Everyone and every family has their take on what they like to add to a macaroni salad. Dill pickles or sweet pickle relish? Heavy mayo or light mayo? Dill or not? etc...
Here's a simple mac salad
Macaroni Salad
8 ounces (dry) Salad Macaroni
2 T Chopped Olives
1 Hard Egg, Chopped
3 T Celery, Chopped
2 T Onion, Sweet preferred [I used a red onion]
1 1/2 T Relish, sweet pickle
2 T Mayo
1/4 t Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
1) Cook and drain (well) the macaroni in salted water.
Why salt the water?
I've heard two reason why pasta water is salted. 1. to raise the boiling temperature of the water. 2. To season the pasta since the pasta will absorb water while cooking.
I believe the latter reason than the former. Salt does raise the boiling temperature, but the amount of salt added only increase the boiling point a fraction of a degree. That's not going to help the past cook faster. The "seasoning" the pasta reason makes more sense.
2) Mix the dressing and add the pasta.
2a) I wanted to add more celery and a little mustard for flavor, 1/4 t or less.
The finished macaroni salad...
Also, for today... I posted an update to my vinegar experiment.
http://eat4fun.blogspot.com/2008/11/nov-09-experiment-making-vinegar.html
