Enchilada Beans

Man do I ever love a big ole pot of great beans. But these enchilada beans aren’t great beans. They’re amazing beans. The flavors are just amazing. Southwestern in nature, with the perfect texture and a sauce that is to die for, I could eat these beans all day long and still ask for more.

Enchilada Beans

No Mess With The Recipe (Please)

You cannot improve on these enchilada beans. Don’t go adding hot sauce, or spicy chili powder, or some fru-fru roasted tomato sauce. They don’t need any messing with. At all. Trust me on this, I’m not making it up! Make them exactly as the recipe calls for and you will thank me all day long.

Well, You Could Make Them Into Chili…

Now, that being said… after making these a few times the thought of adding crumbled browned ground beef and making these beans into a chili did occur to me…

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

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Also try my cowboy beans and a family favorite, our Spanish-style beans.

Enchilada Beans
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5 from 1 vote

Enchilada Beans

Man do I ever love a big ole pot of great beans. But these enchilada beans aren’t great beans. They’re amazing beans.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword beans, Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 245kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven.
  • Add onion and cook until just starting to soften.
  • Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle onions with flour, chili powder and cumin and stir.
  • Cook for 5 minutes to cook the flour, stirring.
  • Stir in the broth and tomato sauce.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.

Notes

Rather good with saltines too!

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 875mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Baked Bacon

Baked bacon is one of my favorite things. A little time, a little seasoning and I’ve got a wonderful treat. I like my bacon to not be super-duper crunchy. Just a little bite is perfect. For me, baking is easier than cooking bacon in a skillet. I also get a more-consistently cooked product (with minimal curling!). With less mess, too.

Baked Bacon

Bacon. Glorious Perfectly-Cooked Bacon.

When I worked at the cafeteria at a large army base outside of Washington DC we would bake an unbelievable amount of bacon. And specially for Saturday morning’s buffet. Rack after rack after rack of bacon. I started as a dishwasher. Nothing was harder than scrubbing stack after stack of large sheet pans that had pieces of bacon stuck to them. I avoid that now by lining my pans with foil. A teen making minimum wage was probably cheaper than foil back in the day, so we didn’t line the pans at the cafeteria. We also didn’t season the bacon, something I really love to do.

Save The Drippings

If you’re planning on draining off the bacon drippings to use for other purposes, you might want to skip the seasoning all-together, or strain it first to remove any spice pieces.

Cleanup Is Easy

For cleanup I take the paper towel that I drained the bacon on and toss it onto the baking sheet to absorb any grease. I fold up the sides of the foil and seal it tightly. This creates a packet that can be tossed into the bin without having to worry about it leaking.

Use Up Your Spices

Baked bacon is also a great way to use up those last bits of the spices you have in the pantry. You know the ones, they’ve been in there forever waiting for you to figure out what to do with them. Well, now you know!

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Crunch some on some bacon and blue cheese French fries and enjoy!

Baked Bacon
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5 from 1 vote

Baked Bacon

Baked bacon is one of my favorite things. A little time, a little seasoning and I’ve got a wonderful treat. I like my bacon to not be super-duper crunchy. Just a little bite is perfect. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 315kcal

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces bacon thin- or thick-sliced
  • seasonings see notes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. For thick or crisper bacon you can go as high as 400 F.
  • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Lay the bacon out onto the baking sheet. Do not overlap the pieces or let them touch.
  • Sprinkle the top side of the bacon with the seasoning.
  • Bake for 20 minutes. The bacon will still be mostly uncooked.
  • Flip and season the other side. Return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the desired doneness is achieved. I like my bacon done, but only lightly crispy. Thin bacon usually takes a total of 35 minutes, while thick can take 45 minutes or longer.
  • Remove bacon to paper towel-lined plate to drain then serve.

Notes

Do not use seasonings that contain a lot of sugar. If your seasonings contain a lot of salt I recommend using them sparingly as the bacon is already salty to begin with if it has been salt-cured.
Sometime bacon, especially thinner slices, can be hard to separate when removing it from the packaging. I freeze my bacon for a few minutes to make the pieces easier to remove. Just don’t put the bacon in the freezer and forget about it!

