Southwest Red Potato Salad

With Memorial Day and the summer fast approaching, the season for cookouts is at hand.  Potlucks and cookouts can be a source of anxiety for a lot of people.  Figuring out what to bring, that people will actually like, and that you can actually cook can be a pretty trying experience.  I’ve noticed that most twenty-somethings opt for the ever popular random-store-bought-item option.  While this is always an option, and if you’re pressed for time it’s clearly your best option, I always encourage people to shy away from it.  Think back to all the cookouts you’ve been to, usually there are way too many bags of chips and loads of plastic containers of cookies.  But what is everyone raving about and gobbling up at the speed of light?  It’s not the chips and dip you picked up on your way over, it’s that homemade 7-layer dip your friend’s mom always makes or Aunt Betty’s famous baked beans.

But you can do that too!  You don’t have to be someone’s mom or aunt to make awesome potluck and cookout contributions that everyone will be begging to have the recipe for.  Try this Southwest Red Potato Salad.  It’s got a lot more interesting ingredients than regular potato salad and isn’t just a mass of potatoes slathered in mayonnaise (so unhealthy!), so it’s something different that people will be intrigued by.  It’s light and the flavors, especially the cilantro, corn, and red pepper combo, are perfect for summer and cookout-type foods.  I’ve made this potato salad for multiple potlucks (including a cookout today) and it’s been a great success at all of them; I rarely take home leftovers and almost always have at least one person ask for the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 lbs red potatoes, cubed

1/4 C olive oil

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

2 oz cream cheese, softened

1/3 C sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

1 tsp paprika

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (15 1/2 oz) can corn, drained

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper, finely chopped

1/3 C cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a cookie sheet, toss potatoes with oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; bake for 30-35 minutes and then allow to cool slightly.

2. In a small bowl, stir cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.  Stir in the chilies, paprika, garlic, and the remaining salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, combine the corn, onion, red pepper, and potatoes.  Toss with dressing and cilantro and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.