An easterner here, transplanted to the mid-west.
Penne, skinny slices of sweet onion, red and green pepper, cucumber, 1/4 inch slices quartered, halved cherry tomatoes, fat shreds of Swiss cheese...or provolone....dressed with a vinaigrette made with dijon, honey, cider vinegar, sugar olive oil and oregano....lots of oregano!
Then add meat to taste...could be slivers of genoa salami, pepperoni, bits of shrimp, surimi crab...or even cooked chicken..
Toss, taste and probably add pepper and maybe salt, depending on the amount of cheese and salami.

Had a colleague from upstate New York who added tiny canned shrimp to the same mix I grew up with, as well. Exotic to me lol.

Glad to see you back here - missed your posts and wisdom.

seagrass

Interesting what some consider "exotic". I once made the macaroni salad you describe for a funeral lunch. it was NOT a hit!! Tons left over...had a hard time giving it away.
On the other hand, I regularly make a pasta ( penne!) salad with all sotrts of veggies, broccoli, carrots, zucchini as well as onions celery cuke and colored peppers and tomatoes.....with a vinaigrette with lots of oregano and they gobble it down...ask to buy leftovers, ask for the recipe...in Iowa?!!

I like mine w/ chunks of sweet peppers, onion, carrot shavings, celery, feta cheese, Italian parsley & black olives. Dressing is yoghurt or sour cream & mayo, S&P, a bit of vinegar & fresh garlic. Some fresh dill is very good in it too, when I have it.

I often used to make one w/pesto-flavors: fresh tomatoes, basil, coarsely grated parmesan, pine nuts, garlic & a vinaigrette dressing. Best the same day, that one.

I like shells, bowties or fusilli for my pasta salad, but any shape will do.

Spring onion, peas, sweetcorn, veggies and some ham/chicken/other.The sauce : a little mayo diluted with 4 or 7%fat creme fraiche, a little mustard, lemon juice, s&p.

LOTS of veggies - chopped chives or green onions, cucumber, tomato and sweet peppers (I like to use the mini sweet peppers), pea pods, parsley, and very little pasta. In fact, just a token amount to say it's even in the mix. Any kind of pasta will do, from cooked broken spaghetti to any shapes, or even tiny orzo. A splash of homemade vinaigrette and McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning. I like to add some feta cheese, or I'll cut a mozzarella stick into thin rounds and add it if it's going to be all I'm having for lunch.

I also use lots of veggies, based on what I have, cut pretty small. Scallions for sure. Tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, broccoli, peas, corn, green beans, even a few garbanzo or white beans, squash, and anything else that seems yummy. Ditalini or mini-shells, between 1/3 and 1/2 of the volume adjusted to make the most pleasant texture--just enough to balance the crunch. Either a vinaigrette or mayonnaise based dressing (made for the particular contents of the salad) with lots of herbs, pepper and garlic, which, by the time its on the salad, isn't that strong.

I used to make the kind with mayo, then I discovered the kind with Italian dressing and Salad Supreme seasoning. I like to use bow-tie pasta and add cherry tomatoes cut in half, sweet onion, cucumber, carrots, broccoli, heart of palm and/or artichoke hearts, red or white kidney beans, black olives, banana pepper rings, and sometimes cubed mozzarella. I make a gigantic bowl of it and my DIL eats a lot and always takes a bowl home.

Oh, I make other kinds of salads using different shapes of pasta and vinegarette based dressings but not elbow macaroni. The only macaroni salad I know is the one I first posted. I really had a craving so I made a bowl of it a few days ago. Something from my childhood, when we didn't have "pasta" - only elbow macaroni and occasionally spaghetti. I grew up in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan in the 50's/60's.

seagrass

I seldom make pasta salad, but when I do, I use fusilli or rotini and add vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella (preferably mozzarella di bufala), black pepper, and a bit of olive oil - maybe a few drops of red wine vinegar. I only add salt if the cheese is not salty. I have never bought elbow macaroni. My sister used to make horrible things with it.

Marcia Adams taught me that there are a lot of Midwestern/Amish dishes that I consider exotic and have not tried - they just sound too strange to me! However, I have made many recipes from Marilyn (from Indiana) who used to post here, and I liked everything of hers I tried.

I have made the salad posted below for many years.

