Family Favorite Macaroni Salad

Family Favorite Macaroni Salad, this one is a keeper. Delicious as-is, it is also a snap to adapt with additional ingredients to make a new salad each time it is served!

Like most other families, the macaroni salad we eat has evolved through the years. I prefer a light dressing so that the individual components of the salad can shine through. Today we are offering our basic macaroni salad recipe, delicious already but also so easy to adapt! Family Favorite Macaroni Salad has a tangy yet light dressing. Seasoned with a touch of dijon and garlic. Not overpowering in any way.

Once when I made this salad, I used small dried tortellini for the pasta, and it to was delicious! And while the salad is quite good as written, if you wish you could add one or two of the following suggestions to change it up a bit. One thing that holds true, is we get tired of eating the exact same thing time and time again...and that is where a delicious yet adaptable recipe shines. You can also turn this into a main dish macaroni salad, simply by adding a bit of meat. Diced ham or roasted chicken are excellent candidates.

Feel free to use one or two of the following add-ins to adapt this salad as desired!

Such as a grated carrot, diced cheese, roasted chicken, or ham. Chilled tiny shrimp is a delicious addition. Steamed and chilled asparagus tips, small broccoli flowerets, or even cauliflower. The sky's the limit really because just about everything from this list goes great as an add-in. Sometimes I will add a few deviled eggs to the top before serving, this is always a favorite at our table.

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

whole wheat macaroni
frozen peas
onions of choice
hard-cooked eggs
celery
bread and butter style sweet pickles
tomato
sour pickles
mayonnaise
dijon mustard
garlic salt
sweet pickle juice
milk
salt
fresh ground pepper

You will also need the following:

medium-size mixing bowl
kitchen spoon
silicone spatula
measuring cups
measuring spoons
large stockpot with lid
colander

Now we are ready to begin!

Family Favorite Macaroni Salad
by the seat of my pants

1 1/2 small whole-wheat elbow macaroni
1 c frozen peas
4 green onions, thinly sliced or 1/2 c diced onion
or 1/2 c Quick Pickled Onions
2 - 4 hard cook eggs
2 stalks of celery (try to use the inner stalks, they are tender and sweet)
1/2 c chopped "bread and butter" style sweet pickle slices
1 tomato, diced

1/3 c dill or your favorite sour pickle
1/3 c sliced black olives if desired

3/4 c mayonnaise
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T sweet pickle juice
2 T milk
1/4 t garlic salt
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

paprika for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Place the frozen peas in the colander you will use to drain the pasta. When the macaroni is tender, pour the macaroni over the peas, and let drain. Let the macaroni and peas cool.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle juice, and milk to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle with garlic salt, a touch of salt, and fresh ground pepper. Fold the ingredients together. Adjust final seasonings.

Place into a serving bowl. Garnish with paprika or as desired. Store in the refrigerator until serving time.

Storage options for Family Favorite Macaroni Salad. Store in the refrigerator for three or four days. Do not freeze...

UPDATE: For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Family Favorite Macaroni Salad has been included below.

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

paprika for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Place the frozen peas in the colander you will use to drain the pasta. When the macaroni is tender, pour the macaroni over the peas, and let drain. Let the macaroni and peas cool.

Wash, dry, and dice the tomato. Dice the sweet and the sour pickles. Peel and dice the eggs.

Add the macaroni and the peas to a large mixing bowl. Top with the diced pickles and diced hard-cooked eggs.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle juice, and milk to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle with garlic salt, a touch of salt, and fresh ground pepper. Fold the ingredients together. Adjust final seasonings.

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