This is a pasta salad that my mother would have loved. It’s sweet but not too sweet, has enough vegetables to give it a crunch and colorful pasta to make it look cheerful. I got this recipe from one of the great cooks who organized the potlucks at the River Falls Journal.
Although Ann says she doesn’t add either salt or pepper when she makes this salad, I include a quarter teaspoon of salt and a dash or two of freshly ground black pepper. Her salad was delicious, but I think that a little salt and pepper makes it even better. If you want to leave them out, feel free to do so.
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. box of tri-color rotini
2 cups real mayonnaise
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
3 large carrots
1 large green pepper
1 large onion
PROCEDURE:
Boil the rotini according to the directions on the box. Drain, rinse and let it cool. Make the dressing by whisking the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and milk together in a small bowl.
Peel or scrape and grate the carrots. Wash and remove the stem, seeds and white membrane from the green pepper and peel the onion. Chop the pepper and onion medium fine.
Mix the vegetables with the rotini in a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix everything together thoroughly. Let the salad sit for a few minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning. If it seems too dry, add a little more mayonnaise and vinegar. For the best flavor, refrigerate the salad overnight.
NOTES: This recipe makes enough salad to feed eight or ten people generously. It makes a good addition to a potluck where it will easily stretch to twenty smaller servings.
This salad tastes even better after a second day in the refrigerator.
Courage in the Kitchen 