Sour Cream Macaroni Salad

I have absolutely no
recollection of where this recipe came from. I just know I have made it for
years and years and years and get requests to bring it to gatherings. AS

1 8-oz package elbow macaroni
(2 cups uncooked)

1/2 - 1 cup diced green pepper

1/4 - 1/2 cup sweet pickle
relish

1 T grated onion

2 – 3 red pimentos

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use
Miracle Whip for this salad; mayo does not taste right in the salad)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 t salt

1/4 cup milk

Pepper to taste

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Cherry tomatoes

Cook macaroni for 11-14 minutes
or until tender. Rinse with cold water
and drain.

In a large bowl combine green
pepper, pickle relish, onion, and pimentos; mix well. Add macaroni.

In a small bowl, combine
mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper and blend well. The dressing will seem thin at first. Pour over macaroni and mix well. Sprinkle chopped eggs (I use a pastry blender
to chop the eggs very fine) on top.
Chill for several hours.

Before serving, garnish with whole
cherry tomatoes.

Serves 6 – 8

Ah, Seagrass, I think I get it. You were talking specifically about macaroni salad as opposed to pasta salad in general? I remember having one odd-to-me elbow macaroni salad a couple of decades ago that used elbows and had some kind of cheddary flavor, and a mayonnaise style dressing. It was sort of like cold mac and cheese flavor, but slimy. :D

In Southern California, when I was growing up, at home we sometimes had a primavera style pasta salad usually made with large shells or bowties and a very Italian flavor. "Macaroni salad", either made at home by friends or served in delis, was almost always ditalini ("thimbles" or "short macaroni", like a third of a length of a regular elbow), with little snips of red and green bell pepper for the Italian colors, and mayonnaise. Some might have a little onion or pickle, and some variations on seasoning, especially salt level, but otherwise always that. If it wasn't ditalini, it was mini elbows or mini shells, same kind of salad.

I can't make a salad that doesn't have a lot of veggies, even when I try, so my version of the same thing is as described in my previous post. Looking at it, I guess what I make nowadays is a fusion of the two from my youth. :) My biggest memory of the deli version is that the macaroni was thick and kind of rubbery--like it had been waterlogged but started to dry again before the salad was made--and was fun to play with on the tongue. :) The flavor memory is texture, salt and mayonnaise. :)

A family favorite here is shell macaroni, (regular elbow shape could be used, I just like to use the shells with the salmon), cooked and cooled, (of course), diced celery, diced onion, chopped hard boiled eggs, frozen peas, (thawed, not cooked), a can of pink sockeye salmon, some white pepper to season, and enough mayonnaise to hold it all together. Amounts of celery, onion & eggs determined by your tastes. I get lots of requests to bring it to different functions, and always get asked for the recipe. I think it must be a rather unique dish here in S Texas. It's the only macaroni salad my mother ever made. To her, pasta was to be eaten hot, not in a cold salad, so I've often wondered how she ever came to make this one. But I'm glad she did, it's being made by the third generation of our family now.

Rusty

Hi - I guess what we make might be called macaroni tuna salad. We use cooked elbow macaroni (cooled), a can of drained tuna flaked, cut up celery, cucumber, tomatoes (added when ready to serve) and possibly onion. Everything is combined with mayo to form a creamy, light colored salad that is seasoned to taste. I usually use celery seed, salt and pepper. My family is primarily of german heritage, so I have no idea where this came from. Our 5th generation is making this recipe now.

I should have titled my post "Elbow Macaroni Salad" since I was being literal. But I'm copying and pasting all of the delicious ideas here. Thanks to everyone for playing. Love this community.

seagrass

I've had too many BAD macaroni salads (the kind with mayo) and swore off of them for a long time . . . until I tried this recipe from Pioneer Woman -- it is REALLY good and I made it a lot last summer and always came home with an empty bowl.

PIONEER WOMAN BEST MACARONI SALAD EVER

• 4 cups Elbow Macaroni
• 3 whole Roasted Red Peppers, Chopped (more To Taste, Can Also Use Pimentos)
• 1/2 cup Black Olives, Chopped Fine
• 6 whole Sweet/spicy Pickle Slices, Diced (about 1/2 Cup Diced)
• 3 whole Green Onions, Sliced (white And Dark Green Parts)
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Or Distilled Vinegar
• 3 teaspoons Sugar, More Or Less To Taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• Plenty Of Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup Milk (more If Needed)
• Splash Of Pickle Juice (spicy Sweet Pickles)
• Extra Pickle Juice To Taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

Mix together mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Splash in enough milk to make it pourable. Splash in pickle juice for extra flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.

Place cooled macaroni in a large bowl and pour 3/4 of the dressing. Toss and add more dressing if you'd like. (Dressing will seem a little thin, but it will thicken up as salad chills.)

