Macaroni Salad

I am a fan of Macaroni Salad. I have been ever since I tried Aunt Connie's Macaroni Salad. She does the unexpected, and adds peas to the salad. The peas give it a nice freshness. She often makes macaroni salad at family gatherings. I really enjoy get-togethers with my aunt. While she is a quiet person, she makes everyone feel welcome. She once told me, "You don't need an invitation, You are welcome anytime!" I've never forgotten that. Although this is not my aunt's recipe, I think of her each time I make it.

Isn't it funny how you associate people, or events, with food? For instance, every time I eat frozen yogurt I am taken back to a family trip to San Francisco. My older brother just had to have some Colombo frozen yogurt, after seeing dad and I enjoying it. Well, guess what? He didn't like it after all! Dad wasn't going to let him waste it. I think he told him something along the lines of, you wanted it, you eat it. My brother, the sly one, pretended to eat it, in the backseat of the car. All the while he was spitting it into a napkin and throwing it out the window!

Sorry to get off track. Let's make macaroni salad.

The recipe starts with cooking ditalini pasta until just done. Salt the water but don't add oil. 

While the pasta is cooking I make a batch of Perfectly Boiled Eggs. You will need 7 hard boiled eggs for this recipe. If you want to garnish the top of the salad, make sure to reserve one. After the eggs have been peeled, cut them in half.

 

Then scoop the yolk into a large mixing bowl.

 

 

Break up the yolks. I just use my hands. I find it much easier than using a fork.

 

 

Stir in the egg whites, relish, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

 

 

Mix in the frozen peas and pasta.

 

 

Garnish with a sliced egg and sprinkle with paprika.

 

MACARONI SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups ditalini pasta, cooked and drained
7 Perfectly boiled eggs, reserving 1 for garnish.
3/4 Cup mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish, strained of excess juice
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon pepper
12 Ounces frozen peas
Paprika, to garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Set aside. Make perfectly boiled eggs. Cut 6 eggs in half. Scoop yolk from eggs and place in a large mixing bowl. Crumble egg yolks, using hands. Dice egg whites and place in the same mixing bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, pickle relish, salt and pepper. Stir in pasta and peas. Transfer to a serving bowl. Slice remaining hard boiled egg. Place sliced egg on macaroni salad, to garnish. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Store in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap until ready to serve.