Macaroni Salad Recipe

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and follow the package directions to cook the pasta. Two to three minutes before the end of the cooking time, test a piece of macaroni—it should be al dente. Drain the pasta and immediately begin rinsing it in cold water—continue rinsing until the macaroni is cool to the touch. Drain well and pour the cooled pasta into a large bowl.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sweet relish, sugar, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Editor's Tip: If you like cold salads extra saucy, make a double batch of dressing.

Add the chopped celery, carrot and onion to the macaroni and stir together. Then, add in the dressing. Stir the salad with a large spoon to thoroughly coat the macaroni and vegetables with the dressing.

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl. Sprinkle chopped hard-boiled egg over the top, followed by a generous sprinkle of paprika. You can serve the salad right away or cover and refrigerate it to serve later.