Sweet and Tangy Macaroni Salad

Don't freak out.  You aren't imagining it.  It is me.  Four months later, I have come back to life.  You guys, SO much has been going on, I know I keep saying that but in all seriousness, it is one thing after another, it doesn't even seem real.  On a happy note, we are moved into the new digs and loving it!

I have been busy cooking all the old favorites.  Just making it homey and comforting while we settled in.  I have a full stocked pantry and my my husband noticing my abundance of dried macaroni I guess, had macaroni salad on his mind.  Notice the pasta in the photo, there are 2 kinds.  Hey, I always tell you we keep it real around here and I only had 1 of each kind so I did two kinds!  You can match your pasta or use what you have on hand.  This makes a huge batch, it really does.  He asked for specifics and you may or may not recognize much of this recipe as being my Donna's Secret Recipe Potato Salad, recipe.  He asked that I add a few things and so I gave in after probably what is now months of him asking and made it.  It turned out delish and I wanted to share it with you.

Some of these flavors may have you questioning my ability to make good food, but trust me, it just works.  Don't take my word for it, George will tell you!  Shall we?

Remember this is a big batch and this pasta will suck up everything, so trust me!

2 lbs short cut pasta
30 oz jar of Hellmann's
3 T yellow mustard
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 cup carrots (shredded or grated into strips and then cut like I did)
1 dozen eggs, hard boiled
1 to 1 1/2 cups finely chopped dill pickles  (don't cheat and try to use dill pickle relish!)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayo, mustard, sugar, milk and salt and pepper in a bowl.  Whisk until smooth and creamy.  I suggest having your eggs hard boiled and peeled and cut ahead of time, same with your pickles and carrots as well.  It will work best to mix the dressing in a bowl that is large enough to hold your entire batch of macaroni salad.  Prepare the pasta last and cook until al dente.  Use the lowest cook time suggested (10-12 minutes, go with 10).  Drain and pour directly into the sauce.  Add in eggs, carrots, and pickles and stir to combine.  Refrigerate at LEAST 6 hours before serving, overnight would be even better. 

It is so good to be back!  Look out for more new recipes, and join me on FB, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube!

If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like:
Blue Cheese Potato Salad
Almost Aversa's Macaroni Salad
Crabby Macaroni Salad
My Mom's Macaroni Salad 

Frog Eye Salad

Just as I was relaxing over the end of salad season, my mom strikes again.  We were chatting on the phone and she said, "I am so hungry for frog eye salad".   Oh man, it had been years since I thought about the infamous frog eye salad.  This salad has been a favorite of my siblings for many years.  I was never a huge fruit eater, but pineapple, I do love.  I pick out the oranges and the cherries and dig in.  Every holiday, EVERY holiday, my mom makes this. 

 

I think frog eye salad, originally is made with a cooked custard, but, my mom always did it this way.  I think it is the cheater way to be honest but, who messes with perfection?  Nobody with any sense!  Anyway, back to my phone conversation, she asked if I had ever posted it here and when I responded I had not she said, "OH you can come home and make it, and I can taste test it, and it will all be for the good of your website".  Yea, right ma.  When I ran this recipe by my husband he almost erped.  "Pasta in a sweet salad"?!?!  He agreed to give it a try but he was skeptical.  Now, he didn't actually SAY much, but the degree of devouring that went on over this sort of spoke for itself.  You know? 

Really he loved it and couldn't believe he had never heard of it.  So if you love it, have never had it, think it might be ridiculous, OR are brave.... give it a try!

1 1/2 cups acini de pepe (pasta, Uncooked)
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 - 4 serving size boxes of instant vanilla pudding
8 ounces cool whip
10 ounces maraschino cherries, halved and DRAINED
11 oz. can of mandarin oranges
20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
20 oz. can of chunk pineapple

Boil your pasta as per the package direction.  Drain well, and run some cold water of them.  In a very LARGE bowl, combine pudding and cool whip until well combined.  Add in oranges and both kinds of pineapple.  Make sure to DRAIN the cherries and add those as well.  Fold in the pasta and marshmallows and refrigerate for 1 hour.   This is a hit with our family as I said, and I am sure it will be a hit with yours too!

Enjoy!

PS.  If you don't prefer to use cool whip, please feel free to sweeten up some fresh heavy cream and substitute. 

Cottage Cheese Jello Salad

Ahhh, the oldies but goodies.  I can't believe I haven't shared this with you.  Well, I kind of do know why.....

My mom has made this salad as long as I can remember.  I mean like, WAY back in the day.  As a mother of 10, she made what was quick, cheap and convenient.  Many times that included various salads.  Some of them, I can't believe she put in front of us.  One in particular, was this heinous jello that had grated carrots and cabbage in it and some mayo concoction on the top.  OMG.  Tell me nobody else was subjected to this salad?!?  I am just not much of a salad girl in general.  A salad, to me, involves leafy greens, tons of veggies, some protein and well, you get my point.  I have a couple of sisters who are the queens of "the salad".  I believe there isn't a single salad they haven't tried making.  You know those "salad luncheons" they used to have or maybe sometimes still do?? Yeah, that is my worst nightmare. 

