Ranch Potato Salad

5 lbs russet potatoes, washed thoroughly
1 T salt
1/2 c ranch dressing, recommended Litehouse Homestyle Ranch
1/2 c sour cream
2 T fresh dill, finely chopped
3 t rice vinegar
10-12 grinds fresh black pepper

In large pot, cover potatoes with water. Add salt and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil potatoes until it slides from knife when pierced (approximately 15 minutes). Drain and allow to cool to room temperature.

When cool to the touch, coarsely cut potatoes into bite size pieces and place in large mixing bowl. Add ranch dressing, sour cream, vinegar, dill and pepper. Gently fold until well combined. Add salt and more pepper to taste. Refrigerate, loosely covered, a minimum of 4 hours before serving. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This is a dish prepared by taste alone. I did not follow any recipe so all measurements are approximate. Adjust as your taste prefers. I prefer to leave the potatoes un-peeled as it adds to the home-made look and texture. If you want to peel the potatoes, do so prior to boiling and lessen the cooking time by 2 minutes.

Cucumber Dill Salad

4 large cucumbers
1 t salt
6 radishes
1 container (8 ounces) plain yogurt
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c fresh dill, loosely packed~ chopped
2 T lime juice
1/4 t black pepper
1 garlic clove~ minced


Cut each cucumber lengthwise in half; scoop out seeds with spoon. With knife or in food processor fitted with slicing blade, thinly slice cucumber halves crosswise. In large bowl, toss cucumbers with salt; let stand 30 minutes.

Thinly slice radishes; transfer to serving bowl. Add yogurt, sour cream, dill, lime juice, pepper, and garlic. Stir until well combined.

With hand, press sliced cucumbers over sink to remove as much liquid as possible. Pat cucumbers dry with paper towels.
Add cucumbers to bowl with yogurt mixture. Toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight to blend flavors.