Lesley's Potato Salad Recipe

Well, not exactly a recipe because there are no precise measurements, but I never measure and do it by taste, as I do almost all my recipes.

This is the potato salad I grew up eating (except for a slight change I have made over the years) and I have never had another potato salad that I likely nearly as much. It was taught to my grandmother by her 2nd husband who immigrated to the US from Germany. My grandmother would have never given out this recipe, she was really secretive about her recipes. However, it is likely that this or a similar recipe in already on the internet somewhere. :-)

I thought maybe I just liked it because I grew up with it, but several years back I made it and my guacamole for a party in Hawaii and they both disappeared within the first 15 minutes and everything else was nearly still full, so apparently others like it too.

What you will need -

Potatoes, I prefer the red or yellow variety, but Russets work fine too.
Eggs
onion, any kind works, but green onions are not as good
Vinegar
sour cream
miracle whip, mayo or plain yogurt
mustard
paprika
salt and pepper (optional)

Peel and chop potatoes. You don't have to peel them, when I am lucky enough to find bags of baby reds or yellows, I don't peel them. Some people hate the peel though. Boil your potatoes and also enough eggs to chop into the salad with 2 left over for garnish. Boil your potatoes long enough that they are cooked through, but not mushy. Hard boil your eggs. Your eggs will finish first so slice two and put aside for garnish. Chop the remainder for your salad. Chop as much onion as you want in your salad and anything else you may want to add, like bell peppers, celery, apples or whatever. Drain the potatoes when they are done and mix in the chopped eggs, onion, salt and pepper to taste, and anything else. Pour in some vinegar while stirring so that you likely get a bit on each potato, but don't soak them in it. Really just a couple quick dashes of vinegar will do. Any vinegar will work. I have even used malt vinegar and it works well, but my fave to use is the same my grandma used - cider vinegar. Set that aside and in a cooking pot combine sour cream and either miracle whip, mayo or yogurt. First decide how much you will need to coat your potatoes and for every cup of sour cream add about 1/2 a cup of miracle whip or yogurt. My grandma always used miracle whip, however, I tried yogurt instead a few years ago and I think I like it better. Then add mustard - to taste. For me, to taste is until the sauce turns a pale yellow color. Add at least a tablespoon of whatever vinegar you are using - taste it and add until it tastes good to you. Cook on a low setting until it boils, then let it boil just a minute or two and then pour over your potato mixture. Once you have everything mixed well, arrange your egg slices on top and sprinkle with paprika. It is best if you can refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but overnight is even better.

You can use low fat sour cream, yogurt, or miracle whip if you wish. I personally don't use products that are not naturally low fat, but it is up to you.

RIP Farah!

We love you! Not because you were beautiful on the outside, but because you were beautiful on the inside and never gave up.

1930s Futuristic Fashion Predictions

Breaking Rules!

Just some thoughts on Regan's post below:

No white after labor day -- I grew up with this rule. The closet was cleared of white after labor day. Although, I often break this rule and know that it is silly, I still never put on a white skirt in the winter without the thought that I am doing something horribly wrong flashing through my mind. Then again, that makes it more fun!

I also grew up with the rule that you don't mix gold and silver jewelry. That one didn't stick either. I am a total jewelry whore and want to wear as much of it as possible and all different metals. Hell, I will even throw in some copper with the gold and silver!

I don't wear much or any black in the summer. That has nothing to do with fashion rules, rather that I live in NM and it is hot here and black makes it more hot.

Thank God I am no longer expected to be tanned! As a child I was always tanned because I was outside pretty much every moment of daylight. However, as an adult that would require me actually laying out in the hot sun. I have never understood what people like about that. It is boring and causes skin cancer.

To be honest, I never knew your bag and shoes were suppose to match. Mine rarely do and if they do it isn't on purpose.

