Betty Crocker's Potatoe Salad

I love potato salad, but when I buy it, it's always either too pickley or vinegary. The potatoes are always undercooked and too chunky. Here is the recipe I use, which is out of my good old Betty Crocker cook book from 25 years ago!

First I'll share the basic recipe then tell you the way I do it.

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes (about 6 medium)

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Prepare and boil potatoes for about 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix in celery and onion and set aside. In large mixing bowl, cube the potatoes and eggs. Toss together. Pour the dressing on and stir. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. 10 servings (about 3/4 cup each); 260 calories per serving.

I pretty much stick to this recipe with a few variations.

The first thing I do differently is to boil the potatoes longer than directed. I boil them until they start to fall apart on the outside. I also double the eggs. Doing these two things is what makes the salad so much creamier. Note: Because the potatoes are more crumbly, it's ideal to cool them in the refrigerator overnight so they don't fall apart when cutting up.

I cut the celery and onion into pretty small pieces.

I always make a double batch. Here I have catered to my whiny children and added the celery and onion to only half of the salad. They don't care for the crunch. This double batch was made to travel, as my mother-in-law always asks me to bring it to family BBQ's. Make it pretty by putting whole slices of egg on top and sprinkling with paprika.

With warmer weather coming, it's the perfect time to try this salad. It travels well and is even better the second day!