OK, so I am having withdrawal, just can't help it. I have tried several different mac salad recipes since I've been home, and none of them are quite right. I am looking for the simple mac salad found on practically every plate lunch. By simple, I mean macaroni, mayonaise, and whatever other secret ingredients. The ones I liked best seemed to have the fewest ingredients. What do the plate lunch wagons do that makes it so darn good?

I add canned tuna and Lesuer peas to mine.

It is pretty pure and simple. Best Foods mayonnaise (the original--not low fat), salt, maybe some minced round onion and a little grated raw carrot. No big secret here. Don't skimp on the mayo--you may find that it will be dry if left in the refrigerator over night, as the macaroni will absorb moisture. Add more mayo. Mayo, mayo, mayo. For variety, add canned tuna or frozen green peas for color, with more mayo, of course.

If making it in Mexico you are supposed to use 5 times the Best Foods...or Cinco de Mayo.

Island style w/ white rice, potato, peas, carrots, tuna added in with the regular stuff.

I don't use carrot in mine, but I like chopped green pepper and celery. Add black pepper, chopped onion (if you don't have used dried onion flakes or minced onion), a wee bit of garlic salt, lots of Mayo and a dash of Italian Salad Dressing spice it up. You can green peas if you like them.

This is so "midwestern", but my mother used to make one with packaged Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, canned tuna, frozen peas, pickle relish, chopped onion, and mayonnaise. I'm not sure if I've left anything out. It was actually addictive!

I used those brown rice elbow noodles last time. Gave it a real nice taste.

Neo, did she make the mac & cheese and then add all the other stuff? I know this sounds like a stupid question but I have never heard of anything like this. I can't quite picture the cheese and the mayo.

I've used green (sometimes also red) peppers, teaspoon of white vinegar, touch of sugar, dash of salt and pepper with lots of Hellman's (Best Foods west of the Mississippi) mayo. Sometimes use sweet relish if no green pepper in the bin (omit the sugar and vinegar) along with salt, pepper and lots of mayo.

I like the green peas option. Sounds good!

yeah, the vinigar gets the job done!

OSB,

What are Lesuer peas?

-Bill

bbq, Leseur peas are little sweet green peas. We always called them english peas.

I have a really good mac salad that you use old bay. I don't care for anything like tuna or peas or carrots in mine...just mac, mayo, and that kind of stuff

http://www.cdkitchen.com/


http://www.astray.com/recipes/

2 good recipe search sites

Sometimes I add a couple of teaspoons of pickle relish to mine ... sort of depends on what's in the refrigerator when I'm making it

I have had good luck finding recipes on www.allrecipes.com. The recipes are rated by people that supposedly have tried them.

Love the tuna & Lesuer peas in ours too...except around here we call them "sewer peas"..but oh how we love them! But it doesn't quite seem done till I add some red onion and the magic of vinegar( I prefer cider)

Sonoma County Pasta Salad
Tri-color rotini (corkscrew shape,
of course)

Chopped celery
Sliced olives
Capers
Minced garlic
Chopped Bermuda onion
Chopped Fresh basil
Asiago cheese & Parmesan cheese
Red wine vinaigrette dressing
Dash of balsamic vinaigrette dressing
(no mayo in this one)

R5

I always add two or three hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped, to macaroni salad--along with chopped dill pickle, chopped pimiento, chopped Vidalia onions, and lots of Hellman's.

Yum

Byrd

LeSeuer is a small town in Minnesota where Green Giant vegetables are frozen/canned.

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