APRIL'S MACARONI SALAD

My friend April Oaks Potter shared her macaroni salad recipe with me after I begged for it. We had a family get-together and she brought the macaroni salad and I thought it was the best I had ever had. Here is her version of it. I added hard-boiled eggs and a little pickle relish.

1 (1 lb.) box elbow macaroni
2 cups KRAFT mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of radishes chopped finely
1/2 green pepper chopped finely
1/2 red onion chopped finely
1 block of med cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
1 bag of diced ham

Cook macaroni and drain. In a small bowl mix mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix with macaroni add in chopped veggies, cheese and ham.

BLEU CHEESE BOW TIES WITH RED GRAPES AND TOASTED WALNUTS

Depending on your taste for bleu cheese, you can use more or less to suit yourself. This is a wonderful chilled salad which would be perfect for a brunch or luncheon.

8 oz. bow tie pasta, uncooked
3 cups red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup good bleu cheese, crumbled
1 clove garlic, mminced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook pasta to al dente; drain well. Rinse with cold water; drain. Combine with grapes through salt and pepper.

Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice; add to pasta mixture. Cover and chill at least 4 hours for flavors to blend. Add walnuts when ready to serve, tossing mixture well.

Serves: 6 to 8

"Rupert, is this bleu cheese, or is this cheese that's gone bleu?"

SPAGHETTI SALAD

Simple and good.

1 small head lettuce-chopped
1 lg. bell pepper-chopped
1 medium onion-chopped
8 boiled eggs-chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (8oz.) pkg. thin spaghetti, cooked al-dente
salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together and refrigerate up to 5 days.

"No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention." ~Christopher Morley