pay attention to the potato salad ...

i needed to make a side dish for a birthday bbq i was going to attend the other weekend, and i was at a loss as to what i should make. i didn't want to make something super traditional or boring, but i also didn't want to make something too adventurous (since i didn't really know most of the people coming to the bbq). i also didn't want to go to the grocery store or spend a lot of money. i had food in the apartment, i just needed to figure out how to use it.

well, i started scouring the kitchen, and i noticed that i had quite a few potatoes - and they were looking at me. no, seriously, 1/2 of the taters has started to sprout eyes. a little gross, but still good. i cleaned and chopped the taters and threw them into some boiling water - potato salad became my mission.

i googled a couple of recipes and found myself on food network's website, perusing the entries. then, i came across a unique looking one a la bobby flay. i was intrigued - red pepper sauce? paprika? mmMmm! of course, i had to alter it a little (and i did have to go to the mini-market across the street for a couple of supplies), but i think it turned out pretty tasty!

my version just had boiled potatoes (no grills allowed in my apt building - sad, but true), and i added bacon crumbles, chopped celery, and some red onion slices to the mix. and of course, it was a hit! and the batch was big enough that i kept half at my place and still had plenty for the bbq.


in the image you are seeing my lunch at work the following week. the sausage-like thing is a chunk of kielbasa (courtesy mi papa) and the green beans were my make-shift version of green bean casserole (fresh green beans baked with creamy mushroom soup (note, not cream of mushroom soup, so a little runny) and slices of onions plus some saltine crumbs on top). i was the envy of the office that lunch (the smell wafted through the cubicles).