Southern Comfort Food Feast (feat. vegan Potato Salad)

This weekend, I did a miraculous thing and finished my homework early. That left me with a whole Sunday afternoon with nothing to do. This is an absurd freak of the universe, because the last time this happened...was probably like six years ago.

I decided to make the Country Fried Cauliflower from Hot for Food's "Vegan Comfort Classics" cookbook. Ambitious for a whim, I know, but that's not all.

I decided it would be the perfect time to create a southern comfort food feast.

So I made potato salad.

Guys, I have made potato salad exactly once ever before in my life. It wasn't good.

My grandmother used to make potato salad, and I always enjoyed that, but between moving out and going vegan, her potato salad became a distant memory. I asked for the recipe once, but to no avail. She did it all by taste, she said.

I thought that was bologna, but what are you going to say to your grandma?

But today, folks, I did it. I made potato salad from scratch with no recipe (okay, with kind of a recipe), and I even did the thing where you taste the food and decide it needs salt and then taste it again and it's perfect.

I'm officially a 5-star chef. You should kneel before my bowl of potato salad.

I served up my deep fried veggies with barbecue sauce, potato salad, a scoop of mac and cheese, and some green beans. I'm not even kidding, it was a feast fit for kings. Southern, KFC-lovin' kings.

For anyone else looking to improv their own potato salad, here are the notes I jotted down while stirring stuff together:

4 russet potatoes
2 stalks celery
1/2 sweet onion
Vegan mayo
Sugar
Dijon mustard
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Paprika
Apple cider vinegar
Pepper
Salt

- Chop potatoes into bite-sized bits, but not too skinny.
- Cook potatoes until fork tender.
- Rinse in cold water.
- Add to bowl with other stuff, stir together, chill.
- Maybe add parsley or chives next time.