I wanted to post “How to have a great Retro BBQ” this weekend but I got into some other projects…so here’s at least one recipe you can still have for tomorrow! Promise to have the BBQ post up soon!
When I was a kid, every time we had a BBQ my mother made the macaroni salad and my grandmother made the potato salad. My father and my uncle cooked the burgers and dogs on the grill, my aunt usually helped by making something that you could boil in a plastic bag (her specialty was Nibblits in butter sauce) and my grandfather would play with me while everyone else worked.
Here’s the recipe for my mother’s (Sabina) macaroni salad. I’ve never had it like this anywhere else, have no idea where she came up with the recipe, but it’s my favorite…it’s easy to make, and is a hell of a lot better than the stuff you get a Publix. This recipe goes way back to at least the 1960’s…and since she probably got it from my grandmother, it likely goes back to the 50’s or earlier. So for a little taste of the past, here’s
Sabina’s South Philly Macaroni Salad
1 Medium Red Pepper, diced
1 Medium Green Pepper, diced
1 Medium (3” Diameter) Sweet Onion, diced
1/2 Large Red Onion, diced (Dice the other half to add to taste)
2 Large Carrots, diced
2-3 Large Celery Stalks, diced
About 1/4 cup Bacos (not real bacon bits)
Mayo (Hellman’s only)
Salt & Pepper
2 Lbs. Good Quality Elbo Macaroni
• Boil the Macaroni as usual, until al dente…not too soft. Drain and let cool. Don’t rinse.
• Meanwhile, dice all the vegetables into a large bowl and add the bacon bits. When the macaroni is cool, mix it into the vegetables.
• Mix in mayo one heaping tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. You want it to just coat the macaroni. Too much will ruin the salad. I use about 4-5 heaping tablespoons.
• Add about a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper and mix in. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The macaroni will absorb the mayo so you ‘mayo’ need to add more. (Get it?) Add more salt and pepper to taste. You can also add more of the red chopped onion to taste. Just be careful, if the onions are too strong they will overpower the whole thing.
That’s it! Happy Memorial Day!
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