Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours

Potato Salad
Serves 12

When it comes to potato salad, you like what you like. This recipe is mayonnaise-based, but if you like a mustard-based potato salad, just experiment a little. Add some yellow mustard and leave out a little bit of the mayonnaise. Make these recipes your own by finding out what works for you. Our traditional potato salad uses peeled potatoes, but unpeeled work too, and the skins add some color to your dish.

5 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut in ½-inch ­cubes
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to ­taste
4 hard­-­boiled eggs, peeled, and ­diced
3⁄4 cup ­mayonnaise
½ cup sweet pickle ­relish
Black ­pepper

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan or pressure cooker (see Note). Add 2 teaspoons salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 30 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with the point of a knife but hold their shape. Drain the potatoes, transfer them to a large mixing bowl, and allow them to cool completely. Add the chopped eggs, mayonnaise, and sweet relish, and fold gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

From Gwen:
Don’t overcook the potatoes. They should hold their shape during mixing.

Note: The potatoes may be cooked in a pressure cooker. Sprinkle salt over the potatoes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and pressure-cook for 5 minutes. Release the pressure immediately and drain and cool the potatoes.

Sweet Potato Soufflé
Serves 8

This is a nice variation on regular sweet potatoes for a Thanksgiving side dish. It's almost a dessert, it's so sweet!

   • 5 medium sweet potatoes (about
9 ounces each)
   • 2 large eggs
   • 1 cup granulated sugar
   • 1 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
   • 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
   • 1/2 cup milk
   • Pinch of salt

Topping

   • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
   • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
   • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
   • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter. On a foil-covered baking sheet, bake the sweet potatoes for 1 hour, or until they are soft. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, place the flesh in a large mixing bowl, and mash until very smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, milk, and salt. Combine well with an electric mixer or hand mixer. Turn the mixture into the baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and butter until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture over the sweet potatoes, making an even layer. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, or until slightly browned. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.