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 150mg | Vitamin A: 28IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes

I love making ‘regular’ baked potatoes. And I love making Hasselback potatoes (read the history of them here). For whatever reason, I find making them to be more fun. They are cool looking. They’re super-easy to cook. These three cheese Hasselback potatoes are simple yet packed with plenty of yummy creamy cheese. I love cheese. I love these potatoes.

Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes

Get A Gadget

Time for me to fess up. In the past I’ve cut my Hasselback potatoes by hand. I used an old wooden spoon to prevent me from cutting too far. I was fairly successful at it, but it was time consuming and often frustrating. So now I ‘cheat’. I bought a slicing rack for these three cheese Hasselback potatoes. My life is oh so much better since I did. Perfectly sliced potatoes, every single time. I admit, it’s not a kitchen gadget that I find myself using every day. But when I do need it it saves me a lot of time and a whole lot of frustration!

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Make sure you use a good grater for the cheese, and definitely don’t buy the pre-grated stuff unless you absolutely have to!

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Also try my grilled Hasselback potatoes.

Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes
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4.50 from 2 votes

Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes

I love making Hasselback potatoes. For whatever reason, I find making them to be more fun. They are cool looking. They’re super-easy to cook. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, potatoes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 potatoes
Calories 252kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Slice the potatoes (see the post for instructions on how to do this manually or using a Hasselback slicing rack).
  • Transfer the potatoes to a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the parsley, salt and pepper.
  • Gently spread the potato slices apart and brush with half of the butter mixture.
  • Bake another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
  • Brush with remaining butter mixture and divide the cheese between the potatoes.
  • Return to the oven, under the broiler, to melt the cheese, another 1 minute.

Notes

Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 925mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Smoked Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese

I recently smoked a big block of Velveeta. When I first mentioned the idea you could actually hear the gasps. Half were in amazement, half were not impressed. Well, for those not on the smoked Velveeta train, time to admit you were wrong because it’s crazy, crazy good! My first recipe for it? Yep, smoked Velveeta macaroni and cheese!

Smoked Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese

This Is Something Special


You could make this recipe with ‘regular’ Velveeta instead. But I have to say, smoked Velveeta macaroni and cheese is something special. The flavor is just right. The creaminess is what you’d expect.

This recipe is also fantastic using smoked cheddar cheese, something I’ve made a few times also. You can also find smoked cheddar in most stores. Sadly, you cannot find smoked Velveeta in stores. Yet.

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Looking for something easier for a crowd? My potluck macaroni and cheese recipe makes a big ole batch!

Smoked Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese

For those not on the smoked Velveeta train, time to admit you were wrong because it’s crazy, crazy good! My first recipe for it? Yep, smoked Velveeta macaroni and cheese!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, smoked
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 480kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Cook the pasta until al dente, 7 minutes.
  • Rinse and drain well.
  • Drain water from pot and add 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat.
  • Add the onion and cook until just soft.
  • Add the cubed Velveeta, milk and mustard.
  • Stir and let cook until the cheese has melted and is smooth, stirring often. You want the sauce to thicken until it sticks to a spoon, 10-15 minutes.
  • Stir in the cooked macaroni.
  • Pour into a lightly greased 9" x 13" baking dish.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and hot.
  • Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saute pan.
  • Add the Panko and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the mac-and-cheese.
  • Slice and serve.

Notes

You can use regular breadcrumbs instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 1873mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 869IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 399mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Mississippi Mud Cheesy Potatoes

I’m lucky in that I usually love darn near everything I make. These Mississippi Mud cheesy potatoes are definitely no exception. In fact, love may be an understatement. My wife and I both devoured them. You just can’t beat the tender potatoes, ooey gooey cheese, crunchy smoky bacon, and green onions. It’s a lot like having a loaded baked potato, and yep, you guessed it, I love loaded baked potatoes too.

