Zaroga's Southern Style Potato Salad

For years I made this potato salad without a written recipe and no set amount of ingredients... I did not measure.  I got asked so many times for a recipe that I decided to measure the ingredients.  The recipe is for a family reunion size.  It can be cut down to suit your needs... I will leave the math up to you :-)  For Frank & me; I half the recipe and give about a third of the results to Frank's parents. 

The amount of ingredients is not set in stone.  If you are not a sweet pickle lover use dill pickles.  It you are not a salad dressing person use mayonnaise.  If you like less or more of something do so... make the dish to your taste.

Make a day ahead for the best flavor.

5 lbs potatoes (Russet or Idaho work well); peeled and quartered

1 stick of butter or oleo

1 onion, chopped (sweet is best to me, but use whatever kind you like)

1 tsp. pepper (I like to use Lawry's seasoned pepper,  Black pepper or white pepper can be used)

¼ tsp. celery seed (if you like the texture of celery in your potato salad use it... it's up to you)

16 oz jar of sweet (or dill if you prefer) salad cubes or relish 

4 hard boiled large eggs, chopped 

3 cups or so of Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Place chopped potatoes in a 5 or 6 qt. pot.  Cover with water and wash the potatoes; drain and repeat until water is clear.  Cover with water and add some salt (sorry I've never measured).  Enough to lightly salt the potatoes.  Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes or so. Drain and return to pot. Mixing is done while potatoes are hot! The potatoes naturally mash as you stir.  Do not mash the potatoes... just stir.  That way some of the potatoes will be mashed and you will have chunks of potatoes too. Add the stick of butter and stir until melted. I always use a wooden spoon to do the mixing.  I usually take a little taste at this point to see if I need to add salt... it should taste lightly salty. Remember the pickles & salad dressing have salt already in them and you do not want it too salty.  Stir in onion, then the pepper and celery seed.  Add the jar of sweet salad cubes (juice too).  Next stir in the chopped boiled eggs (see note below).   Then I add the Miracle Whip.  It should look a little soupy, but will firm up when it cools. If it does not look a little soupy add more salad dressing.  Place in your serving bowl and sprinkle with a little paprika and decorate as noted below if desired.   Cool to about room temp and then refrigerate. 

Note: You can reserve one egg or boil an extra one to be used as a decoration. Slice one egg in half and slice the white into petals.. I usually do 8 petals. Place half an egg yolk ... the other half can go in the salad or sprinkled on the potato salad... in the center of the salad and arrange the petals around.  It looks kind of like a daisy.  In November and December I place the petals in red food coloring to turn them a rosy pink.  I use the whole egg yolk and place half in center and crumb the other half around that.