My Aunt Irene and Uncle Ray introduced my parents. I remember the Sunday morning Uncle Ray pulled into his driveway. He walked out to the car as I stood in the front seat (yep, there was a time when we all stood in the front seat and didn’t wear seat belts) and watched him glide down the steps of what would become my home and stride to the car with the swagger of John Wayne. We were on our way to church like every Sunday. When he sat down beside me in the front seat I could smell Old Spice. His eyes were piercing blue and I was pretty sure he was the tallest man I had ever seen! He had a beautiful smile and I was quiet taken with him. He made a joke and mom laughed. I don’t remember her ever laughing before that. My biological dad died when I was six months old and I don’t think she smiled much after that. Aunt Irene and Uncle Ray were not my real aunt and uncle but they had no children so that’s what I called them. Four months later my mom and dad were married:
That’s my Nana and Jim-Pa with us.
Aunt Irene made great potato salad. I made it for Easter dinner and today I’m sharing it with you.
Aunt Irene’s Old Fashioned Mustard Potato Salad
Ingredients:
2 lbs. peeled and chopped potatoes cooked fork tender
2 Tbl. Butter
2 Tbl. Milk
Salt to taste
¼ Cup mustard
3 heaping Tbl. Mayo
½ Cup finely chopped onion
½ Cup finely chopped dill pickles
3 hard boiled eggs – 2 finely chopped
Directions:
1. Combine potatoes, butter, salt, and milk with a hand mixer until completely smooth, although it will be a little dry. Don’t use a ricer, it is not as smooth.
2. Add all the other ingredients except a single boiled egg.
3. Mix well. Then taste, you may need to add more mayo, mustard, or salt – depending on your families taste.
4. Place in a bowl. Smooth top. Quarter last boiled egg and place around top like picture. It has to look like a daisy to be like Aunt Irene’s.
This is my favorite potato salad recipe although I’ve had some other good ones where the potatoes are in chunks, but I always go back to this one. Enjoy!
Aunt Irene’s Old Fashioned Mustard Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. peeled and chopped potatoes cooked fork tender
- 2 Tbl. Butter
- 2 Tbl. Milk
- Salt to taste
- ¼ Cup mustard
- 3 heaping Tbl. Mayo
- ½ Cup finely chopped onion
- ½ Cup finely chopped dill pickles
- 3 hard boiled eggs – 2 finely chopped
Instructions
-
Combine potatoes, butter, salt, and milk with a hand mixer until completely smooth, although it will be a little dry. Don’t use a ricer, it is not as smooth.
-
Add all the other ingredients except a single boiled egg.
-
Mix well. Then taste, you may need to add more mayo, mustard, or salt – depending on your families taste.
-
Place in a bowl. Smooth top. Quarter last boiled egg and place around top like picture. It has to look like a daisy to be like Aunt Irene’s.
I’m partying here!! http://www.stayingclosetohome.com/2013/04/friday-food-frenzy-spring-into-kitchen.html
Your are so pretty in your picture when you were a kid! 🙂 Your potato salad looks delicious in that first picture & love how you added eggs to it on top! (btw, don’t know why but one my favourite ingredients when cooking is mustard!) Hope you will have a great week!
Thank you so much for ALL the compliments! I thought they were so pretty when I was a kid and I couldn’t resist adding them this time. I hope you have a great week too!
thank you! 🙂
I love smooth potato salad, especially when it’s still warm just right after it’s made. I rarely see it anymore because everyone always has chunky. Anyway, loved your story. My dad wore Old Spice his whole life. Isn’t it interesting how I can remember the smell so well even though he’s been gone almost twenty years.
My dad too – in fact, 20 years next year. Mom bought dad some Stetson once at Kmart – he didn’t like it and went back to Old Spice! 🙂
That’s so funny ~ I don’t even want to put in print what would’ve happened at our house if my mom had done that 🙂
I love stories (and pictures) like that. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome! Thanks for coming by….
Your family memories associated with food are so gorgeous together and that photo is too cute 😀
And delicious looking potato salad!
Cheers
CCU
It’s a very 60’s way of making potato salad but it makes me smile and so I still love it! Thanks!
So many times when I read a book, I complain that the author didn’t really describe the people in it – I have no idea what they were like. In a couple of sentences you made me see your Uncle Ray as you did all those years ago. Love the picture. The potato salad looks good, too.
Lillian
lillianscupboard.wordpress.com
Thank Lillian, I always worry that I’m boring someone with my descriptions. I appreciate your compliments!
I love it when I click on a picture from RNZ and it brings me to you 🙂 This looks soooo yummy. I love potato salad and I’m not sure I’ve ever thought of blending it all together before. But I also love deviled eggs and this sounds like it would taste like one big potato-y, dilly, deviled egg. Yum!
That’s really about what it tastes like – only warm, it is the best then! I saw your post – when I get home I’ll be able to read it…looks great!
This looks gooooooooooooooooooooooood.
Thank you so much and THANKS for dropping by!
I’ve never seen a potato salad that wasn’t in chunks but maybe it’s a southern thing? It sounds tasty and I also love that it’s Aunt Irene’s salad! Hooray for introducing your mom to your new dad!!
Thank you Anita – I polled my co-workers and I was surprised at the number of people who was unaware of creamed potato salad……..home grown Okies even!
Here on the East Coast of Canada a potato salad with chunked potatoes r rare, salads here are almost always made with mashed potatoes.And much better than chunked potatoes.
Really? That’s great! Just like us. Thanks for dropping by Lisa and please come again!
Love your story and how it relates to this potato salad. I haven’t ever had a smooth potato salad before…I’m sure it is delicious. I always put mustard in potato salad…it adds a nice taste.
Thank you for the kind words – it DOES taste wonderful!
What an amazing memory to have!! Thanks for sharing that with us. I love the photo, too!!
And… YUM! I love potato salad. I’m going to have to give your recipe a try next time!
Let me know what you think if you do!
That salad looks very enticing! I love all things potatoey, in Russia we also grate potatoes for the salad. I am soo going to steal your idea. Mmm. And love your photo as a kid too, very cute
Please do! I love it when someone finds something I have done useful! Thanks for coming by Galina!
My family did a creamy potato salad too. You have got to read http://eliotseats.com/?p=453 and see how The Hubs almost screwed up by dissin’ my family’s potato salad. Love the vintage pics!
Thank you!
I love these stories! Thank you for sharing them with us..:hug:
Thank you for your support and encouragement! I’m glad I wrote them now!
Great recipe & story! Made this today and it’s a WIN. 🙂
Oh yay!! I’m so glad you made it and liked it – my Aunt Irene would be so proud! Thank you for dropping by and Please come again!