Super Yummy Macaroni Salad

The basic foundation to this macaroni salad recipe began with my mothers ingredients, and then I began adding to them over the years. When I was a teenager all of my friends and my brother's friends loved our mom's mac salad.

She was always mac for my brother's friends in particular. And I've taken what she taught me and did my own thing with it too. Super yummy...

Macaroni Salad Recipe

Prep Time: Maybe 15 - 20 minutes total. It depends on what you put into the salad and the order in which you cook or chop things.

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: Well, you are cooking one box of macaroni. It depends on how much your family eats. I have a family of 7 and there is usually enough left over for a bowl or two.

Ingredients:

One 8 ounce box of macaroni elbows
one large can of tuna or 2 small cans - depends on how much tuna that you like - you can also use just 1 1/2 cans
8 - 10 hard boiled eggs
small can of sliced black olives (unless you don't like olives)
shredded carrots (optional)
a tiny bit of green onion for color and flavor (again optional)
celery (optional)
diced tomato (optional)
1 cup of Hellmann's mayonnaise
1 tbsp of Hellmann's Dijonnaise
1 tbsp of ranch dressing
1 tbsp of Italian dressing
1 tbsp of pickle juice
a sprinkle of celery salt
paprika (you sprinkle this on top when you're finished, you don't need a lot)

Macaroni Salad Directions:

1.) Cook macaroni elbows according to directions on box. While the macaroni is cooking, cook your hard boiled eggs. I bring my eggs to a boil and cook them for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, I turn off the heat and keep them covered in the hot water for another 10 minutes, which is a trick that my mother taught me. Then I drain the water and soak them in cold water twice.

2.) While these things are cooking, you can use that time to begin chopping up whatever it is that you would like to add to your salad and organizing your ingredients, except for anything refrigerated, of course.

3.) When the macaroni is done, drain the elbows in a strainer, and then run cold water over them in the strainer. Make sure to wet all of the macaroni with the cold water, then drain again. Dump macaroni into a large bowl. Cover with a paper towel and place in the refrigerator if you're still waiting for the hard boiled eggs to finish cooling.

4.) Once the eggs are done, slice them up however you like. I usually slice mine and then quarter them. Depends on my mood. Place the eggs into the bowl of macaroni as you are slicing and chopping.

5.) Add all of your ingredients except for the mayo, dijonnaise, dressings, pickle juice, celery salt and paprika. Basically, you're adding anything you chopped or diced, plus your can of black olives.

6.) Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the paprika. The Mayonnaise, Dijonnaise, Ranch Dressing, Pickle Juice and Italian Dressing. Mix well. Lightly sprinkle the celery salt. You don't want to use too much, because it won't taste good. Add a little bit at a time, and then take a sample taste to see if it has enough or if it needs more. I don't measure; I just sprinkle.

7.) Sprinkle paprika on top and voila! Done! You can serve this with barbecued chicken, hot dogs, burgers, or whatever your little heart desires.