Macaroni Salad

I love this recipe because it reminds you of some of the variations possible with a simple macaroni salad. I doubled this recipe (I'll post it as listed) and added cheddar cheese, bacon, and hard-cooked eggs. Feel free to try any of the variations below. Recipe courtesy of The Pillsbury Cookbook.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup elbow macaroni
• 1  stalk celery, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  pickle relish (chopped) or 1⁄4 cup sweet pickle (chopped)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon onion, chopped
• 3⁄4 mayonnaise or 3⁄4  salad dressing

• Any of the following may be added

• 2 -3  hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 1 -2  cup cheese, cubed
• 1⁄2 cup  nuts, chopped

• Meat and Seafood Additions

• 6 1⁄2 ounces tuna (drained and flaked) or 6 1⁄2 ounces  crabmeat (drained and flaked)
• 1⁄2-1  cup salmon or 1⁄2-1  cup shrimp, drained if using canned
• 1 -2  cup bacon (crisply cooked) or 1 -2  cup sausage (any meat)

• Vegetable Additions

• 1  cup peas or 1  cup carrot, cooked
• 1⁄4 cup  stuffed olives or 1⁄4 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1  tablespoon green peppers or 1  tablespoon pimiento, chopped
• 1  carrot, shredded

Directions

1. Cook macaroni to desired doneness as directed on package.
2. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. In large bowl, combine macaroni with remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
4. Macaroni-Fruit Salad: Omit pickle relish and onion. Substitute whipped cream or topping for mayonnaise. Fold in 1 to 2 cups cut-up fresh or drained canned fruit.
5. Rice-Salad: Substitute 2 cups of cooked rice for the macaroni.