Strawberry-Banana Cheesecake Salad and Not My Mama's Potato Salad

Variations of this recipe for Strawberry Banana Cheesecake salad are floating around on facebook. It is nearly the same as the taffy apple salad I have here on my blog only with a few fruit changes and a different Jell-o pudding. I also used low fat Cool Whip and for the bananas to keep them looking fresh use this tip. As soon as you cut the bananas, put them in a bath of lemon juice. This slows down the oxidizing process. I made my salad a good 5 hours before the family ate it. And it still looked good.

Here's what you need:

Strawberry-Banana Cheesecake

3 bananas cut into slices
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tub of strawberries hulled and sliced
2 cups marshmallows
1 tub fat free Cool-whip
1/4 c. sour cream
1 small package Jell-o cheesecake pudding

Stir the Cool-whip, Jell-o,  and sour cream together in a large bowl add the marshmallows. Remove the bananas from the lemon juice and add to the fluff along with the strawberries. Let sit for 3-5 hours covered in the fridge.

My Mom will tell you she invented potato salad, but this ain't your Mama's potato salad. I can't even look at Mayo without gaining five pounds so I am cutting the fat with some low-fat Daisy sour cream. I am also adding some turkey bacon to the mix. Perfect for a day like today. Just remember to keep your potato salad covered with ice in that cooler of yours or refrigerate up until serving time. It does have eggs in it but those can be omitted and you can go the sour cream route totally. When I go just sour cream alone I like to make "Stuffed" potato salad with bacon bits, scallions, and cheese.

Here's what you need to do to prep:
Cover with water and boil 5-6 medium to large skin on  potatoes-check for doneness beginning at the 25 minute mark. Your knife should be able to go into the potato but there should be some give left. Remove from the water and let them cool.  At the same time boil 3 eggs. Once you see them at the rolling boil stage, set the timer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them rest for 5 minutes more. Then, run cold water over them. Change the water one more time and then off to the fridge to cool. This will make them easier to peel. These eggs were purchased this week putting to rest the myth you need to use old eggs for hard boiled eggs. And look Mom, no dark rings.

Not My Mama's Potato Salad

5-6 medium to large potatoes diced into cubes
3 stalks celery diced
1/2 diced onion
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup Mayo or Miracle Whip
2 TBSP yellow mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 boiled eggs diced
3 slices turkey bacon crumbled (we like them crispy)

Peel the potatoes, dice the celery, and add to a large bowl. Add the Mayo, sour cream, mustard  and eggs. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Mayo likes to soak up into the potato salad, so you may have to add more mayo and seasoning right before serving. Also save the bacon for the last minute or it will get soft.