Make it Yourself...Pasta Salad




This is the salad I most associate with our Grandmother’s front porch Sunday suppers – she called it Creamettes salad, because a form of the recipe was on the Creamettes elbow macaroni box (the first maker of elbow macaroni) back in the 50’s through maybe the 80's- when they finally took it off the box, I found I hadn't written the recipe down!  I still make it every summer, and with Memorial Day coming up, I'll probably have it on the menu again.

Creamettes Salad
8 Servings
8 ounces elbow macaroni, shells or rotini
4 medium eggs, hard-boiled -- chopped
½ cup celery -- chopped
½ medium onion -- chopped
4 tablespoons dill pickle relish -- drained
1 cup green peas, frozen – thawed and drained (or fresh, uncooked)
4 ounces cheddar cheese -- 1/4" cubes
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 cup mayonnaise  - Grandma used Miracle Whip or homemade "cooked" dressing
1. Hard cook eggs; peel and chop. Set aside a couple slices for garnish. Refrigerate until ready to add to the salad.
2. Cook macaroni and drain it over peas to thaw them.  Do not rinse or cool.
3. In large bowl, combine macaroni and peas with celery, pickle, and onion. Pour oil and vinegar over the warm pasta and cover and chill 4 hours or overnight.
4. Add mayonnaise and fold in cheese and chopped egg. Garnish with egg slices.
• Serve with cold cuts and feather rolls with pickles and olives or tomato wedges, and fresh muffins or breadsticks.
• Cost 2014: $2.99 or 38¢ per serving
 Per Serving : 446 Calories; 35g Fat (67.9% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 130mg Cholesterol; 304mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

7 comments:

  1. I have a Creamettes recipe clipped off a box from the late 60s/early 70s. I usually make either a chicken or crab mac salad during the summer.

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    Replies
    1. Nadine,
      You were smarter than I was...you clipped it off! I found an old Creamettes cookbook that had a lot of the old recipes in it.
      We enjoy summer salads; crab sounds especially decadent.

      Delete
  2. CRAB PASTA SALAD
    4 oz. uncooked pasta -- I use Barilla multi-grain rotini
    8 oz. chopped crab meat -- I use Louis Kemp
    1/2 c. celery, chopped
    1/2 c. onion, chopped
    1/4 c. green pepper, chopped -- I use a mix of whatever I have on hand: red, green, yellow and orange
    I add a small zucchini, chopped
    2 tbsp. parsley
    1/2 c. mayonnaise
    1/2 c. sour cream -- I use Daisy Lite
    1/4 c. chili sauce -- I used the Bennett's from Meijer, but can't find it here
    2 tbsp. Dijon mustard I use Mild & Creamy

    Cook pasta and drain. Combine pasta, crab meat, celery, onion, green pepper and parsley. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Chill and serve.

    http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1845,144185-254201,00.html

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  3. CHICKEN MAC SALAD (MPLS RESTAURANT)

    1/2 box med. shells or multi-grain rotini - cooked & cooled
    1/2 - 1 chicken breast - depending on size - cooked & chunked
    1-2 ribs celery - chopped
    2/3 c dried cherries
    1 bunch green onions (approx. 6)
    1/2 c chopped pecans
    Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing - to taste (we use almost a whole bottle, so I keep a couple on hand)
    Mix well and chill for a couple of hours before serving. This step is not necessary if you don't have time. We whipped it up at my daughter's and sat down to eat it right away. :-)

    I added a little chopped apple to mine once. It could be an option for individual preference.

    I was talking with a woman in the store whose daughter also makes this with a couple of variations. They use slivered almonds and use Hormel canned chicken. I never buy canned chicken, but that's an option if you prefer. I prefer fresh foods. I am going to try it making the chicken the way I prepare it for Sweet-n-Sour Chicken. It has a coating of cornstarch & soy sauce that I think might be good in this salad.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing these good looking recipes, Nadine.

      Delete
  4. Sounds good Nadine. Different with the chili sauce in the dressing. Thanks

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  5. Hi Sue, I do hope you'll come over to Food on Friday: Salads to bring this to the party! Cheers from Carole's Chatter

    ReplyDelete

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