Stir in olives, roasted red peppers (or pimentos), pickles, and green onions. Add more of any ingredient if you'd like more stuff going on! At the end, splash in a little more pickle juice and stir.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle with sliced green onion to serve!

Seagrass, the one my family usually makes is just like the one you make, it must be a Michigan/Midwest thing.

We do have pasta salads, those differently shaped pastas with various viniagrette based dressings and ingredients that range from olives to pepperoni. Those are "pasta salad" and although they are prevalent now, I'd never heard of them when I was younger. Heck, I'd never eaten lasagna until I was an adult, it was far outside the realm of my Depression era Midwestern grandmother's experience.

"Macaroni salad" is something else, though. (grin) Ours never contained olives because those were expensive and considered a luxury reserved for holidays. Other than that, our salad was identical to yours, right down to the hard boiled egg.

My sister used to get "fancy" (ahem), and add chopped or diced ham or sometimes a can of tuna like ldstarr, but everyone liked the "regular" version best. I liked to add chopped radish and/or cucumber if there were some in the garden, but would get roundly chastised for such nonsense, LOL.

Annie

Annie - olives are my indulgent add-ins. I posted this because I'm homesick. Had tickets to Columbus to visit my dear mother but I'm not well enough to travel. But at least I can talk to her on the phone.

Cancer really sucks.

seagrass

Seagrass, I am sorry....I am 17 and a half years out....and remember being not well enough to travel....and too wiped out to go to bed. Hang in there!

I put finely chopped celery and just a dash of celery seed in for extra flavor. Finely diced red pepper is a MUST for color and flavor in my opinion.

I enjoy Pioneer Woman's version.

Annie D - I could eat that! We have Mr. Wickles Pickles that would stand in for her spicy sweet pickles. Also Tony Packo's Sweet Hots. What do you use? Vinegar and sugar added to Hellman's basically takes you down Miracle Whip lane, but I'm sure MW was what my family used back then.

seagrass

I wandered into a kind of outlet deli in my neighborhood today. Outlet because they do very little cooking there, and just sell things like bagels and sandwiches. They had the same kind of macaroni salad I remember from my youth, but instead of small (ditalini) they had giant elbows!

I buy large elbows for chili Mac. Just had some tonight. Topped with sharp Vermont cheddar. Prince is the only brand that offers large elbows where I live. In the early 80's, we lived near the Prince Spaghetti Factory in Lowell, Massachusetts and would go there for "date night". They had musicians that strolled around playing violins at the tables. Cheap good food for two struggling young professionals.

seagrass

Seagrass, I'm sorry you aren't well enough to visit your Mom. Cancer does indeed suck. (sigh)

I wish I were closer, I'd feed you and we'd chat about the uniquely Midwestern things that make us....well....us. Instead I'll send hugs and good thoughts and prayers that you feel better soon and can visit Mom.

Annie

Thank you, Annie. I booked flights for her to come here in September. She can run circles around me at 84. I'm lucky to be married to the Energizer Bunny, who now retired is also acquiring cooking skills I never imagined possible.

Funny about Moms, isn't it? Mine is 80 and some days I think she can run circles around me! You'll have a wonderful visit, I'm sure.

As for that Energizer Bunny you married, I figure they are smart enough to get jobs and work, they're probably smart enough to learn to cook. Most of them prefer it to going hungry. (grin)

Feel better.....

Annie

Have had macaroni salad that I think was nothing but cooked elbows and some mayo?? SIL always makes a "tuna mac"... elbows, mayo and tuna... nothing else??

I like mine a little "wet" with some kinda zing. Like lots of thin sliced green/stuffed olives... tedious cutting, but like it. Like capers. If onion/celery... minced REALLY fine. Sometimes finely shredded carrots. Any kind of pasta will do. Real mayo (some store brands are just fine with me) and maybe a dab of... shudder... Miracle Whip?!?

Now a "pasta salad" is no holds barred. Rachel Ray did something she called pizza-something. Pasta & stuff you'd find on a pizza... pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, onions, peppers, etc. She made a vinaigrette that was sort of tomato based. Can't remember recipe, off hand.

If I'm doing a pasta salad, usually use onions, carrots, celery, peppers, broccoli, etc. I'll blanch the hard veggies (carrots & broccoli) for a minute or 2. Then let ALL veggies sorta marinate in whatever kind of vinaigrette I concoct... overnight, if I plan ahead. Have NO idea if true, but seems flavors get into HOT veggies better?? Where's Alton when ya need him?!?