Mississippi Mud Cheesy Potatoes

Spice ‘Em Up

The only possible change (and really, it’s a stretch perhaps) I would make to these Mississippi Mud cheesy potatoes would be to add a roasted jalapeno or two. Actually, that’s not a stretch at all. Or maybe a pinch or two of smoked paprika or chipotle powder. Yeah, I’m going that for sure now! It’s not that this dish NEEDS some spicy kick to it. It’s that I like things with a little heat more than things without it. So why not add just a bit? Me, I figure anything I would add to a bake potato, I can add here too!

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

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Also make my delicious melting potatoes.

Mississippi Mud Cheesy Potatoes
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2 from 2 votes

Mississippi Mud Cheesy Potatoes

I’m lucky in that I usually love darn near everything I make. These Mississippi Mud cheesy potatoes are definitely no exception.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesy, potatoes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 1078kcal

Ingredients

  • 10 cups Russet potatoes diced (about 5 medium potatoes)
  • 1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 pound bacon cooked, chopped
  • ½ cup green onions chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 325 F.
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Pour mixture into a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish.
  • Bake for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender.

Notes

You can test for doneness by poking a potato with a toothpick.

Nutrition

Calories: 1078kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 625mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 440mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Spicy Red Onion Rings

Oh, all those years spent eating (and enjoying!) onion rings made from white or sweet onions. Not wasted years, but years of missed opportunities of eating spicy red onion rings. Spiced up with a fantastic kick not only from hot sauce but from that red onion bite, these rings are the things dreams are made of. The batter is perfect. No batter loss here, the coating sticks perfectly and comes out crazy crunchy. These are what rings should be.

Spicy Red Onion Rings

Forget Those Other Onion Rings

Although there’s certainly nothing wrong with ketchup on spicy red onion rings, I prefer something a bit more ‘deep’ so I made an easy dipping sauce of mayo and a few other ingredients I had on hand. The dipping sauce is also great for dipping fries, potato chips, carrot sticks, you name it. And it’s also fantastic on burgers!

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

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This is yet another great recipe I found in Margaritaville: The Cookbook. It is absolutely full of great dishes!

Also try my fried onion strips with a wonderful dipping sauce and more more classic-style homemade onion rings. My spicy Texan onion rings are also a must-make.

Spicy Red Onion Rings
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Red Onion Rings

Oh, all those years spent eating (and enjoying!) onion rings made from white or sweet onions. Not wasted years, but years of missed opportunities of eating spicy red onion rings.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, onion
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 506kcal

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce

Instructions

  • Heat 2″ of oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Whisk the buttermilk and hot sauce together in a pie plate.
  • In another pie plate, combine the flour, cornstarch and salt.
  • Working in batches, dip rings in buttermilk, then flour. Repeat.
  • Transfer to fryer in batches. Do not overcrowd. Fry for about 2 minutes, flip and fry another 2 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
  • Serve with dipping sauce.

For the dipping sauce

  • Whisk together all ingredients.

Notes

For a little extra spiciness, let the rings marinate in the buttermilk/hot sauce mixture for 1 hour before battering and frying.

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 3130mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 292IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Quick Fix Asian Fries

Since I was grilling up a few Asian pork burgers for dinner, I needed some fries to go with them. Something with a bit of Asian zing to it. So, I grabbed a bag of frozen fries out of the freezer, baked them up, and tossed them with a few Asian ingredients. In no time, my quick fix Asian fries were on the table, ready to be devoured.

Quick Fix Asian Fries

Spicy, Yummy Fries! At Last!

These quick fix Asian fries do have a bit of a spicy kick to them. That’s probably why we loved them so much. Get your fries good and crunchy. If they sit for long in the sauce they might get a bit soggy. They really won’t last long so it’s not much of a worry.

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Also try my quick fix seasoned tater tots.

Quick Fix Asian Fries
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Asian Fries

Since I was grilling up a few Asian pork burgers for dinner, I needed some fries to go with them. Something with a bit of Asian zing to it. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword Asian, fries
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 315kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound French fries frozen

For the sauce

Instructions

  • Cook the fries as per package instructions.
  • Meanwhile, create the sauce by placing all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine.
  • When the fries are done transfer them to a large bowl.
  • Drizzle the fries with the sauce and toss lightly to coat. Serve.

