Homemade Potato Salad

My family has a tendency to gather together frequently for parties, to have dinner, and have the opportunity to enjoy one another's company. When this happens, invariably someone brings along the potato salad. This is a recipe that has been a huge hit with our family.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds (small bag) of red potatoes, peeled and diced
• 10 slices of thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 tablespoons of dill pickle juice
• 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup of chopped onion (red or yellow, your preference)
• 1/2 cup of diced celery
• 1/4 cup diced olives (optional)
• 8 hardboiled large eggs
• 2 tablespoons sweet relish

Procedure:

1. Prepare Potatoes. Peel the three pounds (or small bag) of red potatoes. Once all the potatoes have been peeled, dice the potatoes into small cubes and place into a large colander. Clean and rinse the potatoes and place into large stock cooking pot. Use enough water to cover the potatoes, and turn the heat to high. Allow the water to boil until the potatoes are fully cooked (when you can easily cut a potato with a spoon). Remove the potatoes from heat, and allow to cool (roughly twenty-five minutes).
2. Prepare eggs. Place the eggs into a small pot or pan and use just enough water to cover the eggs. Place the eggs and water onto the stove and bring to a rolling boil (using medium heat). Let the eggs remain on the heat for one minute, and then remove to cool. After twenty-five minutes remove the eggs from the warm water and run cold water over them. Peel the eggs.
3. Mix ingredients. While the eggs and potatoes are cooking mix the crumbled bacon, mayonnaise, celery, onions, relish, mustard, and pickle juice into a large bowl (preferably the same bowl that you will use to serve the potato salad). Mix until everything is the consistence of a smooth paste.
4. Add eggs. Add the eggs to the mix. Dice the peeled eggs straight into the paste you made in step 3. Continue adding the eggs until all are gone. Once the eggs have been added, mix and mash the eggs into the paste, until you have reached your desired consistency. Don't worry if the paste has a slightly chunky appearance since that will be the egg whites.
5. Add potatoes. After adding the eggs, it's time to add the potatoes. Fold the potatoes into the mixture that you have made, continue mixing until all the potatoes have been covered. Taste the salad, and add salt and pepper if needed. When finished mixing the potatoes and the salad, garnish with the olives if you like.
6. Store in fridge. For some cold potato salad place in the fridge until the salad reaches the proper temperature. (On average this will be around one to two hours.)

This recipe serves about 8 people. (It will go even further if there are other salads at the meal—which is often the case.) While the salad is chilling in the fridge, take the opportunity to clean up your mess. If you placed all your peels, shells, and other odds and ends into the same bowl, this should be a relatively simple task.