Trio of Summer Salads

Potato Salad

Nathan and I returned from a road trip to Minnesota and back on Saturday night. Naturally, we had not experienced the healthiest eating habits while we were gone which, when combined with sitting in a car 8 or so hours a day, made for a gross feeling by the time we returned. I was ready for some summer salads.

While in Minnesota, Nathan's mom made a super delicious potato salad that I hadn't gotten quite enough of. I don't have the recipe for it, but I modified my normal potato salad with the addition of some bacon (mmm bacon). Since potato salad is fairly heavy, I paired it with a cucumber salad and a watermelon mint salad. It felt very much like picnic-fare (which I love).



Potato Salad

Ingredients

About 8-10 red potatoes (I used about 5-6 yukon gold)
1/2 a bell pepper chopped fine
2 whole carrots peeled and chopped or a few handfuls of baby carrots chopped
1/2 a sweet onion chopped fine
3 thick cut pieces of bacon
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the potatoes into sized pieces you like in your salad and boil until tender but not mushy. While they are cooking, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium-low heat until fat is rendered and bacon is fairly crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper-towel lined sheet, reserving the bacon fat.

Mix two Tbsp of the reserved bacon fat with the vinegar. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the warm potatoes and gently stir to mix. Let the potatoes cool.

Mix together the mayo, mustard, tarragon, and basil. Add the mayo mixture and the vegetables to the cooled potatoes and stir until mixed.  Mix in the bacon bits.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 cucumber
1/2 a sweet onion
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp dried dill
1-2 tsp water

Directions

Slice the cucumber and the onion thinly. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, vinegar, dill and water. Mix in the cucumber and onion. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Done! This is also super delicious as a salad topping.

Mint Watermelon Salad (or Watermelon Mojito)

Ingredients
1/2 a watermelon cut into bite size chunks
2 Tbsp rum
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 lime zested and juiced

Directions

Mix together the rum, mint, sugar, zest and lime juice. Pour over the watermelon and gently stir to coat. For a tasty drink, leave out the mint and blend the remaining ingredients together. Then add a splash of rum, soda water, and some muddled mint leaves for a watermelon mojito.