Signs of spring with macaroni salad

I am so ready for some sunshine. Here in California, we have two seasons: torrential rain and baking heat. In between those two extremes lie brief windows of freshness, one of which is trying to open now, between rain showers.

The forget-me-nots are coming up all over our hillside, making a cloud of blue in the tall grass. The wild strawberry is blooming, blissfully unaware that the chickens are keeping a sharp eye on it, waiting for the fruit. The plum blossomed in February, the cherry in March, and now the apple trees are bringing up the train. Our scrub jay pair is stealing moss out of people’s hanging planter baskets to line their nest with, and are mounting aerial dogfights with the Stellar jays invading their territory.

Spring is happening whether I can see sunshine or not. In honor of the possibility, here’s a macaroni salad recipe from Miss Betty down at Lunardi’s, our local grocery store, who is in cahoots with my husband to produce the best recipes 🙂

Miss Betty’s Mac Salad

• Two 12-oz boxes salad macaroni
• 6 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 small sweet red onion, diced
• 1 palmful chopped Italian parsley
• 2 large dill pickles, diced
• 4 oz diced black olives
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 green onions, chopped in rings
• 1/2 cup grated raw carrot
• 2/3 cup Caesar dressing
• 2 Tbsp mustard power (optional)
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Peel and chop eggs, and add to macaroni. Fold in remaining ingredients and blend well.

Top with:

• Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Sprinkling of paprika
• Sprigs of parsley

Cover and chill to blend flavors. Serves 12–16.