Gil Hurtado’s Blog Entry:

Lily’s Potato Salad

First of all, I love my wife’s cooking. She makes every effort to provide a meal that is tasty, healthy, and economical. It was difficult making a selection. I sat at the table and began making a list. It started getting a little too long. Sure enough, I ended up choosing the first thing on the list. Lily’s Potato Salad.

Before I go on, I need to share a little about me and Lily. She was born and raised in Mexico. While I was born here in the U.S. Before my mom passed away, she had been very good friends with Lily’s mom. Don’t ask me why but, they would throw us in the same crib. So yes, I’ve been sleeping with my wife since we were about two years of age. We kind of just got used to each other but were unaware of each other’s feelings. I asked her to marry me when we were twenty. We never even dated. She said yes just as her boyfriend arrived. He was bringing her a box of chocolates. I suggested that she take the chocolates first, then break the news to him. I guess she was classier than I was because she didn’t take the chocolates.
We got married on March 30th, 1981. That’s the day Ronald Reagan was shot. It was a great day marred by that tragic event. In any case, it was Reaganomics that caused some of our financial problems. Hiring freezes kept me unemployed. Times were tough.

We got by on some savings that I had. But, we needed to stretch this money somehow. Lily found a way to make meals that we could eat as a snack or as part of a meal. Potato salad was one of those meals/snacks. She would read a variety of recipes and pick and choose how these ingredients could be personalized. The measurements vary every time she makes it. She is constantly tasting it and adds a pinch of this and a pinch of that. The result is fantastic. Family and friends ask her to bring this when we do potlucks.

Here are the ingredients with more or less the measurements that she would recommend:
(Serves 5-6)

• 4 Large Potatoes. (High in Potassium, which fights loss of muscle mass, fights off kidney-stones, lowers risk of stroke, and blood-pressure. High in Vitamin C, which is great for fighting cancer and great for the immune system).
• 3 Celery stalks. (Lowers cholesterol, high in potassium, great for weight control)
• 3 Scallions. (It’s the lightest of the onions in regards to taste. Not too strong.)
• ½ Cup of pitted black olives. (Low in calories.)
• 2 Hardboiled eggs. (Good source of Protein. Great for muscle mass.)
• Mayonnaise. The amount is based on your taste. Some people like a lot.
• Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Salt based on your taste.

This meal is symbolic of our struggle early on without sacrificing taste or nutrition. Ethically, perfect for vegetarian. My seven-year-old granddaughter says it best, “Gemma, you cook better than Taco Bell”.