This family recipe = summer

For as long as I can remember in my family (and no, I don't have long or short term memory problems)...summer has been quietly announced officially by the first batch of our homemade macaroni salad. Usually somewhere near Memorial Day weekend. Last year, I found myself giggling to myself when my then 6-year old came into the kitchen and said, "Hey! It must be summer--you're making macaroni salad! Tradition inadvertently and successfully passed on! Sometimes we call it macaroni salad, sometimes noodle salad. And I have NO idea why my family only made it during the summer, nor why I only make it during the summer. I just do, kind of like how I only make apple spice cake at Christmas time.

I just know this is the only kind of macaroni salad I like.

I made the first batch of the season shortly after Memorial Day. And have made 5 batches since....and we have eaten it all. We eat it for lunch. And sometimes I eat it for breakfast. I will need to make some more today. And probably 3 days from today. And then 3 days after that. Repeat. Until Labor Day weekend.

So, this is not your typical macaroni salad--there's no chopping involved, and you are probably not going to find a version of this already made at the grocery store.

It only has 3 ingredients, 7 if you want to count the seasonings. And I am totally guessing about the amount of seasonings---I eyeball it when I make it until it looks about right, especially with the parsley flakes. But we cannot stop eating it.

My Family Macaroni Salad Recipe

1 box of elbow macaroni

2 cans of tuna, drained

2-3 Tbsp. Hellman's Mayonnaise (Don't get me started on this. It matters. Just use it.)

1 Tbsp. Celery salt

1/4 cup Parsley flakes

Salt/Pepper to taste


Boil macaroni according to package directions, rinse with cold water and chill. If you are in a hurry, throw some ice cubes in it to chill it faster, or put them in the freezer for a few minutes..but you really want the noodles cold before you mix in the mayo, otherwise the noodles will just suck the mayo up and you will have to add more mayo.

Once you have chilled noodles, add everything else and mix it up. Adjust salt/pepper to taste...I tend to use more salt than pepper. And then let me know what you think!

Please, eat the whole pie

I think I've mentioned before that my husband loves pie. LOVES pie. A pie lover, he is. Pretty much any kind of pie. Are you getting the idea here?

We celebrated his birthday yesterday with a family dinner. And pie. Because he loves pie. (Did I mention that before?) And he got to eat an entire pie. Well, okay, everyone got their own individual pie, so it's truly not as gluttonous as that sounds. Nor is it as complicated as it sounds.

Actually?

Could. Not. Be. Easier.

I used a mix of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. From a bag of frozen fruit we got at BJ's. Didn't thaw it either. Did I mention this could not be easier to make?

The biggest source of angst about this recipe is wondering if the ramekins you have are the correct size. Because they are not labeled, and unless you have an incredible memory for that kind of thing....hard to know. We bought new ones, which still weren't labeled, but were bigger than the ones we had. And prettier. And then we topped it off with vanilla ice cream.



Individual deep-dish berry pies (makes 4, easily doubled)
from: Food Network Kitchens Favorite Recipes (cookbook)

4 cups mixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or stemmed and halved strawberries
1/3 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons instant tapioca
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sheet frozen puff pasty (8 ounces), thawed
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees (F). Toss the berries with the 1/3 cup sugar, tapioca and vanilla in a large bowl. Divide the fruit among 4 6-ounce ramekins and dot each with some butter.

Using a pizza wheel or very sharp knife, divide the puff pastry sheet into 4 squares. Brush the outsides and rims of the ramekins with water. Lay a puff pastry square over the top of each ramekin and gently press the points that drape over the sides against the ramekins to seal. Lightly brush the tops with water and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the pies on a baking sheet until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

These pies are best if served the day they're made. If you're not serving them right away, keep them at room temperature before reheating--don't refrigerate them or the crust will get soggy.