Lastly, I am not a big fan of patent leather, but I once worked with a lady that sounds very similar to the snotty bitch that told the writer of that article that patent leather in summer was a no-no. I was about 24 years old and I worked at a high end retail store. The assistant manager there who was probably near 60 would always give fashion tips in a rather snotty way. She would say things like: You could make that dress look less cheap if you replaced the buttons with expensive ones. Which was her way of saying that she didn't like my cheap clothing that did not contain designer labels. Since getting older and having more money to spend on clothes I have looked closely at the buttons on designer clothes and they are pretty much exactly the same as on cheap clothes. That same woman would also judge every single person that walked into the store by what they were wearing. If they were wearing something that looked "cheap" she would totally ignore them except for watching to make sure they didn't steal anything. If they were all dressed up in designer clothing and bags she would fall over herself gushing at them and offering assistance of any kind. That woman still disgusts me and it raises my blood pressure to even think of her, so enough.

10 Summer Fashion Rules You MUST Break, Dahlings

Really! Wear white whenever you want, and black too. Patent leather is always in, and please, I don't care if you're 5, 15, 50 or 92, do NOT match your purse and shoes. Oy, such a doofus!

Read more rules here.

The Brassage and Breast Cancer

The brassage is promoted as being a benefit to "the girls" and possibly preventing breast cancer. The idea behind this is that toxins become trapped, and that's one cause of cancer. By wearing the brassage, which massages the breasts, toxins are released.

A news clip takes exception to this; they interview promoter Christina Erteszek, daughter of Olga, the famous bra designer. At one point Erteszek becomes upset and walks off the set, but returns later. They show a clip of a woman who had breast cancer ten years ago, who is very angry with the idea of the brassage, saying it "exploits women." Female doctors are also interviewed; one says the brassage is "crazy." The promoters of the brassage insist they don't say it will prevent, or cure, breast cancer, just that it might help keep breasts healthy. Erteszek says, when asked if the bra will prevent breast cancer:

"Yes. Of course." But, she went on, "I say, 'help to prevent.' I'm making no medical claims that it does prevent."

The news clip calls the brassage promoter "angry," (this before she walks off), derides the inventor as not being a "real" doctor but a chiropractor, then moves on to the next clip, which talks about more cancer: young people are getting it, and drinking hot beverages can cause it.

All very interesting in its juxtapositions, and blatant marginalization of anything remotely alternative, such as the idea massaging the body can help rid it of toxins.

My point here isn't whether or not the bra does what it says it does but the slant the media put on this. According to the news clip, the bra is no longer being manufactured. In this context: the juxtapositions, the marginalization, the slant on alternative ideas, no matter how low key, the segue into cancer alarmist "news," the use of women as spokespeople in the appeals to authority,and pointing the finger at money making makes for a Big Pharma, medical infrastructure propaganda campaign; under the guise of being informative and pro-women's health, there seems to be another agenda behind their disingenuousness.

Commercial and Symbolism

Update: I'm not kidding, after I posted this, I turned off the computer, put it away, went back into the bedroom, turned on the TV, and a commericial was running, one I hadn't seen before. The commerical? Yes, that's right! This very one!

The Geekologie blog brings us this commerical clip for the Shick Quattro For Women TrimStyle with Bikini Trimmer. wQuestionable Women's Razor Commercial I'd say this was in your face heavy handed Freudian symbolism, but that could be taken the wrong way...

"We Must Take Away Your Boop-boop-da-boop"

Clip of Betty Boop sexuality, hidden drawings in the cartoons:

How to clean the house

1. Open a new file in your PC .
2. Name it 'Housework.'
3. Send it to the RECYCLE BIN.
4. Empty the RECYCLE BIN.
5. Your PC will ask you, 'Are you sure you want to delete Housework permanently?'
6. Calmly answer, 'Yes' and press mouse button firmly ...
7. Feel better?

L'Oreal's HIP Duo Metallic Eyeshadow

I read recently in a magazine article that the metallic gold eyeshadow is a good one to use for women over forty. Okay, over fifty. I'll try almost anything, well, kind of. No plastic surgery or injections but I will have fun at the local Rite Aid playing with the make-up. So I tried L'Oreal's HIP Duo Eyeshadow and I love it! It really lasts all day, looks great, and it's cute. Comes in a little compact round container, with two sides; one is the shadow, one holds the applicator and has a mirror. I think I'll try their green shade next.