A simple Macaroni Salad recipe is a must for summer entertaining. This one is easy, uses only basic ingredients, and the flavor is spot on. Serve it at a family cookout or neighborhood potluck and it will be devoured by adults and kids alike.

This recipe is from Cook’s Country Magazine (Aug/Sept 2010), one of my favorite resources for basic, traditional, and regional recipes that you can always count on to work.
It’s a creamy and delicious pasta salad with just the right amount of mayonnaise and subtle flavor from red onion, celery, parsley, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

 
Seasoning the cooking water with plenty of salt helps ensure that the pasta gets off to a good start as far as flavoring. The salt really works its way into the pasta as it cooks and seasons it in a way that cannot be achieved by adding salt to the cooked pasta. The seasonings get stirred into the pasta before the mayonnaise and this helps the pasta absorb even more flavor.
 
If you want to jazz this basic Macaroni Salad up a little, try adding a few peas, some diced ham, a chopped hard-boiled egg, or some diced cheddar cheese.
You can count on it to make every cookout a smashing success. Pair it with some Root Beer Baked Beans and Jalapeno Creamed Corn for a summer meal everyone will rave about.
TIPS FOR MAKING MACARONI SALAD

Do not overcook or undercook the pasta. Cook it too long and it will be mushy. Don’t cook it long enough and it wil...