You know those first days of Spring that really feel like summer? When the temperatures soar into the 70s and you bust out your flip flops (even though you’re in desperate need of a pedicure)? This past Sunday was one of those days. It was absolutely beautiful and my friend Heather had the forethought to invite a bunch of us over for an impromptu barbecue.
She provided the meat and refreshments and asked us to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert. I brought macaroni salad. For those of you who asked for the recipe, here it is:
Kim’s Macaroni Salad (Serves 6-8 as a side dish) 2 cups elbow macaroni 1 ¼ cups Hellmann’s mayonnaise 1 tablespoon white vinegar ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 large celery stalk, with tops and leaves 1/2 green bell pepper 1 small carrot 2 small green onions
Boil the macaroni in salted water. Do not overcook. Trust me, no one likes a mushy macaroni salad. Drain, rinse and cool.
Tip: If I’m in a hurry, I put the drained macaroni on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times to speed up the cooling process.
In the meantime combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Thinly slice the celery, including the tops and leaves. In my opinion the leaves add extra flavor. Finely chop the carrot, bell pepper and green onions. Add to the mayonnaise mix.
When the macaroni is cool, stir into the mayonnaise mixture. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
This salad tastes best if you let it chill for at least half an hour before serving.
