I refuse to let Summer go! Technically, Fall doesn’t begin until September 22nd, but Labor Day always seems to feel like the last Hoorah of summer. In my World, Labor Day is synonymous with grilling and great side dishes like Homemade Potato Salad.
For those of you not from the United States, Labor Day is a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of United States. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed in 1885 and 1886. From these, a movement developed to secure state legislation.
The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by the State of Oregon on February 21, 1887. During 1887 four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment.
By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1884, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
I love history now, but I never did growing up. It was the one subject that never caught fire with me. Now, I just can’t get enough. I’m a bit of a nerd and love learning about history. While history never made an impact on me as a kid, one thing sure did…Mom’s Homemade Potato Salad.
I joke in the video about remembering my mom’s potato salad from when I was 13 years old. That is no joke. That’s what I love about food! Specific tastes and recipes literally transport me back to when I first had that food. This potato salad is so distinctive, because of the few green olives that my mom would add, that it just screams family picnics out on the boat in Clear Lake or Galveston. It was a summer staple.
I mention the green olives. Indulge me a little bit and let me elevate potato salad for a moment: “the tartness from the green olives really balance nicely with the creaminess of the mayonnaise and I think they single-handedly enhance the taste of this potato salad.” There, that wasn’t so bad….and neither are these olives in this recipe. I encourage you, even if you’re not a huge olive fan, adding just a couple is all it takes.
As for the potatoes, you can use any kind that you like. I like the red potatoes because they are not overly starchy, and they hold their shape a bit more than other potatoes. Plus, I love leaving the skins on as they add a great color to the potato salad…and, of course, it saves us some time from having to peel them. Score one for the Tiny Kitchen!!
As for the remaining ingredients, it’s just a matter of taste. Like I mention in the video, mom never measured so it’s all done by taste…which is great, because with these ingredients, you’re not going to mess up the flavor.
So if you’re new in the kitchen or find yourself always following every recipe to the letter, then let this recipe be a chance for you to experiment and break new ground. Heck, go a little crazy and add a little more celery if you like or, if you like onions, add more! What?!? Can that be done? You betcha!!!
Have an idea for another ingredient that might go good in there, why not, add it! If you do, though, you’ve got to let us know about how it turned out…and be sure to post a pic on Instagram and tag me in it (@tinykitchenTV). I love to see what you create!
I hope you’ll try this potato salad and maybe even make it part of your Labor Day tradition! Have a great holiday weekend and Happy Labor Day!
Homemade Potato Salad
Ingredients
SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED IS:
- 6 medium Red Potatoes
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Mustard
- 2 ribs Celery
- 3 Green Onions
- 5 Manzanilla Olives (traditional pimento-stuffed green olives)
- 1 Hard-boiled Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- To taste Pepper
YOU'LL ALSO NEED:
Instructions
- Place unpeeled Red Potatoes in a large pot. Add Salt and cover with water so that the water-level is about an inch above the Potatoes. Place on stove over high heat and cook until fork tender (about 10-20 minutes; it varies depending on the size of the potatoes). Allow to cool.
- Dice celery, cut Green Onions into 1/8 inch slices and slice Green Olives.
- In a separate small bowl, mix mayonnaise and mustard until thoroughly combined.
- Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces.
- Combine Potatoes, Celery, Green Onions, Olive, Mayonnaise/Mustard into a large Mixing bowl.
- Add black pepper and stir until all the potatoes are coated.
- Garnish with sliced Hard-boiled Eggs.
- Enjoy!
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