Grandma Beautiful. That’s what my kids have called my mom since they were little. It’s her “grandma name.” In fact, several of our friends’ kids call her that, too. She’s Grandma Beautiful to pretty much the whole neighborhood! And since it’s her birthday, we thought we better pay tribute to this beautiful woman with one of her faves: German food!
Kartoffelsalat, or German Potato Salad, is one of my mom’s very favorite things. Actually, anything German is her favorite! My dad was an army physician, stationed outside of Munich, during the early years of their marriage, and they fell in love with that country. She probably should’ve been born there because she’s a German through and through, if only in spirit.
And so, our bday dinner celebration includes, among other things….three varieties of grilled bratwurst (Can we talk about how happy I am that it’s warm enough to be grilling without a parka on? Woot woot!), German Potato Salad and German red cabbage.
A few other things about Grandma Beautiful, since it’s her day. (Sorry about the personal shoutout here…sometimes you just gotta do it. You know, for Mom.)
Grandma Beautiful is a very proper lady. Think southern belle (but she’s not from the south.) She collects china and has her table set with different china patterns all through the year, according to holidays and seasons.
She is all about history, and is, in fact, a card-carrying member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Mayflower Society. She loves eating out, being with people and throwing (or going to) parties.
She’s very social. Her love language is definitely FOOD. (Hmmmm…maybe that’s where I got it.) She never shows up at our house without some sort of food gift. In short, she’s one great lady.
And so, today we celebrate 84 wonderful years. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Grandma Beautiful! Happy Birthday!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red potatoes
- 6-8 slices bacon
- 1 small onion
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch or tapioca starch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thinly slice potatoes and cook in salted boiling water until almost tender. Pull off heat and drain well.
- Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces with kitchen shears and cook in a large skillet until crisp.
- Take bacon out of pan, and drain most of the drippings, reserving 1/4 cup.
- Chop onions and brown in reserved bacon drippings.
- Add honey and vinegar to pan.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to pan. Combine and cook until thickened and bubbly.
- Add potatoes and bacon and stir gently to combine. Salt and pepper.
Notes
*This is the perfect side to go with grilled brats! It's also a great alternative to the traditional mayo-drenched potato salad.
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