Macaroni Salad

My grandmother made one of the best macaroni salads I’ve ever had. I find when I try similar macaroni salads … nothing quite matches up or compares to my grandmother’s. Her recipe is quite simple, but it’s one that I love.  With summer upon us I’d wanted macaroni salad for weeks. Since we were having a Fourth of July BBQ I decided to pick up green pepper to ensure I could whip up a batch for the barbecue.

Since I try to recreate dishes with lighter ingredients, I opted to use light mayonnaise and I included some light sour cream into the dish. The sour cream is only used to really stretch the creaminess in the dish and to refrain from using extra mayonnaise.  I’ve always called this macaroni salad.

The amount I made is enough to serve at a barbecue or a large family/friend gathering. You could easily cut this in half if it’s being made for a few.

Serves 16. 5 Points Plus values. 2/3 cup serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• ½ cup fat free sour cream
• 1 can solid white tuna fish packed in water, drained, shredded
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 25 Spanish olives (roughly 4 oz), stuffed with pimentos, sliced [OR salad olives]
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)

 Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over a medium-high flame. Add in macaroni and cook pasta until al dente.

Open can of tuna fish, drain well and add to a bowl to flake/shred.  Toss tuna fish with onion and green pepper.

When pasta is done, drain in a colander and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process. Add pasta to bowl with tuna fish and vegetables.

Season with salt and pepper and begin to fold in the mayonnaise and sour cream. When all combined, add in the sliced olives and fold in to combine.

Set macaroni salad into the fridge to chill at last 1-hour before serving.