Notes

It’s ok to add a bit of minced garlic to the sauce if you want.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 683mg | Potassium: 521mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Mom’s Bean Salad

I love my mom’s bean salad recipe. I’ve been eating it since I was a kid, even though I probably considered it a ‘weird’ food then. It’s simple but very good. I’ve found that it’s even better when it has been chilled until super-duper cold. After I make it I let it set in the fridge overnight before diving in. Well, ok, I have a few tastes first, but then I put it into the fridge.

Moms Bean Salad

Change It Up A Tad

You can use pretty much any beans you want, and you can skip the fresh carrots and use canned or frozen if you wish. Or substitute fresh beans for the canned and have a fantastic summertime salad. It’s ok if you change my mom’s bean salad. I won’t tell her.

I use a good quality vinegar for this salad and it comes out perfectly each and every time.

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Also try Chez John’s Kaw-Cajun 4-bean salad. It’s unbelievably good.

Mom's Bean Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Mom’s Bean Salad

I love my mom’s bean salad recipe. I’ve been eating it since I was a kid, even though I probably considered it a ‘weird’ food then. It’s simple but very good.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword bean salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 179kcal
Author Mom

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Bring a small pan or skillet of water to a boil.
  • Add the carrots and cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender.
  • Remove, drain, and rinse with cold water.
  • Place cooked carrots, the wax and green beans, the kidney beans and the onion into a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, vinegar and oil.
  • Add to the beans and toss to coat.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
  • Add more salt and pepper if desired.

Notes

Always stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 6315IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Cucumber Salad

There are lots and lots of cucumber salads in the world of recipes. I really love the crispness of the cucumbers, the bite of the white vinegar and slight sweetness. Of course there’s dill and plenty of it. I’m pretty sure dill exists solely to be used with cucumbers.

This version is essentially the same as my all-time favorite creamy version but minus the ‘creamy’.

Cucumber Salad

The Perfect Pork BBQ Sandwich Topping

This cucumber salad does not have to be served just as a salad, either. It’s fantastic on top of a pulled pork sandwich. It’s also a nice change from the usual dill pickle slices (or coleslaw) you often find on a sandwich. The crunchiness and flavors are fantastic.

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Also try my refrigerator cucumber salad.

Cucumber Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Cucumber Salad

There are lots and lots of cucumber salads in the world of recipes. I really love the crispness of the cucumbers, the bite of the vinegar and slight sweetness. Of course there’s dill and plenty of it
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cucumber, salad
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 26kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place cucumber into a resealable container.
  • Place remaining ingredients except dill into a jar. Seal and shake until combined. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Pour liquid over cucumbers. Seal and shake gently to coat. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
  • Serve sprinkled with fresh dill.

Notes

You can use a sugar substitute.

Nutrition

Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Creole Macaroni Salad

It doesn’t take a whole lot of changes to make a pretty much run-of-the-mill pasta salad different. This Creole macaroni salad has buttermilk in the dressing, giving it that wonderful tangy flavor. I love buttermilk so I instantly thought how great . Buttermilk fried chicken and this salad are a great match too. Trust me, I tried it. The salad also has tomatoes and (my wife’s favorite) olives. Her motto is: You can’t have too many olives.

Creole Macaroni Salad

Heat In A Pasta Salad Is A Good Thing

I would (and did) add more cayenne pepper to give this Creole macaroni salad even more kick. Plus, I think the dressing has a somewhat cooling effect, so a bit more heat isn’t going to hurt anything.

This recipe comes from Paul Kirk’s Championship Barbecue Cookbook, a huge book of everything barbecue. Get it. It’s packed with recipes like this great salad and whole lot more.

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Blue Plate Regular Mayonnaise 30 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
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Also try my Hawaiian-style potato and Mexican macaroni salads.

Creole Macaroni Salad
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Creole Macaroni Salad

It doesn’t take a whole lot of changes to make a pretty much run-of-the-mill pasta salad different. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 325kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked, drained and cooled
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese diced
  • ½ cup celery diced
  • ½ cup onion diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives halved

For the dressing

Instructions

  • Place all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl or resealable container.
  • Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving

Notes

Stir again before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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