Hot German Potato Salad (A Microwave Recipe)

When my sister and I vacation together, we keep a lookout for German restaurants wherever we go.  We found one in Nashville, Tennessee, and one in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on our most recent trip.

Here's a quick and easy way to make traditional hot German potato salad.  This is the second Oktoberfest recipe I promised to post.  It's one of my favorites!


Hot German Potato Salad

4 potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 slices bacon, cooked, chopped, fat reserved
1/3 c flour
1/4  c sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t celery seed
1/8 t pepper
1 c water
1/2 c vinegar

Place potatoes and bacon in a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Place bacon fat in a microwave-safe bowl.  Stir in flour, sugar, and seasonings.  Microwave 1 or 2 minutes at full power.  Stir in water and vinegar and cook at full power for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring after each minute, until mixture boils and thickens.  Remove from microwave and stir smooth.  Pour over potatoes in baking dish and stir.  Cover dish with plastic wrap, venting one corner.

Microwave at 70% power for 20 minutes.  Remove and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter Cookies (From Mom's Recipe Card File)

Peanut butter cookies are very popular in our house, the kind that are basically chocolate chip cookie dough with peanut butter flavored chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  There is no peanut butter in the dough!  What???  How can those be considered peanut butter cookies?   (I actually have a recipe for those, but this isn't it!)

Here's the recipe for REAL peanut butter cookies - the ones my mom used to make - 1960s-style.


Traditional Peanut Butter Cookies (about 2 1/2 dozen)

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4  t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

Cream together butter and peanut butter.  Add sugars gradually and cream.  Add egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.  Add gradually to the creamed mixture.  Cover the bowl and chill dough 15-30 minutes.  It will be fairly soft.

Roll into about 1-tablespoon dough balls with your hands (I use a cookie scoop to measure).  Roll in additional granulated sugar (you'll need about 1/3 cup) and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with a fork in a criss-cross pattern (to about 1/2 inch thick).

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.  Let sit on the baking sheet about 5 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.  Cookies will be tender-crisp, not soft.

This recipe can be doubled.