Cooking with Kitten: Macaroni Salad

This afternoon I went to a pool party with some friends from work, and prepared this, one of my mother's summer specialties. It is ridiculously easy to make.

Macaroni Salad

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces of cooked macaroni
1/2 onion, minced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 can salad shrimp
black pepper to taste
mayonnaise, to taste (I use plain yogurt, and I drain the water from it overnight to make it thicker...see the next post for instructions)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil macaroni until it is al dente. Cool completely.

2. Dump cooled macaroni into a large bowl. Add onion, celery, shrimp, and black pepper, and mix well.

3. Add the mayonnaise/thickened yogurt immediately before serving. If you make the dish in advance and add the mayonnaise before you put in the refrigerator, the pasta will fully absorb it, and you'll have to add more. So it's best to dress the salad right before you put it out.

It's a really good side dish, and also makes a nice light lunch/supper during the summer. I ate a LOT of pasta salad during the summer as I was growing up!