Coming up on one of the biggest summer holiday weekends, I figure it is time to talk, once again, about pasta salad.
But, not just another, everyday, macaroni and mayo pasta salad, nope.
This salad, actually a refugee from the 1960’s found in the back of my mom’s recipe box, starts out with a box of mac and cheese; y’know, Kraft Dinner.
And then, things get a bit weird, but tasty!
INGREDIENTS
•1 box mac and cheese dinner
•1/4 cup butter
•1/4 cup milk
•1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Catalina dressing
•1/3 cup mayonnaise
•1 tbsp chopped onion
•1 cup diced celery
•1 cup diced cucumber
•1 jar diced pimiento, drained
•1/4 cup sliced peperoncini
•Chopped fresh parsley
•1/4 tsp Seasoned Salt
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
Prepare pasta as directed on the package, stirring the butter, cheese packet, and milk in to the cooked, drained, and rinsed macaroni.
Note: I like to rinse cooked pasta when I am using it as a salad.
Stir in the Catalina dressing and set aside to cool completely.
Once cool, stir in the mayonnaise and remaining ingredients, then transfer to a bowl, cover, and stash in the fridge until ready to serve.
If you haven’t tried this, you really should.