Easy BBQ Potato Salad

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The Herring’s (Us) had a fantastic BBQ get together with the Greer 5 and the ‘Rents on Sunday. I took my first stab at Potato Salad to which DH said I should have bought it. Only because he thinks I show off by cooking everything from scratch…..to which I do! So here is my super simple, super tasty, easy peasy Potato Salad:

10-12 medium Russet, Gold, or Red Potatoes (all depends on your taste buds)
1/2 c. Mayo
1/2 c. Miracle Whip (or Yogurt for a lowered fat alternative)
3 T. Yellow Mustard
1/3 c. Dijon, Horseradish
2 sticks of celery, diced
2 branches fresh Rosemary, or 1 T. Rosemary
2 green onion sticks
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut potatoes in half and boil in water for 15-20 minutes. Be sure to blanch (dump in ice water)the potatoes as they will continue to cook even after being removed from the boiling water.

2. While potatoes are boiling in a large bowl, mix mayo, Miracle Whip and Yellow Mustard. Begin to dice onions and celery.

3. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove from skin as best as possible, dice into bite size squares add to bowl with wet mix and begin to slowly churn. While churning, slowly add onions and celery.

4. Continue to stir and add Dijon horseradish while adding spices to taste.

5. Serve immediately or put in fridge until ready to serve.

Serves 10, 136 calories per serving!

Green Chile Stew Recipe – Cure for the Common Cold

While I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico (yes, New Mexico is a State, the 48th state to the Union I believe and in between Texas and Arizona…..you’d be surprised how many people do not know this), anyway off on a tangent there.

While living in Albuquerque I would thrive, drive for miles, beg, steal, cheat, scrap, slap, bum, cry, and whine for this sacred cure for the common cold. What could be so sacred? What could be the ultimate cure for the common cold?

GREEN CHILE STEW


Ah, yes, green chile stew is the end all, be all, hotter than hell, or milder than mild, open your airways and pump you full of vitamin C while being a tasty Southwestern alternative to chicken noodle. I for one and am not a fan favorite of the boring, old red canned version of chicken noodle. So I opt for the green chile stew. And now with the family down with the sickness, I reached into the depths of my pantry to find the oh so tasty ingredients to make my very own version of a New Mexican favorite. Mind you this is the lazy white lady version of a New Mexican favorite, so I will include the original ingredients in parentheses:

3 chicken breasts (1lb pork), diced or shredded
4 (4oz)cans green chile, hot or mild or both (6-8 large fresh, large roasted Hatch green chiles)
1 Large can of stewed tomatoes, or 1 10oz can of diced tomatoes
4 c. beef or chicken broth or 5 bouillon cubes, chicken or beef
3 garlic cloves
1/2 red onion
2 T. EVOO
3 T. Cumin
1 T oregano
1/2 bag, of cubed frozen hashbrowns, or fresh diced potatoes
1/4 c. (about a handful) of cilantro
1 dutch oven or large kitchen pot

  1. Grill and or brown the meat of your choosing, adding cilantro before completely browned. If browning meat instead of grilling, use dutch oven or kitchen pot to brown, remove meat after browing and cooking thoroughly making sure to keep pot warm.
  2. Add EVOO, finely chopped garlic, and chopped onions, sautee, and brown onions until almost carmelized, then returning meat to the pot.Cook for 3-5 minutes in sautee mix of garlic, onions, and EVOO.
  3. Add 2 cans (or half the chopped roasted Hatch green chile), being sure to stir and reduce heat to medium, medium-low.
  4. Add can of tomatoes, stirring slowly, and during this time add bouillon cubes and or slowly add stock and or broth 1/2 c. at a time, cover and stir slowly from time to time.
  5. Add remaining cans of green chile (or remainder of chopped Hatch chiles), add cumin, oregano and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes.
  6. Finally, add half bag of frozen, cubed hashbrowns, stir thoroughly, cook for another 3-5 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with warm tortillas.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 272 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137
Calories from Fat 23
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.6g 4%
Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 500mg 21%
Total Carbohydrates 13.0g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g 13%
Sugars 2.0g
Protein 15.0g

Vitamin A 7%
Vitamin C 27%
Calcium 7%
Iron 15%

DIY Chocolate Covered Strawberries – Last Minute Valentines

For those of you who have procrastinated for Valentine’s Day and are not sure what to give as a gift….I have a solution! My DH HATES and I mean HATES Valentine’s but he plays into the whole holiday for me….even though I truly don’t care for it. But I love the holiday only because he proposed on this day 9 years ago and not over dessert but in the desert! Yup, in the desert, in front of a Jeep, at the base of the Sandia Mountains over looking the twinkling lights of the city. So to celebrate I made some easy do-it-yourself (DIY) chocolate covered strawberries at home.

He did this just when I thought that the whole night was over and he was never going to propose. I was wrong. THERE! I said it…..I was wrong. He will be so pleased. Anyway, off on a tangent, back to the gift idea. FOOD! Yes, food is the best gift when you can’t afford to go out and spend a fortune and you can’t spend a fortune to get a unique gift so here is the gift idea….ready for it………

Chocolate covered fruit! Strawberries always come to mind, but hey, oranges are great, blueberries, bananas, just about any dang fruit out there is FABULOUS in chocolate! So here is you pantry list:

  • Fruit: Strawberries, bananas, anything listed above
  • Chocolate chips or Hershey Kisses
  • Toothpicks
  • Wax paper
  • Cookie sheet or 13X9 baking pan

1. Pour 6 ounces (3/4 cup) chocolate chips or kisses into a microwave safe bowl and melt for 1 minute on HIGH. Stir, and reheat if consistency is still chunky.

2. While chocolate is melting, prick all your fruit with toothpicks. This makes dipping and placing a breeze and cleanup is a snap! Line sheet/pan with wax paper.

3. Start dipping fruit and place carefully on sheet/pan.

*If you want to get creative use a couple different chocolates like semi-sweet and white for fancy designs or different flavors like the picture posted below.

4. Place fruit into fridge for 2-4 hours for chilling and setup (overnight preferred) and VOILA! You have now created a loving gift of food for your Honey Bunny without breaking the bank and who doesn’t just love chocolate on Valentine’s and chocolate covered fruit to boot!

For more last minute foodie ideas that won’t break your bank or require an extra trip to the store feel free to email me at karie@thefivefish.com and I would be more than happy to provide some fantastic recipe ideas. Bet you didn’t have any idea I was a chef!