Vegetables and Side Dishes

Nanny's Potato Salad

Lydia "Nanny" Farris from Humble, TX  is the best cook I have ever met, she only cooks plain home cookin' but it is plain delicious.  I entered this recipe in a cook-off and brought home the first-place trophy.

Serves 8 to 10

6 to 8 kinda big potatoes
1/4 c. buttermilk
6 to 8 sweet pickles, diced
4 green onions, chopped tops and all
6 to 8 hard boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 c. salad dressing
2 T. mustard
2 T. sweet pickle juice
small jar chopped pimentos (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Peel potatoes, slice, cover w/water, and boil until tender.  Drain, reserving 1/4 c of liquid, mash with potato masher adding the buttermilk and potato liquid (if needed) to make stiff coarsely mashed  potatoes.  Let cool in the freezer some, then add all the remaining ingredients adding more salad dressing if its too dry.  Refrigerate for an hour or two to let the flavors blend.  Garnish with paprika.  Tastes even better the next day!

Nanny's Candied Yams

A tradition at Thanksgiving and Christmas at our house.  I can never seem to make enough so that there are leftovers.

Serves 8 (maybe)

6 to 8 kinda big sweet potatoes
1 1/2 c sugar
1 stick real butter

Peel potatoes, cover with water and boil about 10 or 15 minutes.   Drain, reserving about a cup of the liquid.  Slice very thickly (at least 3/4 in), and arrange in a single layer in a 13x9 pan.  Sprinkle the sugar over the potatoes making a pretty thick layer (to where you can barely see the potatoes), use more sugar if you need to.  Cut the butter into pats and place them all around on top of the sugar.  Pour 1/2 the reserved liquid into the bottom of the pan, being careful not to wash the sugar off the potatoes.  Bake uncovered in a 375° oven for at least 1 hour.  Do not allow the pan to boil dry, add liquid if needed.