Macaroni Salad

When I was a child, my mother would prepare cool and chilled meals during the summer and one of my favorites was her "Chicken and Macaroni Salad." She would boil a whole chicken, let it cool, and then strip the meat from the bones. The chicken meat would be placed in a covered bowl and placed in the refrigerator as she prepared the rest of the ingredients for this salad.

The water would be set to boil while she chopped celery and any other vegetables she wanted to add. When the water was ready, she would pour the pasta shells, adding a little bit of oil and salt. With all the vegetables cut, she would mix them in with the chicken and then add mustard and Miracle Whip as a dressing. As soon as the pasta was cooked she would pour it into a colander and rinse it thoroughly with cold water. The pasta was then added to the chicken mixture, covered, and placed back in the refrigerator to chill. I watched my mother repeat this process every time without using a recipe.

When I married, I instantly became a mother of five. I felt well equipped to take care of this family, as I am the oldest of seven and my mother had taught me how to cook.

One very hot summer day in Southern California I decided to make my mother's "Chicken and Macaroni Salad." I timed it perfectly so that the evening meal was on the table when my husband walked through the door. Everyone quickly gathered around the dining room table to enjoy a cool and refreshing meal. My husband scooped up a large helping of the salad and passed the bowl to one of our children who also scooped up a large helping. The bowl quickly made it around the table. The kids had started eating when my husband took his first bite.

In less than 30 seconds (it may have been faster), my husband spits the food out, glares at me, pushes his plate away, and yells "What is this? It doesn't taste right!"

I started to explain what ingredients I used. When I got to the Miracle Whip he yells: "I hate Miracle Whip! Don't ever use it again!"

As he got up and stormed out of the dining room, I watched each of my children push their plates away and leave the table. Left alone at the table, I sat and stared at the salad and cried. Having grown up on Miracle Whip I didn't really know that there was another option: Mayonnaise.

You may think poorly of the actions of those involved that day. However, I have had great success with my mother's "Chicken and Macaroni Salad" since that day. I made several changes to the recipe, accounting for the tastes of my husband and children. We still enjoy this dish on the very hottest of days during the summer.

Chicken Macaroni Salad

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 15 mins Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken boiled or roasted, stripped and chilled
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni (any brand you like)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Best Foods)
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

Directions:

1. Boil or roast chicken, cool, and strip meat from the bone. Place in a covered bowl to chill.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well and set aside to cool.
3. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stirring well.
4. Add cooked pasta, celery, cucumber, and red onion. Toss well to coat pasta and vegetables with dressing. Cover and chill to blend flavors.

Enjoy this refreshing, protein-rich dish this summer. Adding a cup of frozen peas will make this a popping sensation. If you would like to switch up the flavors, swap out the cucumber for chopped bell pepper or even switch out the chicken for a can of tuna.