My husband was very anxious to kick off the barbecue season this year, partially due to a gradual change in my cooking habits in recent months which introduced vegetarian dishes to our dinner menu. Even though I enjoy a good steak once in a while, I love all the veggie-loaded side dishes. Potato and Beet salad is one of my family's and friend's favorites.

Ingredients:

1 can of Goya dark kidney beans

1 jar of Greenwood sweet & tangy sliced pickled beets

1 red onion

4-5 medium potatoes

Salt & pepper to taste

Mayonnaise

Recipe

Peel and dice the potatoes, place in a pot covering with water, add salt and cook on medium high until soft. Drain and let cool.

Drain the picked beets and cut into pieces.

Add diced red onion and drained red kidney beans.

Mix in mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Over the years, I have tried many brands of dark kidney beans and pickled beets, and learned that the ones I used in this recipe have the best flavour and texture. To make the salad a bit more sweet and tangy, I sometimes add a bit of liquid reserved from the pickled beets.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe, it truly is the perfect addition to an outdoor menu.

~ Mirela
Jantar Handcrafted Jewelry

All over Asia, New Year's is the family holiday of the year, and Japan is no exception. Back in the old country, people sit around on New Year's Day reading their enormous stacks of New Year's cards and eating Osechi, but we've gotten a little more casual this side of the pond. (A friend of mine calls it the "hang-over party.") The main traditions we've saved at my household are spending a whole day eating delicious food enjoying the company of family and close friends.

Try this Japanese-American twist on good old potato salad!

Japanese-American Potato Salad
(serves a crowd)

5lbs of Russet Potatoes, peeled and in large dice
8 hard boiled eggs, shelled and in large dice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 carrot, roughly grated
2 Tbsp. dried baby shrimp
2 cups mayonnaise (more or less depending on your taste)
Salt and Pepper

Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, but firm. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, peas, and carrot. If necessary, mince baby shrimp finely (you shouldn't be able to see them once incorporated into the salad), sprinkle over salad and combine. Add mayonnaise until it reaches the consistency you like, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. This salad tastes best if left in the refrigerator overnight to let flavors combine.

You might tuck this recipe away until the Lunar New Year, it's never failed on Chinese New Year's either!

~Kari
http://ikyoto.etsy.com

Potato and pickled beet salad

Happy New Year: Japanese-American Potato Salad Recipe