Amish Macaroni Salad

When I was in Ireland, I learned that the first thing people think of when I tell them I'm from Pennsylvania is the Amish. Even when I was at Kate Voegele's concert, her opening act was amazed that she saw Amish people. Now, Pittsburgh's side of the state isn't really Amish country; it's more towards the Lancaster area. However, I have seen Pennsylvania Dutch (dress just like the Amish but believe in technology) near where I went to school and at the zoo on the carousel. If there is one thing I'm glad they invented, it's their macaroni salad. Amish macaroni salad? What is that, you ask. I have grown up eating this from the Wal Mart deli. Yes, I said Wal Mart deli. I have no clue if it's only our WMs or if all WMs sell it, but their macaroni salad is based off of an Amish recipe. What makes this so amazing? Mustard. I hate mayonnaise and although I can tolerate it in tuna salad, potato salad, etc., I cannot just simply put it on a sandwich like my dad does.

This macaroni salad still has mayo, but because it's combined with mustard, vinegar, and sugar, I can still have the creaminess without the taste. I am tempted to make homemade mayo, just to see if I like it because we buy Miracle Whip, which isn't -exactly- the same as regular mayo. After doing some Google research, it sounds like the two are different in taste. Any thoughts? The sugar in the dressing makes it sweet, so some people thought it was the right amount while others said I should cut back next time.


Amish Macaroni Salad


It's more yellow than what this picture shows. I hate the kitchen lighting.

1/2 lb. elbow macaroni (I just guessed)
1/4 cup chopped celery or green pepper (or both)
1/4 cup grated carrots
2 Tbsp chopped white onion
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (yolks optional)
Paprika
1 cup mayo
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (you can cut back to 2 Tbsp if needed)
1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1. Cook macaroni as directed. Drain and let cool.
2. After the macaroni cools, mix with celery, green pepper, carrots, onion, and eggs.
3. In a small bowl, combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, and mustard. Fold into macaroni mixture. Sprinkle the top with paprika and stir a couple of times to mix it in. Cover and let chill at least 2 hours, although overnight is best.

Source: Recipe Zaar

Makes a lot of servings. 10-12 perhaps? We just kept eating.

Tuesdays With Dorie - Tribute To Katharine Hepburn Brownies

This week's TwD was chosen by non-member Lisa from Surviving Oz because she won the logo contest. I almost didn't make these because I was tired yesterday, but I haven't done a TwD in awhile. The nice thing about making brownies is you pretty much mix everything together in one pan then transfer and bake.

If you are friends with me on Face Book or read the P&Q section on the TwD site, you probably saw that I almost had a disaster. This is what I wrote:

How Not To Make Brownies: Put flour in small bowl. Make brownie batter. Put pan in oven. Lick spoon. See bowl of flour on counter. Frantically pull out hot pan without oven mitts. Burn finger. Attempt to stir in flour. Rip foil. Pour into bowl. Replace foil. Replace batter. Put back in oven. Reset timer. Continue to lick spoon.

Since there was only 1/4 cup flour, I put it in a cereal bowl rather than a mixing bowl. I guess I thought I added it with the sugar or something because I noticed after putting it in the oven that I forgot about it. Oops! Besides a few extra dishes, I recovered...



...or so I thought. Apparently when Dorie says use parchment paper, she really does mean parchment paper and not foil. Since I had to hurry up and put new foil in the pan, I guess I didn't spray as much as I should. I thought I did, but my brownies argue otherwise. I refrigerated them for about 30 minutes which helped with the gooey factor, but they still stuck to the foil.



Tastewise - don't let the instant coffee fool you. I will admit I am a coffee snob. If it's not freshly-grinded coffee, I don't want it. I can tell when you have Folger's or Maxwell House because it just has that taste, but what's worse than stale coffee is instant coffee. I don't completely hate it - it reminds me of my stays at hostels in the UK. Not all hostels had a pot of coffee for breakfast, so my friend Shannon packed instant coffee, tea bags, and sugar while we were traveling. However, I would never willingly make myself a cup of instant coffee. In fact, I can't really explain why I have instant coffee in the cupboard. I think it was a free sample pack or something. Anyway, fellow TwDers assured me the coffee is there to enhance the chocolate, and you can't tell that much. Dorie called for 2 tsp but I used one serving packet, so maybe 1 tsp? I could still taste it, but it brought out the chocolate rather than oh I taste coffee and chocolate. I also added the optional cinnamon, but I can only taste a hint of it.

To sum things up, I would definitely make these again, as long as they don't stick or I forget the flour again. Thanks to Lisa for picking this recipe! You can the recipe on pages 96-97 of Baking: From My Home To Yours or at Surviving Oz.

Warning - I Gots Me Some Brownies

...ok I lied. I don't have these brownies anymore because I made them last week to take over a friend's house. A group of us have been hanging out more and more lately, so I decided I wanted to bring some treats over so I'm not showing up at my friend's house empty-handed. I asked for requests, and one was caramel brownies. I don't have any caramel and saw I had two open jars of peanut butter, so I decided I was doing PB instead.



I decided to make Nestle Tollhouse's brownies from their cookbook. I already made these brownies before but without the PB swirled in. As you can imagine, these brownies didn't last very long, mainly because I ate most of them but shhhh. The measurements are slightly weird because I cut the recipe in half for an 8x8 pan.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

1/2 cup + 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 Tbsp water
2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate OR 6 Tbsp cocoa + 2 Tbsp oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8x8 pan or line with foil.

2. In a saucepan, melt sugar, butter, and water. Add chocolate and stir until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking soda, and salt. Do nout pour into pan just yet.

3. In a microwavable bowl, combine peanut butter, sugar, and milk for 45 seconds or until smooth. Pour brownie batter into pan. Spoon PB mixture on top; swirl in with a knife.

4. Bake 20-25 minutes. Toothpick should have a few crumbs on it. Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Makes 1 dozen.

Source: Nestle Tollhouse Best-Loved Cookies 1995, p. 83



Just make sure you share. Too many brownies could result in breakage.

Kreativ Blogger Award

Thanks to Michele from Alwayz Bakin' and My Girl, Paula for this Kreativ Blogger award! I consider myself creative, and I'm glad she did, too. Here are the rules of this award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

Ok seven things about myself:

1. I have no idea where I got my passion for cooking and baking. It's not from my parents, never grew up with grandparents, and certainly not from my brother.

2. I love editing videos. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy producing and shooting as well, but editing is my favorite part. I just really wish there was only one editing software so I don't have to teach myself the two I never learned.

3. I get super excited when I see camera crew, whether it is on tv or at sporting events. One time, there was a camera guy at a concert on stage. I kept watching him instead of the band.

4. I want to work on a production for Food Network. Actually, I want to edit for FN but being on the crew works just as well. And when I watch the shows, I pay attention more so to the editing than the content.

5. I'd rather have rare meat than a salad. I heart meat!

6. I have an obsession with cupcake liners and sprinkles, especially when they are $1 or less.

7. I am terrified of stir frying when you add marinaded meat to hot oil, but I do it anyway.


The seven people I am nominating for the award are...

Baking With Dynamite
Obsessed With Baking
Erin Cooks
Megan's Cookin
Baking and Boys
Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Two Peas and Their Pod