Picnic-safe potato salad: it's time to eat outdoors

If the snow is not melting in your neighborhood and the temperature doesn't feel spring-like yet, just wait; it's coming. And you know that means it's time for a picnic.

Spring is a perfect time to get out the basket, the cooler and the portable grill and head outdoors:

1. The weather is just right, and the bug population is still minimally invasive.
2. It's an easy way to feed a lot of people, without messing up anyone's house.
3. It's a good way to get a lot of friends in one place.
4. It's a good way to gather a variety of excellent eats.
5. It's a good excuse to eat and drink things you swear you would never keep in the house.
6. It's an easy way to feed even picky kids, because you let them feed themselves.
7. It's an easy way to combine ridiculous amounts of eating with at least some exercise, if you pick your picnic spot right (a park with a playground or bike/walking paths).
8. Cleanup involves large plastic trash bags and a few volunteers.

There's always a concern about what to bring and how much and who's bringing what. A safe bet is the German potato salad recipe below. It contains no mayonnaise, but there is a healthy dose of bacon bits. It's no healthier than the standard American potato salad, just more delicious. This recipe will fill an 8" x 8" pan.

• 5 large potatoes
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. white sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes, cut in large pieces, and cook for about 15 minutes until tender, but not soft. Drain and cool, but don't let them get cold. Break the potatoes into smaller pieces, but don't mash them.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, remove it and drain on paper towel. When the bacon is cool enough to handle, crumble it and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, water and vinegar together in a small bowl, then add slowly to the bacon fat in the skillet, continue to whisk to get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, and to cook the flour. Dressing will be thick.

Add the green onions to the skillet, then add the dressing to the potatoes and mix gently. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. NOTE: if the dressing is too thick, you can thin it with more water, or for better taste, add low-sodium chicken broth or a dry white wine a little at a time, until you get a thinner consistency.