A Tribute to My Mother and Pauline’s Potato Salad

As Mother’s Day approaches, I remember with fondness my own mother, Pauline Steele. She passed away on September 8, 1984. My goodness. That is 41 years. I still miss her very much.

My mother made the most delicious potato salad ever, and it was our No. 1 best seller at Steele’s deli. We called it, of course, Pauline’s Potato Salad. Any time my family gathers during warmer months either for a holiday or just because, I make Pauline’s. It is like having mom right there with us. So this year for Mother’s Day, I am honoring Pauline by sharing her potato salad recipe.  

My mother was born in 1914 in Maywood, Nebraska, population 72. A real metropolis. She moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, when she was nine. My grandfather left my grandmother that year, so Grandma Gladys went to work at the Canyon Market (a grocery store), leaving my mother in charge of her younger brother and sister. From a very young age, Pauline had to take on adult responsibilities. Because of that, I don’t believe she ever learned to play. I don’t remember her ever letting her hair down or laughing so hard she had a full-fledged “crazy laugh”. Pauline was all business.

As an adult, she worked for Mountain States Telephone Company, serving as Head Operator. I wouldn’t consider her a feminist, but she was right up there in upper management, and judging from what I’ve heard, she was a real dynamo. She had a brilliant business mind and a knack for managing people.

She didn’t work after she had kids but volunteered for many organizations. She was the first female in Fort Collins to be awarded Community Builder of the Year. She was instrumental in starting the food bank and Crossroads Safehouse for Women and took leadership roles in United Way, the local Girl Scout Council, PEO, and Quota Club. When Pauline saw a need, she jumped in to help. As an adult, I tried to follow in her footsteps but found she was a really tough act to follow. In keeping with her “jump-in-to-help” spirit, after my father died, she went to work in the grocery business. Most of her friends considered her a saint—caring and supportive when they encountered challenging times.

Pauline grew up in the Depression and had very little. She reminisced she had two dresses—one to wear and one to wash. She considered herself  “Scotch” (frugal) and took extra good care of what little she had. On a trip to Alaska, we were stranded in Mount McKinley/Denali/McKinley Park with a flat tire. My father had to hitchhike for a replacement. He waited several hours for a car to come by to give him a lift. Out in the middle of nowhere, not having seen a human for hours, my mother said, “Carol Ann, I need to go to the bathroom. Watch my purse.” Really, Mom?

I love this picture of her. She had it taken when she received Community Builder of the Year award. Cheers to Pauline Steele and her delicious potato salad. If you are having a family gathering or picnic this Mother’s Day, welcome Pauline’s Potato Salad to your table.  

Mom, remembering you fondly this Mother’s Day.

Pauline’s Potato Salad

Serves 8

This is my mother’s recipe for the perfect picnic potato salad. Her mother, Glady, passed it down to her, and she, in turn, shared it with me. My family thinks it is the best ever. Don’t forget to buy celery seed. Grandma Gladys claims it is the secret ingredient.

6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

8 hard-boiled eggs, cubed into ¼-inch pieces

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

¾ cup pickle relish

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¾ teaspoon large grind black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons celery seed

In a large saucepan, place potatoes with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until pieces are tender yet remain firm when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into bite-size pieces.

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, and green onions. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pickle relish, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Blending the spices into the mayonnaise mixture provides an even distribution of the seasonings. Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the potato mixture and mix gently. Chill for at least 4 hours, but best when chilled overnight.

Cooking tip: The secret to making great potato salad is not overcooking or undercooking the potatoes. When preparing potatoes for boiling, keep portions as similar in size as possible. I prefer to quarter the potatoes. If quartered, boil between 20 to 25 minutes. Potatoes are done when they are tender yet remain firm when pierced with a fork. Soft, soggy potatoes make a mushy salad. Cool potatoes completely before proceeding.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved Carol Ann Kates