Anyway, this salad does use Cool Whip.  I KNOW what is in it.  I know some of you refuse to use it.  That is fine, use heavy cream and sweeten it up and whip it up and you are good.  I, however, am sharing this recipe just as my mom always made it.  The good, the bad and the ugly!  But how can you even argue with 4 ingredients?  Convenient?  Definitely

Feel free to change your jello flavor however you want.  I remember her using mandarin oranges in this as well, instead of pineapple sometimes and sometimes she would leave the fruit part out all together.  This will seem loose when you mix it together but it will firm up in the fridge.  Just FYI.

You will need:
24 oz container of SMALL CURD cottage cheese
8 oz of cool whip (or use 1 cup of whipping cream and 1 tbsp. of powdered sugar and whip it up)
3 oz box of strawberry jello
20 oz can of crushed pineapple, drained.  (save that juice!)

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl.  Umm, that is all.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 

This is a perfect summer salad.  If you are into that sort of thing and even though I loathe cottage cheese, I kind of am "in" to this one!

Your "can I get the number for salads anon for my sisters" Chefwannabe

Orange Sparkle

Can someone please tell me where the switch is for turning off the humidity?  I mean seriously, this is NOT funny anymore, sweating profusely within 30 seconds of stepping outside is not fun, it is not cool and it is DEFINITELY not pretty.  I mean, let me keep it real here, I am not much of an "outdoor" girl anyway.  Give me the beach, give me a beautiful yard and lots of flowers, but don't expect me to get dirt under my fingernails, or get to messy.  Know what I mean?  That makes me sound like quite the princess diva, which I'm not, and I do enjoy outside things as long as they are leisurely and don't involve or POSSIBLY involve, bugs, snakes, frogs, bugs, or snakes.  Clear?

Anyway nothing says "summer meals" like nice cold salads and desserts.   My husband loves it and wanted to share it with you. 

I am not sure if you call this dessert, or eat it with your meal, you know that whole battle of the jello thing.  Do what you do.  This is so easy, and so delicious.  You can serve it out of one bowl or do as I did and divide it into 4 large servings.  You could easily get 6 individual servings. 

1 (3oz) pkg orange jello
1 cup boiling water
2 cups orange sherbet
1 (11oz) can of mandarin oranges
2 cups miniature marshmallows

In a bowl, stir together jello and boiling water until jello is dissolved.  Add in sherbet and stir or whisk until dissolved.  Chill this mixture until almost firm, and then fold in oranges and marshmallows.  You can fill up individual servings or place in a large casserole type dish.  Chill at LEAST 3 hours. 

This is light and delicious and sure to be enjoyed by all, no matter how you serve it!!

Your "loves all things that sparkle" Chefwannabe

Italian Pasta Salad

HUSBANDS! 

Yea, I said it.  Don't act like it is a bad word.  Many of us have one.   It isn't a bad word unless they invite someone for dinner and don't tell you until 15 minutes before they are due to arrive.  I had just decided to settle down with a peanut butter and honey sandwich and bam, he drops it on me. 

Ever been there?  Yea, me too.  I had a similar (though not with hubby) situation recently.  I needed a small salad of some sort to throw on the table and jumped head first into the pantry to see what I could concoct.  I put away my peanut butter and honey sandwich dreams and was thrown right into reality.   I had a little of this and a little of that.  I found a few things I thought would warrant an Italian style pasta salad.  Why Italian?  Well, because.  That's why.

Now, before you look at this dressing and you say, "OMGOSH, that isn't the correct ratio for an oil and vinegar dressing" just chill for a second. while I explain my dang self.  The pour spot come off of my vinegar, which I was pouring into the bowl, that had the last of my olive oil in it.  So, I ......  Worked.  It.  Out.  Because that is how perfect 10 rolls!  Besides, what REAL cook would ever run out of olive oil?  (hanging my head in shame)

This is a small batch.  OK, well to someone who grew up in a family of 12, this is a small batch, it might be normal for someone who was raised in a regular house with a regular amount of people.  And before you ask, the answer is yes, you can use black olives instead of green, or cherry tomatoes instead of cutting up your own.  Remember I was working on a deadline, with what I already had!
Don't mess with the pasta though.  OK, you could use bow ties, but that is it.  In my head, certain pasta goes with certain dishes and we can't just change that, it is far to deep seeded to just change. 

You will need:

2 - 2 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup green olives, halved or sliced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup roasted bell pepper, finely diced.  (you could use just raw, fresh bell pepper as well)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta as directed.  Make sure to use PLENTY of water, pasta needs room to shake its groove thing, so use plenty!  Drain pasta.  In a large bowl combine, tomato, olives, onion, peppers and pasta.  Set aside. 

In a small bowl or large measuring cup combine oil, vinegar, oregano, sugar and salt and pepper.  Whisk until the mixture is combined and smooth.  Pour over pasta and mix until combined.  Chill at LEAST 2-3 hours.  The longer it sits, the better it gets!

I should mention, you could ALWAYS just use a cup of your favorite Italian salad dressing if you don't want to make the dressing I made!!

Enjoy this easy, and yummy salad, great for picnics (no mayo), bbq's or unexpected dinner company!!

Your "don't sweat it" Chefwannabe