Way to Go, Ronda!

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Posted by Alia Ahmed June 11, 2009 at 8:49 a.m.

Make Me Some Potato Salad Mon, 06/08/2009 - 11:03 — By Walter Pfaeffle in www.germerica.net

If you had closed your eyes and listened to Ronda Miller’s grandfather speak you might have echoed Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz saying, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.”

He spoke with such a thick German accent you might think he had spent most of his life in Europe. In fact, Ronda’s grandfather was born on the farm his parents owned. Her great-grandmother spoke only German and lived into her 90s. It was the family elders and their friends in German areas of Kansas who spoke with the Teutonic accent they brought in.

A third-generation German-American, Ronda lived on the 880-acre property until her parents sold it. Way back the family even changed their name to Miller from the original Mueller, possibly because of the anti-German hysteria that prevailed in our country after World War I.

“It’s always heart-wrenching to see something that you know meant so much to your ancestors in the hands of others who don’t care for it nearly so well.”

As a child, Ronda had a uniquely American experience down to the one-room country school located about a mile from the Colorado and Kansas border. Later at the University of Kansas she earned degrees in Creative Writing and Human Development/Family Life (Photo: Ronda, left, and her siblings).

A mother of two, Ronda writes blogs for the World Company as well as other media. She is a self-employed Health and Fitness Coach and offers support services to those who have lost some one to homicide or suicide. She knows what its like to lose something precious.

“It’s too easy to lose touch with our roots .. they are essential to our well being on a very base level,” she says. Like most rest of us, Ronda is a loyal American proud of her German ancestry.

Soon Ronda will be an empty-nester. Her son Vardaman, 21, has joined the army and will begin basic training in Georgia in August. Daughter Apollonia, 18, will enter the University of Kansas at Lawrence at about the same time.

With the kids soon out of the house, Ronda might have more time on her hands to dream up recipes.

Before revealing the secret of her mustardized potato salad, let me tell you that I prepared it myself and, honest, it was yummie! My 21-year old daughter ‘Andy’ agreed (she ate most of it). Photo: Publisher Walter Pfaeffle and daughter Andy in New York City enjoying Ronda's potato salad.

Sorry, Ronda, we know Kansas produces superb wines, but our local vintner couldn’t come up with a bottle. So we washed down your potato salad with a Chardonnay from Napa Valley.

Here now is Ronda Miller’s recipe for hot German potato salad with mustard. You might want to stick it on your refrigerator door with one of those magnets.

A Hot German/American Mustard Potato Salad

By Ronda Miller

6 or 7 red potatoes

3 to 4 hard boiled eggs

4 Tablespoons of mayo (don't you dare use a light one) I have to adjust this depending on how large the potatoes are as I don't like mine too dry or sloppy.

1 teaspoon of dry mustard (sometimes I use a tablespoon of wet honey mustard)

freshly grated sea salt to taste

freshly grated black pepper to taste

one small red onion diced

liberal sprinkling of dill seed ( I am more conservative with this now that I am a Republican)

Serve it very cold....or eat immediately after mixing when it is still warm. Who really cares?

So the low calorie version would be the same as above, but you could leave out the egg yolks and use low fat mayo....just don't bring it to my house. And I am a nice enough person that I make an onion free batch to please my son.

Guten Appetit!

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Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…

Well, Dave Klamet tried to teach me how to post links to a blog but as you can tell, I'm still having trouble. Here it is.

http://www.germerica.net/
June 11, 2009 at 9:02 a.m.
schula (anonymous) says…

Logan 72 -- Thanks for posting the link to the great story on our own Ronda Miller. I love looking at old pictures like the one of Ronda and her siblings.
June 11, 2009 at 9:24 a.m.
RoeDapple (anonymous) says…

Congrats Ronda, but I have to know. Was it the potato salad or the wine that put the expression on the faces of the publisher and his daughter? Ha!

http://germerica.net/modules/tinymce/...

;-)
June 11, 2009 at 9:33 a.m.
sassypants (anonymous) says…

Congrats Ronda. Shake that dill seed on. Thats the most important part. My hubby doesnt really care for potato salad unless there is plenty of dill seed on it. I will try the sea salt, I have never used it.

Thanks for the compliment last nite at zumba. Hee, Hee. Hope to see ya again soon.
June 11, 2009 at 10:10 a.m.
passionatelibra (anonymous) says…

Congratulations Ronda!
June 11, 2009 at 10:19 a.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

Sassy, you look great and it is obvious that you are feeling terrific too. Lot's of energy and compliments; very nice combo!

passion and schula, thanks! You'll get to try the homemade version soon - and I remembered, no onions for schula! :)

Alia, I appreciate that you took the time to bring attention to the blog...thank you! And I still need help with a lot of things when it comes to the tech word also.

