Macaroni Salad

At times I like macaroni salad more than potato salad.  Pasta is addictive, but aside from just taste alone, it's a lot easier to prepare and cook than potatoes are.  This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook although I only used half of the ingredients.  Pasta salads are very versatile so it works every time!

2 cups macaroni or wagon wheel pasta
1/2 cup salad dressing {Miracle Whip}
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 T mustard (to taste)
1-2 T milk
paprika
garlic powder
onion powder
 dash black pepper
2-3 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup frozen peas
3/4-1 cup diced cheddar cheese
2-3 whole dill pickles, diced
black olives

Other ingredients in original recipe:
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (1 stalk)
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
2 T thinly sliced green onion or chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt

Boil water in a medium saucepan.  Boil two cups of pasta according to package instructions.  Boil water in a small saucepan for hard-cooked eggs.  Meanwhile dice cheese, pickles, eggs, black olives and other ingredients.  Drain pasta when cooked.  Pour pasta into a large bowl.  Add frozen peas to the pasta.  In a separate bowl mix together the salad dressing and mayonnaise (I used a 3/4 measuring cup and eyeball it), mustard, onion- and garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients into the pasta.  Stir in the salad dressing.  Add a little milk if it need moistened.  Chill at least four hours before serving.

Original recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. "Macaroni Salad." 12th ed. Des Moines, IA: Better Homes and Gardens Books, 2002. 463.