BITS & PIECES: BAKED POTATO SALAD

MawMaw & Noah's Feet in Alabama Dirt by Frances Robson

Good evening. Ya'll come on in the house and have a cup of coffee and sit a spell. I am a trifle tired for I have been shopping today and like Roy says, I have looked and touched everything in several stores. It was kinda discouraging for I went to Valdosta to buy a dress and came home without one for until I lose some weight I am not going to buy any clothes. It is just plain discouraging to try on 4 dresses and not a one fit and I just gave up.

By 2:30 I was a lot hungry after a single bowl of cereal for breakfast so decided food was necessary if I wanted to continue to shop A garden salad with grilled chicken strips, reduced fat dressing and diet Coke was lunch and was still hungry but I was strong and didn't eat anything else. I just kept seeing myself in those full-length mirrors and that killed all hunger pangs. I did give into an apple on the way home but that was only a few calories. Ya'll pray for me!

I have a question for you. In one of my new magazines (I'm a magazine-a-h0lic) I read an article on how to live frugally. If I am already doing all of the 10 suggestions and more, does that make me more frugal, stingy, cheap or full of Scottish genes? Maybe I need to write an article about 20 ways to live frugally and help these poor people out who don't know how to live on a little money when you don't have a lot. I'm not sure I could live on a lot if I had it for I could just hear my daddy saying, "That costs money." He was more frugal than the most frugal person you know.

The picture at the top of the posting today was taken this past weekend at the home place in Camden, AL. Those are the feet of our great-grandson and mine. I wanted him to put his bare feet in the Alabama dirt so he will always come back plus it's also fun to squish your toes in the cool, black dirt of South Alabama. The picture at the bottom is Noah, his granddaddy Roy and Papa Roy building a fenced in area in the back yard so he can play safely. When he walked around into the back yard and saw them putting up a fence, he gave them a glare that would curl your toes. It was a serious scowl for he was realizing his days of freedom to run to the road were gone and he was not a "happy camper." We sure feel better about his safety now.

The weekend was wonderful for we had 4 generations all together. Poor Noah had 3 women telling him "no." This only encouraged him to show us and everything is now "Mine" or "No" or "Go away." He is a great little boy and his hugs are warm and kisses are sloppy but awfully sweet. Wish he lived closer.

Last week I baked some red skinned potatoes and baked 5 extra to make potato salad. I had also baked extra bacon to use later and made a delicious Baked Red Potato and Bacon Salad. The salad was very good so I thought I would share it with you.

BAKED POTATO SALAD

Ingredients

• 5-6 Red Potatoes
• ¼ to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2-3 tablespoons of mustard
• 2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 hard cooked eggs
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 stalks celery – chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Scrub the Red Potatoes Clean, prick with fork
3. Bake for 1 – 1 ½ hour at 350F
4. Remove from the oven and let the potatoes cool
5. Cut cooled potatoes in cubes – I like mine large
6. In large glass bowl place cubed potatoes and add other ingredients except paprika
7. Gently toss
8. Sprinkle the top with paprika
9. Cool in the fridge and serve cold

A couple of hints to make it easier. When baking potatoes, bake 4 extra ones to use later. I bake all my bacon on a rack in a baking pan. All the grease drips out and I use the extra slices in salads. I also do my sausage the same way - bake the patties and freeze the extra. These are just a few shortcuts you can make.

I hope you enjoy the salad and let me know what you think.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach