Saturday, July 19, 2008

Anybody hungry?

My son Joe Hardy is a member of a Hispanic church, who wants to do a food fundraiser. Joe asked me if I would like to make potato salad for the event. We decided that four batches would make enough for 60-80 dinners (depending on portion control).

So...

Twenty pounds of potatoes, peeled, boiled, chopped. Four dozen eggs, boiled, peeled, sliced. Eight ribs of celery, two large onions, chopped. Four quarts of Miracle Whip, mustard, pickle juice. Dill weed and paprika.

Hours and hours and hours. Large-O mess. I filled two foil "turkey roasters" full to the top. Probably 25 pounds. Called Joe at work to tell him I Was Finished.

Mom. The fundraiser is Next Saturday, not This.

I pictured myself going door-to-door, crying, begging people to Please Take My Potato Salad.

I called Charming at work and boo-hooed on his shoulder. He said, "but, Honey, potato salad can be frozen."

Ray of hope? Light at the end of a very dark tunnel?

The jury is still out. Everywhere I go on the internet says that potatoes are good for nothing but the garbage can if they have been frozen and thawed. Gritty. Mushy.

So how come they sell Frozen Mashed Potatoes and Frozen Hashed Brown Potatoes? And, helloooo, French Fries...

edited to add: I think I have found my answer here. It appears you can freeze potatoes if you don't thaw them before cooking (thus the stuff you find in the stores). It is when they are thawed that the gritty mushiness occurs. Looks like I'm sunk.

If you are in the neighborhood, come on over! I'll warn you, though. Potato Salad will be the appetizer, entree, and dessert...

edited Again: My neighbor Linda's church is having a happenin' this weekend as well, and said she would welcome the potato salad. Praise the Lord!

1 comment :

Ruthie said...

Oh my goodness! I bet the potato salad was yummy - but what a shame it was the wrong weekend. Too bad I don't live near to have some ot that. Glad it could be used. :)
Smiles.