Potato Salad

I personally love potato salad and you can have it with any kind of meat, it is a great complimentary salad.  There are a lot of methods in making potato salad, adding onions, or egg etc etc....

My recipe is plain and simply, it comes out creamy and soft and oh so yummy.  I always used to cook my potatoes on the stove but then someone showed me the method below and they blew me off my feet, and now are rarely do it any other way...so try it you might save a lot of time preparing your potatoes, time you can use enjoy the food....

So what do we need:

8 large potatoes

50ml Condense Milk

250 ml + Mayonnaise

Sugar - 50 ml about.

salt

spring onion - chopped

Optional

1/2 eggs (cooked)

1 onion (chopped)

What do you do:

1.  So first you place all your potatoes into a plastic bag, normal shopping bag.  Then you make two or three inserts into the potatoes.  Then you close the bag and put it into the microwave.  You put the potatoes in for the same amount of potatoes in the bag plus 1. 

Just always test the potatoes, if they are not ready yet put them in for another 3 minutes at a time...

The other method of course it to boil your potatoes on the stove in water in a pot, or still in the microwave, but after you have taken off the skin and cut them into the cubes you want, either ways it is up to you...what every work easier..

2.  While your potatoes are becoming edible..hehehe, it's time to prepare the sauce.  When i got married my husband & I had numerous arguments about what comes in the sauce we came to a collaboration, thus the recipe. 

Add your mayonnaise, sugar, condensed milk all together and mix well, i love tasting and the most important rule about food it tasting...so now you can add a little milk at a time, if it's to runny, just add more mayonnaise. There is no precise way in making potato salad, it should taste good that's what count.  I like adding some salt and some herbs, just for a little extra.

3.  At this stage your potatoes should be done, if they are not, place your sauce in the fridge to keep it nice and cool.  After the potatoes have cooled down, and they are peeled and cut into little blocks, then you can add you sauce over...

A lot of people add chopped up onions & boiled egg, that is all up to you, i don't eat onion and my husband doesn't like egg in, so again we compromised and it works perfectly.  Now pour over you sauce, slowly mix it into the potatoes...just remember YOU ARE NOT MAKING MASH...so there is no need to stir, "fold in" the sauce slowly....

And then you are done, potato salad is best served cold so place it into the fridge to cool down...Serve with some grilled chicken & a nice green salad and you are all set..

Enjoy



Heritage Day - Braai Day

On Saturday the 24th September 2011 it is Heritage Day - Braai Day...I love braaiing, fun times to get together with friends or family, or to just enjoy a nice fun meal...

So for the weekend I thought I would list some ideas you could use on what to make, now I haven't made these lately so that i can show you pictures but I thought you could get the ideas from the collective pictures at the top, and then me just adding the recipes.  I have personally tried and made all of these recipes so trust me they are good, at a later stage I will load each one separately.

Enjoy the braai day, I know I am.

Bier Brood (Beer Bread)

This was the bread that i made myself this past weekend

Curry Noodle Salad

Potato Bake

Twist on "Braai Broodjies" (Braai Sandwiches)(Found this recipe on the Internet - seems very interesting)

Green Salad

Rice Made Easy (Microwave)

I have had lots of different people teaching me how to cook, and i have always love watching people cook, you pick up so many tips and ideas from their ways and kitchens.  So out of my kitchen this is how i cook rice...yes it's not the tradisional way, but it works for me...and i can spice it as much as i want and make it different every time.


So here we go:


What do you need:


Rice
Little bit of oil
Water
Spice (what ever you want)

1.  Pour in about a 1 or 2 of rice, depends how much you want to make, in to a big glass bowl.  Drizzle a bit of oil over the uncooked rice, sprinkle your spice.  I did some chicken spice, herbs, salt & pepper.  At the bottom of the blog I will list some other ideas of what to do with rice.

2. Pour in about 1 litre of water, as you can see in the picture, the water really covers the uncooked rice...This is so that the rice can "eat up" the water and they will double in size....hope this make sense.  Into the microwave it goes, with the lid on of course for about 20 to 25 minutes on high.  I always first put it on 25 minutes....it can't burn so don't worry....but you can keep a watchfull eye for your first time.

3.  All the water should be gone, when you take it out of the microwave, if there is any water left you can pour the cooked rice in a strainer and strain the water...Your done, with no mess and no fuss

Enjoy

Plain old *M*A*S*H* (Microwave)

I used to love watching the series *M*A*S*H*, when i was younger, it was funny and serious at the same time...so here's a quick one to show how to make mash...i know some people think it is such a difficult thing to make but really easy peesy and always yummy.  This method is for those people that don't like to fuss and only have a microwave...i only cook my mash in the microwave, gives me time to do other things.


So let start:


You will need:


Printable Version


6/8 potatoes suited for 4 people (depends for how many people you cook)
Butter/ Margarine
Milk
Salt or seasoning (my favourite spice is Aromat)

1.  So first peel your potatoes, cut them in little blocks into a microwavable bowl (i use glass bowls) and then cover it with water, as you can see in the picture below, place it into the microwave for about 20 min on high heat. 
When it's done then test to see if the potatoes are soft (test with a knife point into the potatoes) if it's not then put it in again for about another 5 minutes.

2.  When the potatoes are ready drain all the water out.  Add your seasoning and start mashing away...hehehe good for frustration.

3.  Now you can add your butter and then mash again...

4.  Then add your milk, the reason why milk is added last is we don't want it to runny just nice and firm.  So add little bits at a time until it is soft but yet firm.

5.  I always add some more aromat and sometimes some herbs.

And then your done to enjoy...For the fun I sometimes add a can of whole corn and some cheese...gives it a whole new flavour.  Add the mash to chops or pork loin chops and maybe some peas or squash.