Cookouts and potato salads go hand in hand. It IS a rare picnic table that doesn’t have at least one potato salad featured among the dishes.

However, the traditional salads made with mayonnaise present a challenge during hot summer barbeques. The best suggestion I have for those salads: keep them in the fridge until it is time to eat. Return them to the fridge as soon as everyone has been served.

Since that is not always feasible, the next solution is to place a bowl of ice under the bowl of potato salad. Keeping the salad as cold as possible is the goal in avoiding food poisoning. A better solution is to avoid the issue completely. This recipe avoids the concern about mayonnaise by using Ranch dressing.

If you have a family member who is not crazy about traditional potato salads, ask them to try some of this dish. It has won over several folks in my family who were adamant that they did not care for potato salad.

For your next cookout, try this recipe and see what happens. There is a good chance your bowl will be empty.

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 med. Potatoes
• 1 bottle (15 oz) Ranch Salad Dressing
• 1 small Onion, diced
• 1 package (5 oz) Bacon bits

Instructions

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. In a medium pan with water to cover, boil potatoes until fork tender.
3. Drain and cool.
4. Toss with remaining ingredients. Chill overnight and serve.

Make it a meal:

Serve beside a grilled hamburger. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese or dab a bit of sour cream on each serving for a more decadent side dish.

Approximate Nutritional Value per serving:

Servings per Recipe: 10, Calories: 160, Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 337mg, Total Carbs: 33g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Protein: 4g.

The ingredient list for this recipe calls for a regular onion. You may substitute two green onions. Or add them for more variety in color and texture. The recipe also asks you to peel the potatoes before boiling. If you want, you may leave the peel on, just make sure you have scrubbed it well and cut out any eyes on the potatoes.

If you are watching your sodium or fat content, you will want to select a bottle of dressing that meets your dietary requirements.

I am often asked which type of potato works best for potato salads. I have found there is small difference between russet, red, or golden potatoes. The trick is to keep a close eye on the potatoes as they are boiling. You want to boil until just fork tender, not until you have got a pot of potato mush on the stove.

Stay close to the stove when boiling, this is not the time to be cooking and crafting. In my experience, crafting becomes all consuming and pots boil over. Now I only craft when the crock pot is cooking dinner or my husband has ordered a pizza.

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