This is my new favorite potato salad, and it's perfect for the hot months ahead! It's gluten-free and dairy- free, so it's a lighter version of our mayo based favorites. I love potato salad as much as the next Southern girl. I'm embarrassed to admit, but the three foods my mom always makes sure to have when I come to visit are (in no particular order) chocolate tarts, country ham (and preferably with homemade sweet potato biscuits), and Mrs. Marshall's brand potato salad. Cue Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie." Ah well, who's counting calories anyway?!
I discovered this dish at a backyard barbecue recently, made by a friend who is on a strict gluten-free and dairy-free diet. I just like it because it tastes good! I have made it a couple times at home, and this last time, I accidentally picked up the local purple sweet potatoes instead of yams. My excuse being, I was running through the store in my typical Supermarket Sweep fashion, only this time Aubrey was out of control (ie. jumping out of his seat in the cart, landing like a cat on his feet, sending the cart flying into the wine racks... awesome.) So, I was surprised to cut open the potatoes at home and find them to be purple inside, but I really liked them as an alternative to the yams. While the sweetness is unique to the purple variety, it still works really well. So, Hawaii friends, either kind will work.
This recipe comes from the Gluten Free Goddess blog, which I have been reading lately to find new recipes. We are not trying to convert strictly to gluten-free at this point, but Karina has some great recipes that are fresh and healthy. Check out the recipe here, and scan her blog while you're at it!
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2008/07/two-potato-salad.html
Soon after we moved in, our sweet neighbor "Miss Patty", as Aubrey calls her, brought us an orchid plant and a mini mason jar of her homemade salsa as a welcome gift. A woman after my own heart. What began as a friendly gesture, turned into an addiction. The salsa was the best I have ever had, and I could not stop eating it once I got started. She brought me some more every so often, and if a few weeks went by, I found myself wondering when my next fix would arrive. Usually her kitchen window is open, and if I happened to hear her food processor going in the afternoon I would get all excited hoping it was the good stuff.
I took it to a friend's house recently and everyone there loved it too. So that was good, it was not all in my imagination! (And just FYI, this is coming from someone who could have cared less about salsa before... not usually my go-to snack.) I assumed that she made it from all fresh ingredients straight from the farmers' market, because I know she goes there every Saturday to get her produce. So you can imagine my shock when I asked for the recipe and she said, "Oh it's so easy... Just a bunch of stuff from cans." Say whaaaa?! I'm intrigued.
Other than the cilantro and onion, it's true, everything else comes from a can but it still has a super fresh taste. You have to use the specific brands though, so don't deviate. I made some for our Cinco de Mayo festivities, and am pretty sure this will become a permanent fixture in my fridge.
Miss Patty's Best Ever Salsa (Courtesy, Best Ever Neighbor Patty)
Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 large bunch of cilantro
- 7 3/4 oz. can El Pato tomato sauce
- 7 oz can Herdez Salsa Casera
- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
Preparation
- In food processor, blast onions, cilantro and tomatoes.
- Mix in tomato sauce and salsa casera.
- Serve!
