A Keeper of a Macaroni Salad Recipe!!.

Yes, another pasta salad recipe! What can I say, I LOVE pasta salads and I especially love them in the summer! This will be my lunch for most of the week this week! Those of you who know me, I mean reeeally know me, or have followed my blog over the past couple of years probly know that I have a sort of obsession with dips! I'm not afraid to admit it either. This chubby girl loves dip or as I've said before, "I've never met a dip that I didn't like!" and it's true! Is it a cream cheese thing or a sour cream thing? I'm really not sure, but you can bet that if a dip recipe has either of those two ingredients...I'm lovin' it! Well pasta salads are possibly my second foody love! I love making them as much as eating them! I'm all about the whole chopping thing. Silly as it sounds, I love to chop!

This Macaroni Salad recipe is really, really good! I absolutely love the homemade dressing that you make for this salad! I admit, I may try/sample the dressing, via finger dips (while I am chopping) before ever adding it to the salad...it's that yummy that it's hard to stay out of! And if I am the only one in this house who eats pasta salad, which sadly I am ...I don't mind knowing that my finger has previously dipped in the dressing! HA!

If you are looking for a good Macaroni Salad recipe try this one! If it is missing some of the things you love to include in pasta salads...by all means just toss them in! That's another thing I love about making pasta salads, there are no rules! Just about anything goes! ;o)

Macaroni Salad

1 lb. sliced bacon
1 16oz. pkg. elbow macaroni

1 C. mayo
1/2 C. sour cream
2 T. prepared yellow mustard
1/4 C. white sugar
1/4 C. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. poppy seed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 to 1 T. dried parsley or 2 T. fresh
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. sliced green olives
1/2 to 3/4 C. green peas
3/4 to 1 C. diced Colby cheese
1/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese (to sprinkle on top before serving only)

Cook bacon to desired crispness, crumble and set aside.

Whisk mayo, sour cream, mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley and poppy seed in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the bacon, pasta, tomato, cucumber, celery, peas and olives, gently tossing together to combine.

Sprinkle with small amount of finely shredded cheddar cheese just before servings