Tuesday, October 9, 2012

My Favorite Way to Not Boil Potatoes

This summer was so darn hot that in order to cook anything, I had to get creative. To boil potatoes would have been unthinkable with how hot it was. Yet I wanted to make potato salad for dinner from time to time. We love potato salad and I make a big bowl for leftovers.

One day, I decided to experiment cooking the potatoes in the crock pot. I washed and just put them whole into the crock pot with about an inch of water and turned it on high. After about three hours I had perfectly steamed potatoes ready to cool and peel for potato salad. I will never boil potatoes again for salads. Tonight I am trying a mashed potato experiment. I will let you know how it turns out.




A few favorite recipes to use your perfectly cooked potatoes:
Baked Potato Salad


This is the best potato salad recipe hands down.



35 comments:

  1. That's a great idea! I will do that too, why have I never thought of it?
    I'm going to look at your recipes, I love potato salad.
    Hugs, C indy

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am a crockpot lover...so I will definitely give this a try!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I pinned the crockpot recipe and the potato salad one, Elaine.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a great idea. Now, where is my crockpot?? Will definitely do this when I find it. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. Super idea. I don't boil them either. I wash them, prick them and wrap them in waxed paper and cook them in the microwave. Big huge potatoes take about 5 to 6 minutes and 2 huge ones about 8. They are absolutely perfect to peel. If you want to have great baked potatoes, just cook them a little longer and they are fabulous. Nice and cool too and take just a tiny bit of electricity. Wax paper is the secret. Hugs, Marty

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great idea! Now I just need the crock pot.

    xo
    Claudia

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow...wish I knew that in the summer! But I will try it...thanks!!
    Hey, the girls are wonderful. I don't mind the naughtiness at all. They are loves. Settled in just fine!!!
    Is it working much better for you to only have the two?
    Hugs,
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've made mashed potatoes in the crockpot and it works great. Especially for Thanksgiving! Love potato salad too. xo

    ReplyDelete
  10. now my family loves potatoes so i will definitely try these potato salads ... i could live off them. now that i have gotten married only on occasion do we have them. thanks for the recipes. (:

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love potatoes cooked any way! We picked up some BBQ for dinner and I made potato salad this afternoon to go with it! YUM!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I do this with my sweet potatoes all of the time, only you don't have to put water in the crock pot. They make their own thick sweet juice, and hubby swares they taste better in the crock pot, lol. Works for me!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great idea! I need to pull out my crock pot more!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I live by my Crock Pot!! My friends tease me all the time about how much I cook in it. But, it's so easy and can be prepared and then left for the day. I will have to try potatoes. Thanks for the hint.

    Judy

    ReplyDelete
  15. Now aren't you the smart girl? I am SO doing this! Am anxious to hear how the mashed potatoes turn out!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Brilliant idea, Elaine! :D My kitchen heats up due to the wall of windows, so anything to help keep the heat down is appreciated. I love my crockpot, but I've never solely used it for potatoes, but I really should!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've done the same thing.
    I usually treat them as a baked potato and serve with salt/pepper and sour cream.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love any potato recipe, and not having to turn on the stove, or the oven, what a great idea.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    ReplyDelete
  19. I will try this for sure and your potato salad recipe also!

    ReplyDelete
  20. This sounds like a great way to make potatoes, weather you're trying to keep from heating up the house, conserve on gas, or just not enough pots to cook in...
    an easy recipe.

    Thanks for sharing it. You know... you can cook Corn on the Cob in your coffee pot! ;) {wink wink) Pat

    ReplyDelete
  21. FAB idea! I have not had potato salad in ages. Thx for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. I'm a potato lover! Great idea, the crock pot. I also use my microwave and save time.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I like potatoes, but especially baked with onions and bacon. But that doesn't sound like a Summer recipe ;-).

    Goedele

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a great idea! Love the new look to your blog also!

    ReplyDelete
  25. This is such a great hint!
    Definately "pinterest worthy".

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a great idea.
    Thanks for sharing.
    I love my crockpot.
    Happy Fall
    Trace


    www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. You are after my heart. I have never met a potato that I didn't adore! I can't wait to try the potato salad recipe. I love potato salad. Thank you for linking up to the blog hop today. I look forward to reading your blog each week!~Melissa

    ReplyDelete
  28. Well, I sure never thought of that before. Great idea! I'm gonna do it.
    Dolly

    ReplyDelete
  29. What a great idea!! I wouldn't have thought of that, I'll have to remember this trick.
    Thanks.
    Saw you linking at Tilly's Nest.
    Debbie :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hi Elaine, I'm Anne from Life on the Funny Farm (http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.com) visiting from Tilly’s Nest.

    What a fantastic idea! This is one I'll have to write down. Thanks for sharing!

    Anyway, it’s nice to "meet" you. I hope you can pop over to my blog and say hi sometime if you get the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Ha ha ha NOW I read this when it's finally cooled off here. I don't have whole house air and my kitchen was an inferno for most of the summer...so I understand about not even wanting to boil something.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I followed your link from Tilly's Nest.

    What a great idea for cooking potatoes! I'm going to try it with sweet potatoes. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi Elaine, thanks for the great tip of cooking crock pot potatoes. I am going to try it for sure. Your mom's salad recipe is identical to what I do except for the sour cream and olives. Mine is my moms recipe. I'm going to try adding the two ingredients next time for a change. Thanks for sharing your tip and recipes with SYC.
    Hugs,
    Jann

    ReplyDelete