Cool & Creamy, Fast & Easy – Gotta Love It!

Macaroni salad is a summertime favorite for cooks and consumers, alike. I think there are two reasons for this. First, for the cook, it only requires about 15 minutes of heating up a stove burner. For the consumer, I think the endless possibilities for tailoring this salad’s taste make it enormously appealing. It is definitely comfort food.

Picture it. A bowl of chilled, bland, white macaroni. You could certainly follow this recipe, to the letter and end up with the gorgeously-inviting salad pictured. But what if you don’t have most, or any, of the ingredients called for in the recipe?

Congratulations! You have just set off on a scavenger hunt around your kitchen, through your fridge, pantry and spice rack. First, decide if you want to include any protein with the salad – do you have eggs or any leftover meats in your fridge? Maybe some cheese?

Now what veggies do you have available? Veggies that add crunch, such as celery, carrots, peppers, onions, jicama or water chestnuts, are welcome additions, as they balance the soft, yielding texture of the macaroni itself.

No matter how you put it together, no matter what type of dressing you use, you will find that it will be somebody’s favorite and don’t be surprised if you are asked for your recipe!

USE THE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS.

Quick Tip:  To keep this from being a bland dish, experiment with different types and amounts of mustard, seasonings and other dressing ingredients. Don’t overlook the hotter spices, like crushed red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. This salad truly is a basic blank canvas. You can make it look and taste any way you prefer.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Jaclyn at cookingclassy.com