Hawaiian Mac Salad

When I was vacationing with my family in Maui years back everything was served with this amazing Macaroni Salad, locally referred to simply as Mac Salad. It varies from its mainland cousin with its lack of mustard and minimal vinegar. It’s a simple and amazing recipe that is my go-to potluck recipe! It comes together in under an hour and that’s about how much time it took to vanish from the table.

½ pound Elbow Pasta
1 ½ cups Hellman’s Mayo
½ cup Miracle Whip or a similar dressing
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cup Whole Milk
1 cup Onion; chopped
1 cup Carrots; shredded
1 cup Bell Pepper; chopped (optional)
½ cup Celery; minced
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Ginger Powder
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (optional)
Pinch of Celery Seed
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of liberally salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Boil until slightly overcooked, but not mushy; about 13 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking any further.
Add the pasta to a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and gently fold everything together until well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Enjoy!