CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD

Everyone seems to have their own tried and true family macaroni or potato salad recipe. Some have lots of vinegar, some have lots of mustard, some have no eggs (yee gads!!) I even had some that had small cubes of sharp Cheddar cheese which was surprisingly tasty.

I remember when I was little, my folks took us back to visit our VERY German relatives in the Dakota's and one of my Aunts gave me some German potato salad. I was a huge fan of potato salad, but let me tell you that hers was not like any other potato salad I had ever tasted. It was not only FULL of vinegar and bacon grease, but it was HOT!! It's been over 50 years but I still can remember my shock!!  lol

What do you put in YOUR macaroni (potato) salad?

2 cups dry small seashell macaroni
½ cup chopped onion chopped (fairly fine)
3 stalks of celery with leaves chopped (fairly fine)
½ cup red bell pepper chopped (optional)
1 cup grated carrot
3 large pickles chopped (favorite flavor)
4 hard-boiled eggs chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup lite mayonnaise
3 tablespoons yellow prepared mustard
3 tablespoons pickle juice

Boil macaroni for 8 minutes (or as recommended on box), then rinse under cold water, and drain very well.

NOTE: Many recipes warn you not to rinse cooked macaroni, however, I find that macaroni salad stays creamier if you rinse the starch off of the cooked macaroni before you add the mayonnaise to the salad.

Add chopped veggies, eggs and pickles to the cooked and rinsed macaroni. Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, pepper and pickle juice together and gently stir into the macaroni-veggies.

IMPORTANT: This salad really needs to sit in the refrigerator overnight so the flavors can blend together…it makes a huge difference.

NOTE: I do not add salt to this salad because there is already a lot of salt in the pickles, pickle juice and mustard.

NOTE: Just before I put this salad into the fridge, for the first time, I put a piece of wax paper (or plastic wrap) on the surface of the salad and then I lay 2 paper towels (folded) on top of the wax paper and snap the Tupperware lid on. The paper towel will attract any condensation in the bowl and the waxed paper (or plastic wrap) will keep the moisture from running down into the salad. Once the salad is in the fridge overnight, discard the wax paper and paper towel.

NOTE: The amount of mayonnaise you use is up to you. Start with 1 cup and add more if you like your salad creamier.