{Simply Potatoes} Loaded Potato Salad + {GIVEAWAY}

It’s summer time and I don’t know about you, but I love to make different salads and cold dishes to beat the heat. We don’t have a grill (which I’m still sad about) and when you turn the oven on in the apartment it is like a million degrees. Pair that with an air conditioner that isn’t that efficient and you’re in for a warm night (and a high electric bill!) One of our favorites is the Chop(ped) Salad that I’ve shared with you before. You’ll notice it involves bacon, which we love. We’re also a huge fan of Macaroni Salad – my Mom has a killer recipe that is so simple & basic, yet yields so much flavor. I really enjoy The Best Basic Potato Salad recipe that I’ve made in the past, but I wanted something that packed a little punch. So when I was contacted by Simply Potatoes to share a summer side dish using their potatoes, I knew bacon had to be involved in some way, shape or form.

Simply Potatoes is a product I love, and I use it all of the time. I use their Shredded Hashbrowns for the Hashbrown Crusted Breakfast Casserole that I make. I’ve tried shredding my own potatoes for hashbrowns and can I tell you what a disaster that was? It’s so much easier (and cheaper!) to just buy them already shredded. They’ve got so many other wonderful products that truly make your life so much easier. They even have recipes on their web site for you to try out.

And can I tell you how easy it was to just throw a bag in the microwave and press start? I didn’t have to wash potatoes, peel potatoes, or even cut potatoes. It was already done for me. They were already seasoned with zesty garlic so I didn’t have to mess with a garlic press and tons of other seasoning.

This would be a wonderful side dish to take on your picnic if you’re attending Dîner en Blanc in Philadelphia! This is sure to be a dish that is gone before you know it! Throw it in your cooler and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

  • One 16 oz. package Simply Potatoes Zesty Garlic Diced Russets
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh chives (green onions work as well)
  • ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste

 INSTRUCTIONS

Steam the potatoes in the microwave as directed on the package. Let them sit in the microwave for a few minutes. Remove them from the microwave and put them in a bowl. Let them cool.

While the potatoes are cooling, fry your bacon. Drain on a paper towel and crumble. Set aside. And try not to eat it all.

At this point your potatoes should be about room temperature. Add in your mayonnaise and your sour cream and stir. Add in your bacon, chives and cheddar cheese. Stir carefully. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. I like to let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to get nice & cold.

IT’S GIVEAWAY TIME!


***THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***

I’m giving away a coupon for one free product to one lucky winner! You can choose any Simply Potatoes product to try!

RULES:

1. Eligibility:

Giveaway is open to readers with U.S. shipping addresses only.

Here are the sweepstakes rules.

2. How to Enter:

Please leave a blog comment on this post telling me what your favorite potato dish is!

For BONUS ENTRIES, please leave a SEPARATE comment for each additional entry letting me know you’ve done any of these:

1)      Follow me on Twitter;

2)      Follow Simply Potatoes on Twitter;

3)       Tweet about the giveaway “I entered @one_curly_fry’s giveaway to win @simplypotatoes! #simplyfied http://wp.me/p1oF1b-1f5″

4)      Subscribe to email updates at the top of the left sidebar;

5)      Blog about this giveaway on your blog.

6)      “Like” one curly fry’s Facebook Page.

7)      “Like” Simply Potatoes Facebook Page.

This contest will run until Tuesday July 31st, 2012 at 1:00pm  (Eastern) and a winner will be chosen by random.org. The winner will be announced by 5:00 pm (Eastern) on July 31, 2012.

 {Simply Potatoes provided me with the Potatoes for this dish and the Giveaway coupon, but as always my opinions are 100% my own}

Dîner en Blanc is coming to Philadelphia!

Dîner en Blanc

From global phenomenon to most sought after ‘secret,’ Dîner en Blanc takes hold in a Philadelphia public space for the first time this summer.   This très chic picnic, imported from Paris, is part mystery tour, part pop-up feast and part je ne sais quoi.  On Thursday, August 23, 2012, culinary and culture enthusiasts dressed in white will converge upon a secret locale for an unforgettable evening of elegance, beauty and magic.

“Philadelphia is a city full of life with a passion and appreciation for food, tradition and culture which makes it a perfect backdrop for Dîner en Blanc,”said Natanya DiBona, Philadelphia Co-Chair. “The goal is to spend an extraordinary night — an unconventional picnic — and gather Philadelphians in a beautiful public space to reconnect friends and create new relationships.”

The waiting list for the Philadelphia edition of this world-wide viral event is now open at http://philadelphia.dinerenblanc.info.   When registration opens in a few weeks, all waiting list members will receive notification to register themselves and a guest, as well as select a meeting location for the day of the event.   Registrants who are too busy to pack their own picnics will also be given the option of pre-ordering a gourmet meal from the event’s caterer, Garces Catering.

Preview on Avenue of the Arts with City Hall in Background

Photo Credit - Sean Corbett Photography

Dressed in white, participants then converge upon their designated meeting spots with tables, chairs, non-disposal supplies, great food and fine wine.  From here, participants are led by their Table Hosts to the secret location the 1,000+ guests have been anticipating for months.

Over the course of the evening, the diners enhance the function and value of a Philadelphia space by participating in the unexpected. Beyond the spectacle and elegance of the dinner itself, guests are brought together from diverse backgrounds by a love of beauty and good taste. And several hours, when it is time to leave, diners fold up their tables and chairs, pack their crystal and dinnerware, gather all their debris and head into the night, with no sign of their elegant revelry left behind.

 Preview on Avenue of the Arts with City Hall in Background

Photo Credit - Sean Corbett Photography

Organizers take every precaution to ensure that there are no disruptions from car and pedestrian traffic.  Although, it isn’t uncommon for the event to attract looks of astonishment from passersby at the scene unfolding before them.

The number of slots available for this first year are limited. Registration takes place on a first come, first served basis.   Dîner en Blanc is BYOB and therefore all participants must be at least 21 years old.    For more information on Dîner en Blanc Philadelphia, click here.

About Dîner en Blanc
Launched with just a handful of friends by François Pasquier nearly 25 years ago, Paris’ Dîner en Blanc now assembles nearly 15,000 white-clad guests each year in a dozen cities throughout Europe and North America. People simply place their names on an online waiting list and those who attend a Dîner en Blanc can become members, are invited back the following year, and in turn, can invite their friends. Dîner en Blanc is about building a pyramid of friends and a network that links memories.

The French capital’s most recognizable sites have played host to it: the Pont des Arts, the Eiffel Tower site, the Louvre Pyramid, the Trocadéro Esplanade, Place Vendôme, the Château de Versailles, the Esplanade de Notre-Dame, the Esplanade des Invalides, the periphery of the Place de l’Étoile, the Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, the Louvre Museum and last year: The Plaza of Notre Dame basilica.

The American premiere was in New York, where over 30,000 people joined a wait list in hopes of securing one of the limited 1,300 spots. For 2012, Dîner en Blanc will be taking hold in outdoor public spaces in 20 cities across 5 continents, from Barcelona to Singapore, from Montreal to Sydney.  In the United States, 9 cities will play host to Diner en Blanc, including Las Vegas, New York, Boston, New Orleans, and Cincinnati.

For more information on Dîner en Blanc International, visit http://dinerenblanc.info/

**All of the information from this post is from the Dîner en Blanc Press Release**