POTATO SALAD

I haven't made potato salad in years. This is the first recipe in Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life and sounded flavorful and basic. I don't really like fancy potato salad, if there is such a thing. The addition of the Ranch dressing seemed odd but it works. Next time I will add chopped celery--I like the crunch. But this was a hit at our July 4th luncheon which included the peach-lacquered chicken, beans, and a frozen limeade pie that was a hit.

Salad:

1 3/4 pounds red waxy potatoes, scrubbed

4 large eggs

8 scallions (white and pale green parts) thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dressing:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

4 tablespoons bottled Ranch dressing (preferably Hidden Valley)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)

Put the potatoes in a dutch oven or large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add a generous dash of salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small, thin knife, about 15 minutes. Drain them into a colander, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool. When the potatoes are cool, cut them into rough 1-inch chunks. For the smaller potatoes, halve them; for the bigger ones cut into quarters or eights. Put them in a large bowl.

Cook the eggs placing them in a small saucepan, and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for exactly 12 minutes. Immediately pour off the hot water and run plenty of cold water over the eggs. When the eggs are cool, peel them, chop them coarsely, and add them to the bowl of potatoes. Add the scallions, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss to mix.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Ranch dressing, dill, and caraway seeds (if using). Pour the dressing over the potato mixture, and stir to evenly coat. Taste, and adjust the salt as needed. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving.