Classic Macaroni Salad

Happy Independence Day, y'all!

(No, we're not Texans, but I still love saying it.)

We are celebrating today the "right" way.  Swimming, fireworks, hot dogs and hamburgers (with homemade hamburger buns), homemade ice cream and my favorite macaroni salad.  How could it get any better than that, y'all?  (Oops, sorry.  It just kind of slipped right in there.)

Ours is chilling in the fridge as I'm writing this and I can't wait to dig right into it.  I might have to take a nibble or two while Paco and the kids are in the pool.  I totally will, too.

I love macaroni salad.  I like it simple and traditional, thankyouverymuch.  I know alot of foodies out there like to jazz it up and change it all up, but to me that's just downright un-American.  Macaroni salad isn't supposed to be all fancy-schmancy where you can't even recognize it.  I know, that makes me way not cool, but I'm okay with that.

So without further ado, here's our family's favorite macaroni salad that I found last summer over at allrecipes.com:

Ingredients

• 4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup grated carrot 
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers (optional)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, pimentos and macaroni. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.                

*Um, yeah, we don't add the pimentos.  Sorry, but I just like to keep it as simple as possible.  Plus the thought of trying to sneak those past the kids makes me want to cry.  

I hope your day is filled to the brim and then overflowing with love for our country and the wonderful blessings it's given us... especially macaroni salad!

What are some of your favorite 4th of July recipes?

Tomato-Stuffed Avocados

We both think that this might be our most favorite summer salad.  Oh my goodness, it is so good!!

It's perfect as a salad or a side dish for just about any meal.  This was another of the dishes that we made for Mother's Day and, as usual, there were no leftovers.

Tomato-Stuffed Avocados

Ingredients:

2 plum/Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3/4 thinly sliced red onion

1 t. fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 medium, ripe avocados, halved and pitted

2 t. lime juice

Directions:

In a large bowl, gently toss tomatoes, onion, basil, salt and pepper.  Spoon into avocado halves; drizzle with lime juice.  Serve immediately.

*Actually, the tomato, onion, basil mixture is good enough to eat on it's own.  That is if you don't mind onion breath.  If you do, well, pretend you don't and enjoy anyway!

Let us know what you think, onion breath and all!

Three Pepper Pasta Salad

Ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness!  It's that time of year again!  The grass is growing, the birds are singing, flowers are blooming and dining al fresco mandates pasta salad.  Period.

I {heart} pasta salad.  You can find me standing at any bridal shower, baby shower, potluck, picnic or whatever gazing fondly at whatever pasta salad someone can come up with.  (If you see me with a glazed look in my eyes, just walk past and pretend you don't know me.  That's what every one else does.)

Yes, I'm a carb fiend.

But my absolute, positive, all-time favorite pasta salad is from a recipe I found pretty early on in our marriage.

Ready?  TA-DA! 

Oh, my mouth is watering!


Ingredients:

• 12 oz. package tri-color rotini
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 T. dried basil
• 2 T. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 1/4 oz. can sliced black olives
• 2 T. green onions, sliced
• 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed

Directions:

•   Cook pasta according to package directions.  You'll want to cook it the shortest amount of time recommended (al dente) to prevent the pasta getting soggy from the dressing.  Drain and rinse in cold water.
• In a blender (or mini-food processor like I use), process oil, vinegar, basil, parmesan, salt and pepper until smooth.
• In a large serving bowl, combine pasta with peppers, olives, green onions and dressing.  Toss to coat.  Mix in mozzarella.
• Best consumed eating outside with children running about and a baby staring at passing jets, helicopters, birds or swaying tree branches.

Golly, it really is a wonderful life!

Linking up to Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits at Permanent Posies.

Christmas Recipes

Oh my goodness.  The last several weeks have been such a blur of kitchen goodness and I haven't been able to get here to share with you!  I've wanted to, gotten so close to the keyboard a couple of times and have been dragged away as I'm screaming out But. I. Must. Blog. About. This!

Now I have some serious making up to do.

I have been cooking and baking and baking and cooking and now I just want to wallow around in all of the leftovers, making everyone else eat all the fudge and cookies so that I can still fit into my pants.

Here are some of the recipes we tried in the month of December:

Baking

Almost a Candy Bar
Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Double Chocolate Biscotti
Cranberry Orange Scones

Cooking

Vegetable Lasagna - Christmas dinner
Sausage and Peppers Lasagna - Christmas dinner
Pasta e Fagioli soup - Christmas Eve dinner

I'll share these recipes later, but if you don't want to wait, just click on the link and they'll take you right to where you need to go.  Most of them are Taste of Home Recipes (again, one of my favorite recipe sources), so they're almost guaranteed to be awesomely delicious.

But my absolute, hands-down favorite thing we made for Christmas dinner was the Caprese Skewers that I found on Pinterest.  Oh. My. Stinkin'. Gosh.  Seriously, the easiest thing I've ever made and they were perfect Christmas colors.

You must try these.  You must.  No seriously, do it.  You don't even need a freakin' recipe!!

I will be back in a while and fill you in on the rest of the recipes if you don't want to click on the links up there.

Enjoy the rest of your day and don't forget to smooch in the kitchen!