Hot German Potato Salad

 Ingredients:

6 Medium Potatoes
6 Slices of Bacon
1 medium onion
2 Tablespoons of flour
1-2 Tablespoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt (less if using liquid smoke)
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water 
Pepper

Directions:

Cook the potatoes in their jackets until tender. Set aside.

Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set on paper towels. Reserve bacon fat.

Dice the onion into the facon fat and cook until tender. Remove from heat and add the flour, mixing thoroughly. Add a tablespoon of sugar, the salt, cleery seed, pepper, and liquid smoke. Heat the mixture and stir in gradually the vinegar and water. Taste for sweetness and seasoning. Cut up the potates in cubes and add to the mixture. Crumble the bacon and add to the dish before serving. 

Serve warm.

Lemon Rice Salad with Capers and Pine Nuts

 Ingredients:

3/4 cup of pine nuts
6 cups of cooked rice
2 cups (1/2 dice) roast chicken or pork
1/2 cup minced Italian Parsley
1 small orange or red bell pepper, cored seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground pepper
6 leaves butter lettuce

Directions:

• Toast the pine nuts in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until nicely browned. set aside to cool.
• Combine the rice, chicken or pork, parsley, bell pepper, green onions, capers, lemon zest, and pine nuts in a large bowl. Toss lightly to combine.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, sugar, and pepper totaste in a 2-cup measuring cup. Add the dressing to the rice mixture and toss to mix. place a lettuce leaf on each plate, top it with a mound of rice salad, then serve immediately

BLT Pasta Salad

 

Ingredients

• 10 ounces pasta
• 8 pieces center cut bacon chopped
• 2 cups spinach chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
• ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• ⅛ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ cup green onions chopped, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Bring a stock pot of water to a boil.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
• Place the wire baking rack inside the baking sheet.
• Place the bacon on the wire baking rack.
• Bake the bacon at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until the desired level of crispiness is achieved.
• While the pasta and bacon are cooking, use a knife and cutting board to chop the spinach, halve the grape tomatoes, and chop the green onions.
• In a small bowl, combine the nonfat plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper with a whisk or spoon.
• Once the pasta is done cooking, use a colander to strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Add the pasta to a large bowl.
• When the bacon is done cooking, allow it to cool and then chop.
• To the large bowl with the pasta, add the bacon, spinach, grape tomatoes, and dressing.
• Stir well to combine.
• Garnish with green onions and more chopped bacon if desired

Cook's Notes:

To make a dinner size salad I used four slices of bacon and 4 ounces of pasta and roughly 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.