  I could taste the potato, not the gelatinous goop of most versions.  My family liked it too and asked me to make it again.

It wasn't that I didn't like potato salad.  I didn't like sweet mayonnaise and egg salad.

The Scales of Injustice

I got on the scale this weekend.  I knew it would be bad, given that nothing without an elastic waist fits, but I did not expect it to be THAT bad.  Yes, I have weighed more, but it still does not feel good.

I have to reassess what I am doing.  Yes, I am eating more way more vegetables and healthier fats.  I am also eating too many processed carbs - bread, cereal, crackers.  Sure, they are whole wheat and whole grain but I still am eating too much of it.  I have no interest in cutting out carbohydrates, but I need to take the boxed foods out of my diet.  And ice cream - no more ice cream!

I am not sure what I am going to replace those things with or if it will help.  What I really need to do is not eat so damn much!

Grill Update

So the grill is repaired.  Seemed there was a hole in the tube connecting the propane tank to the burners.  We probably came close to dying in a fiery propane explosion but, moving on, we can grill again.

The first thing I grilled this season?  Drum roll - bread!  Don't look so disappointed.  I have to start somewhere in replacing all the meat-based grilled dishes.  I brushed sour-dough bread with olive oil and grilled it for a few minutes on high heat.  I topped the bread with roasted vegetables.  It was like a giant bruschetta.  If bruschetta is good, giant bruschetta is better!

It has been raining most of the week, so I have not had a chance to try anything else.  Maybe I will try portobello mushrooms next, on grilled bread.

Saving My Bacon

Sarah attended an after-school cooking class this afternoon.  It was hosted by one of the staff at her school and it was a special event for just a few students.  Sarah loves to cook so she was very excited when her friend invited her to come along.

At pick-up, Sarah carried a big metal bowl and several items wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil.  "I got a lot of the leftovers," she shrugged.  It seemed the other girls were not as enthusiastic as she had been about what they had cooked.

One of the things they made was a Bavarian-style potato salad.  I don't know what Bavarian-style means, but it looked good, so I asked Sarah if she minded if I took a taste.  "I'm stuffed.  Have anything you want."

I unwrapped the bowl, got a fork, scooped a potato and was about to take a bite, when Sarah screamed, "Don't eat that!!!"

I jumped, dropped the fork and smacked my hip against the counter.  "What is wrong with you?"  I yelled back.

"I forgot.  It has bacon in it," she answered sheepishly.

I gave her a hug and told her it would have been okay if I had one bite of bacon by mistake.  Please don't ever scream at me when I am wielding a fork, I reminded her.  Sure, I did not eat the meat, but I am surprised I did not poke my eye out, and which would be worse?