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Every week one of the chefs from Harmons Grocery Stores will be answering your toughest culinary questions. No question is too big or too small and each week we'll award a pair of Harmons cooking school passes to one lucky viewer whose question is selected. Email your questions to askachef@harmonsgrocery.com.
This week's question comes from Julianne:
"How can I kick my classic potato and pasta salads up a notch this summer? My family loves my original recipes, but I'd like to spice things up a bit and get away from the same old boring salads."
Potato salad and pasta salad are delicious summer staples that make the perfect addition to your barbecue or picnic. The great thing about these classic dishes is that they are easy to prepare and are also extremely versatile. With a few small recipe changes and additions, you can create a whole new dish.
To give your potato salad a spicy kick, try this recipe.
Chipotle Ranch Red Potato Salad
Ingredients2. 3 lbs. small red potatoes (cooked & large dice)
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 chipotle peppers (minced)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- ½ cup red onion (small dice)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 slices bacon (cooked & crumbled)
- ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
What culinary questions do you have? Let us know! Email our Harmons chefs at askachef@harmonsgrocery.com
Directions
1. Bring a pan of water, with a pinch of salt, to a boil and place the potatoes in the pan with the skin on
2. Boil potatoes until they are fork tender
3. Peel the potatoes then add the remaining ingredients and mix well
4. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to serving
We've all heard that bacon makes everything better. That is definitely true in my BLT Macaroni salad recipe:
BLT Macaroni Salad
Ingredients2. 2 cups elbow macaroni (or noodle of choice)
- 8 slices cooked bacon (crumbled)
- 4 iceberg lettuce leaves (chiffonade)
- 1 tomato (small dice)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup red onion
- ½ cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste Directions
1. Bring a pot of water with a pinch of salt, to a full boil and add pasta.
2. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. ‘
3. Combine the sugar, dry mustard, red wine vinegar, mayo, and sour cream together and mix well.
4. Add the dressing to the pasta, cooked bacon bits, tomatoes, red onion, and lettuce.
5. Allow pasta to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Have fun with your summer salads and don't be afraid to experiment with spices, fresh herbs, meats and more. And if you don't have time to make your own salads, Harmons Delicatessen has a wide variety of delicious chef prepared salads and sides ready for you to pick up and enjoy!
If you're looking for more delicious barbecue and side dish ideas, check out summer edition of "Food for Thought" or sign up for one of our summer cooking school classes! We have a wide variety of classes to fit every taste and budget. View our schedule and sign up for a class today at HarmonsGrocery.com.
Check out other Ask a Harmons Chef articles here
