Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Tip for a Summertime Favorite


I'd wanted a french fry cutter for a long, long time but when I checked the price of one at my favorite restaurant supply store in Tulsa well, let's just say that pretty much blew it out of the water. NO WAY was I going to fork over that much money. (no pun intended) I could cut a whole lot of potatoes up by hand for what that one would have cost me.

Then we took a trip to Branson. I always check out the kitchen stores in the outlet malls when we go. And guess what! One of the stores had, what I believe to be, the very same cutter. The box was exactly the same. But the price was less than half of what the one at the restaurant supply store was. Needless to say I bought that baby on the spot.

So I get it home. And up until yesterday the cutter remained in my pantry unused. Not one single french fry has been cut with it. But then, we haven't been eating a lot of potatoes recently.

Then the other day while we were at the grocery store I picked up a bag of potatoes. Hey - it's summer and we haven't had any good potato salad. And I'd included it on the menu for this week.

Yesterday I was really busy all day. I had put some potatoes and some eggs on to boil while I doing other things.

When they were both done and cooled it was time to make that potato salad. And I was tired. Really tired. Was not looking forward to peeling and cutting up all of those potatoes one bit. The eggs wouldn't be so hard but the potatoes - that's a different story.

See, I like chunky potato salad. Not the mashed up kind. I want to be able to bite into chunks of potato.
But I don't want huge chunks, just the right size bite chunks. Kind of like that Goldilocks girl and her porridge. Just the right size chunks. And it takes awhile for me to cut those potatoes up to just the right size.

Then it dawned on me - my french fry cutter! I would / should be able to put those peeled potatoes right through it, then with a paring knife, quickly cut those sliced potatoes up going the other way for the perfect sized chunks.

And. It. Worked! Absolutely, beautifully! (insert a picture of me patting myself on the back for such a brilliant idea. I don't often have those.)

Well, if it worked for potatoes - shouldn't it work for boiled eggs as well?

So I put an egg in and presto - it came out every bit as well as the potatoes did. Made 3 or 4 quick cuts going the other way and the eggs were done too.

Stirred in the rest of our favorite ingredients and AAHHHHHH! - perfect potato salad to go with the perfect grilled hamburgers AD had made.

What a wonderful summer supper!

26 comments:

  1. I would never have thought of using it for the cooked potatos. Good for you!!! Sounds delicious.

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  2. What a fun new toy! I have a green bean Frencher on my wish list. Have a great day....Denise

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  3. Great way to put your purchase to work. I'm surprised it sliced the eggs. I thought for sure it would squash them.

    Your Friend,
    Deborah

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  4. Good Morning Sweetie...
    Wonderful share this morning. I love it. I need one of these french fry cutters with my 8 grandlings. They love fries for sure.

    Potatoe salad sounds wonderful. I am knocking on your door sweetie. It may only be 7:30 in the morning, but what the hey, it is wonderful any time of day for any meal.

    Have a beautiful Wednesday sweet friend.

    Country hugs sweetie...Sherry

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  5. Aren't you the smarty pants ! Is it ever nice to find what we want sometimes at a better price !
    Diane

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  6. It sounds like you really did have a great idea.
    Happy that you got to pat yourself on the back for it.
    have a great day.

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  7. I like my potato salad the same way. In fact, it sounds so good I may make some this week.

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  8. Oh I do love a tip for something quick and easy! Especially when it comes to cooking. And I love Branson, the shows and the shopping. Stay cool in this heat, September will be here shortly!

    Liz

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  9. Don't you love it when you come up with an idea that saves you a lot of work? And I bet you are really glad that you bought that potato cutter.

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  10. You are a kitchen genius. I love gadgets but don't let myself buy them because they end of collecting dust.

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  11. brilliant idea! I love when you find something you have wanted for a way cheaper price! I bet your potato salad was delicious as it seems that all your baking and cooking always sounds sooooo good!

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  12. That's awesome...and triple duty french fry cutter! Good for you. I love fries and I love potato salad......a lot!!!!

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  13. Wow...that makes it easy. May just need to look into getting one. Thanks for visiting my blog.
    Warmest Regards,
    Pat

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  14. I want me one of them fancy doers too. Glad it worked out for you.

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  15. Perfect!!! Now I want your recipe. I need a really good potato salad recipe!

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  16. I wonder how it would work with sweet potatoes? Love em with powdered sugar. Hugs, Mollye

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  17. No one but a lady from Okla would think of doing that. As it turned out, it was great idea. I love potatoes anyway they are fixed. Try not to eat too many as they are fattening.

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  18. I have the exact same potato cutter. I love mine too. I also got mine at a kitchen outlet in my area.

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  19. Thanks for the hydrangea tips my friend. I'm going to try everything!

    I want one of these cutters! Wow! This would change my life...especially around the holidays!

    xoRebecca

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  20. I LOVE POTATO SALAD JUST THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED IT....OH THAT SOUNDS SOOOO YUMMY...MY TASTE BUDS ARE WATERING.....
    LISTEN ON MY NAKED LADIES...I DON'T THINK I CAN DIG UP THE BULBS UNTIL LIKE LATE SEPTEMBER...I WILL HAVE TO CHECK BUT IF YOU WILL E MAIL ME YOUR ADDRESS, I WILL MAIL YOU SOME BULBS...BECAUSE YOU ARE OKLAHOMA GRANNY...LOL.
    BE SURE AND SEND ME A REMINDER ABOUT THAT TIME...DEBBIE...DON'T FORGET MY BULBS...I'M SERIOUS.
    HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND
    HUGS
    SIMPLY DEBBIE
    ONE LADY TOLD ME SHE HAD ONLY SEEN BLUE ONES BUT NEVER PINK ONES...I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME BLUE ONES WOULDN'T YOU. THEY WOULD BE PRETTY TOGETHER.

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  21. the company ought to hire you for a commercial! great idea on making it work for you in several ways.

    i'm with you on the potato salad. mashed - ick.

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  22. Hi I'm new to your blog, are all your post's this informative. This is a great find and time saver, with 2 hungry toddlers I need all the shortcuts I can get my hands on haha.

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  23. My mother made the best potato salad in the world!
    Before she died she passed on her recipe to my wife. Now that you got me hungry for potato salad, I think I'll have my wife make a big bowl of it and I'll grill up some burgers. Yummy!!

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  24. Good for you. Your potato slicer came in handy. I too am picky about potato salad. My wife makes it perfectly and I'm spoiled for anybody elses.

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  25. How cool is that... I think we all know that chopping and dicing can take TONS of time. I made a huge batch of relish with cukes, peppers, onions last week. It took me several hours to chop, chop, chop. And for some reason the recipe yields were off...wayyyy off. I only got 2 pints and 2 jelly jars out of it! Should have been at least 5-6 pints. Hmmm. All that work. I think I need me a big food processor, huh?

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  26. I have always wanted one of those. Where is the picture of the potato salad?? :-)

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