Birthday Party Food - Perfect Potato Salad

Perfect Potato Salad

Potato salad is a perfect snack for any birthday party. Take a little or take a lot, everyone is sure to be full and happy with potato salad. This recipe is also very adaptable. You can choose to make it with or without eggs, and adjust the spices to your individual tastes.

For perfect potato salad, you will need:

3 pounds of red potatoes (or Russets)

1 cube of chicken bullion, dissolved in a small amount of water

1/4 cup of water

1/2 cup of mayonnaise (Miracle Whip is a fine substitute)

1 tablespoon of half-and-half

3 chopped-up boiled eggs

2 stalks of celery, minced or cubed (personal taste)

1 sweet red onion, minced or chopped

1/8 cup of sweet relish

salt and pepper to taste

another hard-boiled egg, sliced, for garnish

Peel all of the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized, somewhat-uniform cubes. Boil them until they are soft, but not overly so. Drain them and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the other ingredients except the eggs and potatoes. Once this is well-mixed, fold in the potatoes and chopped eggs. Do not over-mix as this will squash the potatoes up.

If it looks dry, don't be afraid to add more mayonnaise or Miracle Whip. The potatoes and eggs will act like a sponge, so if you are going to make the potato salad ahead of time, add even more. If it is too dry, your guests will not eat it. The best way to approach salt and pepper is to add just a little to the original mix, and then provide salt and pepper shakers on the table next to the salad fro guests to dispense themselves.

Variations:

Do not be afraid to forgo the boiled eggs if you don't care for them. Add another potato into the mix in their place.

Some people may like to replace the bullion with mustard. Both yellow and Dijon are excellent choices, just be sure not to overpower the salad with it. You will need less than you think. Start with a teaspoonful and add sparingly. Getting rid of the bullion also makes the dish acceptable to ovo-lacto vegetarians- just be sure to let them know that the color comes from mustard, not animal product.

Dill can be substituted for the relish for more flavor.