Christmas is a time for get-togethers and eating sumptuous food. For Pinoys, a hearty spread is always part of the holiday season. A Noche Buena spread is a full-course feast complete with a variety of appetizers, at least three main dishes, and days-worth of desserts. Even for a small gathering, moms go all out to make holiday handaan even more special, serving festive dishes like lechon and a big bowl of macaroni salad made with Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise.
After the party, there’s bound to be plenty of leftovers. For maabilidad moms, nothing goes to waste. Lechon becomes paksiw. Excess rice, vegetables, and meat can be mixed together to make Chinese-style fried rice. Even leftover macaroni salad can be rehashed to make a whole new meal that’s as exciting and delicious as the original! Here are five yummy macaroni salad ideas:
1 Macaroni Salad Gratin
Meet baked mac and cheese’s creamier sister. To make this baked goodness, mix some white sauce made with milk, flour, and onions. Then put your leftover macaroni salad in a casserole, pour in the sauce, and top with cream, mayo, and lots of cheese. Bake in the oven until perfectly done.
2 Tuna Pasta
For a savory meal, combine canned tuna with your leftover macaroni salad. If your recipe is a little too sweet, add more mayonnaise, thin cream, and salt into the mixture. Garnish with some greens and hard-boiled egg wedges.
3 Braided Macaroni Bread
Make some homemade dough and flatten it to make a big rectangle. Put your leftover macaroni salad at the center, and add some thick white sauce and cheese on top. Make incisions around the dough and start wrapping the stuffing by weaving the cut dough like you’re making a braid. After making sure everything is well tucked in, bake the braided macaroni bread to golden perfection.
4 Creole Macaroni Salad
In a large bowl, mix your leftover mac sal with some chopped tomatoes, garlic, cheese, carrots, celery, green or red bell peppers, stuffed olives, onions, and a dash of cayenne pepper. You can serve this yummy dish on a bed of fresh and crisp lettuce leaves if you like.
5 Macaroni Coleslaw
Put a twist on the traditional coleslaw by adding leftover macaroni salad. Shred some fresh cabbage and carrots then mix them all together. If you want a creamier dish, make more dressing, combining mayonnaise, vinegar, celery seed, sugar, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
