My grandmother made the best macaroni salad… I’ve tried but don’t even come close. It seems like with pasta, you can never get the flavor intense enough without mayo overkill. Tips? Hints? Advice?
I did make a pretty fine rice salad last night, reheating leftover white rice and pouring lots of lemon juice and a little olive oil in with chopped scallions, red onions, cukes, toasted pine nuts. And heaped that on arugula with grape tomatoes and marinated artichoke hearts. (Yes, I am eating a little lighter after last weeks’ pig out in the park!)
Can’t wait to hear your suggestions on making my summer salads sing… and thanks again to all the folks who served up stories on where they like to shop… scroll down the blog to check them out.
Let's eat
Responses to “Pasta salad help, please…”
May 25th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
It’s not gonna taste like your grandmother’s pasta salad, but try some Cavendar’s Greek seasoning (comes in a little yellow and red canister in the spice section). Good stuff. Toss a package of your favorite pasta with about 1/2 cup olive oil, 4 T. mayo, a bunch of chopped green onions, a little lemon juice and about 3-4 tablespoons of Cavendar’s. Very simple, but I always get asked for the recipe! (Also gets better and better sitting in the fridge for a few days.)
May 26th, 2006 at 7:58 am
Cavender’s is absolutely my mainstay seasoning. I have a corn salad that’s way too easy to taste so dog gone good - it’s a real “eyeball” recipe. Drain 4-6 cans of white shoepeg corn very well. In a bowl, combine the corn, chopped green onions, chopped tomato, about 1/4 C of Hellman’s mayo and two tablespoons Cavender’s. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours before serving to allow flavors to marry.
May 26th, 2006 at 8:53 am
HEre’s a great summer salad, everyone loves it when I make it. Great for potlucks, very quick to make:
Mix broccoli, cauliflour and carrots (I buy the bags and clean and trim the stuff) in a big bowl. Add a can of black olives and a package of feta cheese with herbs.
Mix Good Seasons italian dressing, but, and this is very important, use olive oil and rice vinegar. Leave it in the fridge for a while if possible, stir once or twice before serving.
May 26th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
When my tomatoes & cucumbers start coming in I make a super litte salad - no measuring, you’ll just have to eyeball it (as Rachael Ray would say). Dice your tomato & cucumber, finely chop some onion, whisk together some rice wine vinegar, olive oil, fresh thyme, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, toss all together & enjoy (chilling optional). It’s SO simple but SO good.
June 5th, 2006 at 10:47 am
Okay, Leslie, I am about to reveal the secret to infusing your pasta with colossal flavor - MARINATE the noodles, before you add anything else to the salad. I know you have to plan ahead just a tad longer, but it is so worth it. Here’s one of my favorite summer pasta salad recipes:
Boil 1 lb. of vermicelli noodles and drain
(cook according to package directions).
Mix up 1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian.
Drain your noodles and then toss with the Italian dressing and put in the fridge over night.
The next day add 2 teaspons each of basil and oregano(dried - add more if you’re using fresh), 1 bunch green onions(chopped), 4T. chopped fresh parsley, 2 jars marinated artichokes (drained and coarsely chopped), about 6 c. chicken breasts(cooked and chopped - or just chop up the meat from a roasted deli chicken), about 2 c. of mayo (or less - according to how you like it), and lemon pepper to taste.
I imagine your grandmama’s macaroni salad would be divine and packed with flavor, if you’ll just marinate the noodles first! Give it a try!
Oh, I have a question, is there some way to access the old recipe finder files? I’ve lost a tortilla soup recipe that I found in the paper about 6 years ago. Thanks for your help!
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