Roe, what can I say; some folks just don't like hot mustards! Maybe a different wine would have been in order...I'll have to try it with several this weekend.
June 11, 2009 at 10:51 a.m.
schula (anonymous) says…

Ronda -- thanks for remembering that I don't like onions!
June 11, 2009 at 11:55 a.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

It seems about a fourth of all people I know have an issue with onions...either they give them migraines, an upset stomach, or they just don't like the taste.... Some people eat onions only when they are raw, others only when they are cooked. I never met an onion I didn't like! ;)
June 11, 2009 at 3:36 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

... and, hey, cootie girl... I thought you were a Germ-o-phobe...!
June 11, 2009 at 5:28 p.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

tange, that would only be when you double dip.....some things even I just can't tolerate......didn't you mean to say, "cutie girl".......
June 11, 2009 at 6:03 p.m.
RoeDapple (anonymous) says…

I like onions while standing between the rows. Hold onto the greens, peel the outer layer, pinch the roots off and eat like an apple...........

mmmmmmmm!!

Wait, why is everybody backing away from me! Was it something I said/ate? If everyone did it no one would notice! Come back!

Ah, well, more for me..............
June 11, 2009 at 6:06 p.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

I love raw onion sandwiches as well, Roe...some onions are every bit as delightful as an apple...a roeDapple..... ;)
June 11, 2009 at 6:12 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

R: "... didn't you mean to say, “cutie girl”...?

I didn't.
June 11, 2009 at 7:48 p.m.
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…

bedalia (sp?) onions make a wonderful homemade onion soup! simple too. I always add garlic, whole garlic sliced.

congrats Ronda! I hope this Germerica website gets a lot of hits!
June 11, 2009 at 8:14 p.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

gnome, very close.... it is actually the Vidalia onion and is commonly grown in Georgia. They are wonderful as they are, but I enjoy making a white sauce and simmering them in that until tender...a pinch of salt and some black pepper. I haven't had them that way for a long time, but after you reminding me of them it may be soon.....

Thanks for the congrats! I couldn't do much of anything without all of you and you have encouraged me from the beginning....justthebeginningtowrite.......
June 11, 2009 at 10:34 p.m.
twinetowngirl (anonymous) says…

Ronda,
What an excellent opportunity for you to receive the recogniton that so many of your fine blogs deserve. You have a natural talent with words.
Your pictures on the article are very nice...it is always nice to put a face to the words that we read. (I love it when a novel has a pic of the author on the back cover of the book)
I'm with you...I never met an onion I didnt like..alas, my family on the other hand dislikes them, so I dont get to enjoy them as much as I would like to.

Schula...seriously? Potato salad without onions? That is just a sin!...Take a walk on the wild side..(or is that the "dark side" LOL) You dont know what your missing!
June 11, 2009 at 11:40 p.m.
sassypants (anonymous) says…

I love onions also. This is a new one that our family has started doing and they are awesome. 3 or 4 large vidalia onions. Skin the top layer. Quarter or dice, just not all the way through and add some margerine. Wrap with alum. foil and put on the grill. Cook about 45 min. to one hour along with whatever else is on the grill. After they are done we move the onions to low heat side of grill.
June 12, 2009 at 12:43 p.m.
sassypants (anonymous) says…

We use a smoker most of the time. We love tenderloins, brisket, whole chicken and turkey on the smoker. So with the onions you may need to adjust the time on these onions for cooking faster.
June 12, 2009 at 12:49 p.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

sassy, thanks for the vidalia ideas...and schula, if you aren't allergic to onions you just might love these!

Hope all is well with you, sassy. Did I mention onions are almost no calories...then there is that butter.
June 12, 2009 at 12:53 p.m.
sassypants (anonymous) says…

Ronda, shhhhhhhhhh I won't tell if you won't. When I make them at home, I use the olive oil spray like Pam. That olive oil spray has become my best friend lately. BBQ next weekend for my brothers birthday so will have to sneek the olive oil spray in.
June 12, 2009 at 3:56 p.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

You know I didn't realize the olive oil came in a spray...now that is a worthwhile tip. Thanks! And have a terrific low cal birthday celebration with your brother. There is no reason it can't be all things.
June 12, 2009 at 4:53 p.m.
liggyon (David Lignell) says…

Congrats, Ronda!
June 13, 2009 at 5:44 p.m.
justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

twine, thanks for your sincere, heartfelt message. I really appreciate it.

David, thanks, chum!
June 14, 2009 at 11:58 a.m.