Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Macaroni Salad for Independence Day

We had thunderstorms last Thursday and Friday nights.  That didn't stop the hungry hordes fromthinking that we should have Independence Day picnics, which I always hold indoors.  (In case you're new here, or have forgotten, I hate eating outside because I don't like bugs.  I also hate cooking outside because (a) I don't like bugs and (b) I hate black lines on my food.  Fussy, Fussy.)

One of the things my hungry horde demanded was macaroni salad.  I've never made such a thing.  My mother loved the stuff, and I just didn't, so cold pasta salads never made it into my repertoire.  So, I winged it.

MARJIE'S MACARONI SALAD

2 pounds elbow macaroni
1-1/2 cups lowfat mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 pound carrots, shredded
1 bunch scallions, coarsely chopped
1 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp dijon mustard
fresh ground pepper

Boil the macaroni, strain and rinse with cold water.  Drop the strainer into iced water for a few minutes to complete the cooling process.  Meanwhile, in a giant bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and dijon mustard.  Whisk the milk into this mixture until it's thinner and creamy.  Add the relish, carrots and scallions, and stir until well combined.  Add pepper to taste (I used 20 turns).  Remove the macaroni from the iced water, shake the strainer well, and stir into the dressing.  Chill and serve.  It tastes better the second day, according to my hordes, who loved it from day one.

So there you are!  An easy side dish for these hot days!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

12 comments:

~~louise~~ said...

Glad to hear you made it through those storms, Marjie. Some weren't as lucky:)

You are so funny about bugs, lol...The funny thing is, the only time I've actually eaten a bug unwillingly was when I found an ant or two in an old box of raisins! Don't ask:)

I love macaroni salad! One would never think you winged it, yours looks delicious. Good Winging! And, thanks for sharing...Happy Picnic Month!

Two French Bulldogs said...

Moms favorite
Snorts,
Lily & Edward

Anonymous said...

I can do this -- Thank you!

Pam said...

It looks tasty - perfect for those indoor picnics. :)

Rhodesia said...

Love macaroni salad and this sounds perfect. Hope you are all well Diane

grace said...

LOVE macaroni salad, but even my love for it pales in comparison to that of my boyfriend. i'll run your recipe by him. :)

grace said...

LOVE macaroni salad, but even my love for it pales in comparison to that of my boyfriend. i'll run your recipe by him. :)

Lapdog Creations said...

Love mac salad... missed having it at our family BBQ this year!

Sue said...

We both like macaroni salad but we're spoiled. I add shredded cheese and tiny little shrimp to ours. Yum.

SissySees said...

It sounds as though my recipe is VERY similar to Sue's, but neither of us will turn down macaroni salad very often!

Geri Saucier said...

You did a great job on the salad. It looks delicious:) Macaroni salad is one of my favorites - I remember having it for our July 4th celebrations.

Geri Saucier said...

You did a great job on the salad. It looks delicious:) Macaroni salad is one of my favorites - I remember having it for our July 4th celebrations.