I feel like I should declare it “Bacon Month” here at Food Shenanigans, since this is my second dish with bacon thus far, and I have something planned with pancetta at the end of the week [and pancetta is basically just Italian for "expensive bacon"]. But we aren’t gimmicky like that, and it’s kind of weird to declare it anything month when the month in question is almost over. Regardless, be on the lookout for the gnocchi pan fried in pancetta fat with garlic that I have envisioned in my head for later this week. Maybe with asparagus? Mmmm….

Ahem. Anyway. Sorry; it’s poker night and I’m distracted by the guys bitching about me watching Legally Blonde on ABC Family. I have to watch this movie every time it’s on. I’m not really sure why, but it’s just one of those movies for me. And before anyone mocks me too much, my husband has watched at least a portion of Pearl Harbor every time it’s been on lately.

On to the food! There aren’t that many pictures, because it’s a pretty basic dish. Even Smitten Kitchen doesn’t have that many potato salad pictures! It’s a simple food, with few ingredients, and those ingredients are just tasty, not particularly attractive. Also, I realize everything I write is rife with commas, but I just can’t help it. It’s a disease.

In keeping with my theme of non-Mexican food, I decided to make kielbasa and potato salad for poker night this week. The kielbasa was easy – pan fried, with half of it doused in Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, the other half plain. For the potato salad, I wanted something creamy, but not overpoweringly so, because that’s not how I roll. I can appreciate mayonnaise in small doses, but not big globs of it. It’s kind of gross looking.

The recipe I used is below:

3 pounds baby red skinned potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
6 celery stalks, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
8 oz bacon, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes whole, with the skin on. Cook until fork tender, then drain and set aside to cool. Dice celery and onion. While potatoes are cooling, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut raw bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Set aside. Once potatoes are cool, add mayonnaise mixture and mix thoroughly. Add celery, onions and bacon. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Chill at least two hours; if serving next day, you may want to add the bacon the following day, so it doesn’t get soggy.

I thought it was really good. The husband, who is not a fan of potato salad, said it was “all right” before having his second helping. My indicator that it was good? There’s about half a pound left, out of the three pounds made, and there are only five people that ate here tonight.