Father's Day Weekend-- Gluten-Free Picnic

Whoa! Here we go, another busy weekend.  It's Friday night, and I'm trying to get all of my ducks in a row.  I am working on Saturday, and then having a cookout at my parent's house. Sunday morning, bright and early, we're headed to Athens to go to the zoo there and have a picnic.  What does this mean?  Lots of cooking: 2 types of potato salad, baked beans, marinated veggie salad, gluten-free fried chicken, and watermelon salad.  Not to mention getting together my dad's gift, my husband's gift and hauling everything to where it needs to go along with the snacks.  I want a long nap just thinking about it.

First up: MY traditional potato salad
6 potatoes
3 eggs
2 stalks celery
3 tsp. parsley
1 cup mayonnaise (sometimes I use sour cream)
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1 heaping tsp. Hungarian paprika
salt
pepper



Chop the potatoes into medium to large sized chunks, throw them in a large pot, and boil until ready. Also hard boil the eggs (seperately) and remove the shells.  Set both eggs and potatoes aside in a colander to cool.  Chop the celery finely.  Throw eggs, celery, and potatoes into a largish bowl and add mustard and mayo.  Mix up with a spoon.  I use a regular tablespoon to do this, it helps the potatoes mush up so you get some potato starch mixed in your dressing.  Add Hungarian paprika and parsley, and then salt & pepper to taste.  Mix well, cover, and put in the fridge until just before serving.  My husband and I both firmly believe that the spicy brown mustard makes this potato salad.  Not to be cliche, but it rather takes it from bland and boring to "WOW."


I chose to make a vinegar based potato salad for the picnic. This way, I have no worries about mayo spoilage.

Potato Salad #2-- Vinegar Version
8 potatoes
1/2 red onion + 1/8 red onion
1 stalk celery
For the dressing:
1 cup oil ( I used canola but prefer olive)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 small stalk fresh thyme
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
salt
1 tsp. brown mustard

Wash your potatoes, chop them up, and boil them.  While they are cooking, slice up half of a red onion in thin slivers.  Sautee them until they are just starting to turn clear, and remove from heat.  DO NOT go get on Facebook while waiting on your oil to heat (unless you want to do like I did and burn up your oil and set off the smoke alarm and wake up the baby and make everyone angry.) Chop your celery into small pieces.  Take about 1/8 of the onion and mince as small as possible.  In a small non-reactive bowl, pour the apple cider vinegar, and sprinkle some sea salt.  Add the minced onions, mustard, and honey.  Remove your thyme leaves from the stem, and chop finely.  Throw them in the mix.  Add freshly ground pepper.  Grab your whisk, and whisk it all together.  SLOOOOOOWLY pour in your oil, whisking the entire time.  This step is really important, it helps keep the vinaigrette from separating.  Now, toss your boiled potato pieces, sauteed onions, and celery into a large (preferably lidded container.)  Pour your vinaigrette over the mixture, toss well, and put in the refrigerator until ready to use.

I've made many vinegar potato salads before, I just invented this one this morning and it's the bomb.  Very honey-mustardy.  My family's gonna chow down. I'm wondering if I need to cook more potatoes and throw in there...

I'll follow up in the next post with more of my gluten-free picnic.  Coming up: marinated veggie salad, watermelon salad, and gluten-free fried chicken.