Barbequing in the Rain (and Hail)

So Cookie Monster and I wanted to have a barbeque. We inherited a free grill from a neighbor and wanted to break it in. So I got some beef and trimmings at Trader Joe's (one of the best stores in the history of the world) for him and our guests, and I had some veggie burgers in the freezer for me. I also made some potato salad, going off a recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

When we fired up the grill it was cloudy but pleasant outside--about 55 degrees or so.

As you can see from this photo, it did not stay that way! All those little white specks you see around the steaming grill? Yeah, those are hail stones.

Ah, what a lovely afternoon in the Pacific Northwest.




But don't worry. The burgers were great!

Here's the recipe for the potato salad. It's one of the few times you'll see a recipe here at Chez VCK with actual measurements used. So really relish this rare moment.

Classic Potato Salad
from Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition

6 medium potatoes (I didn't use this many--I used about 3-4)
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I don't know how much mayo I used. Probably not this much)
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
1/3 cup chopped onion (I didn't use this much onion--probably only a good handful or so. I know, really accurate)
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles or relish
6 hard-boiled eggs (I used 3)

In medium saucepan place potatoes and small amount of water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until just tender. Drain well; cool slightly. Peel and cube potatoes. (This is a really roundabout way. I didn't go through all these steps. I cute up the potatoes into bite-sized chunks, then boiled. This saves a lot of time. Also, I didn't peel them. Potato peel is perfectly edible and it adds fiber. So I never peel.)

Meanwhile, for dressing, combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper in large bowl. Stir in celery, onion and pickles. Add potatoes and eggs and stir to coat. Cover and chill for 6-24 hours (I wanted to serve it right away, so I put it in the freezer for about half an hour. It worked fine).

Ta da! Potato salad!