Grandma Parker's Macaroni Salad

I'm not a big macaroni salad person.  In fact until my Grandma started making this recipe I didn't like it at all.  She brought it to nearly every family get together.  Finally when she was 70 years old and I was 27 years old I got to thinking I better get that recipe while the gettins' good.  I asked her for the recipe and she said she really didn't have one.  I asked if I could watch her make it some day and she said yes.  Next family party she called and asked if I wanted to come over and help her make the macaroni salad.  I jumped in my car and came right over.  As we made it I wrote down the measurements of all the ingredients.  I don't cook much without a recipe.  If a dish is delicious I want it to turn out that way every time.  I don't want it to be kind of sort of like the original.  I think that is why my friends turn to me for recipes.  They know it's good and they know I'll have a recipe!

There has only been one wrinkle with this recipe.  There is one ingredient it has to have in order to have the right taste.  That ingredient is McCormick's Vegetable Delight.  Well, the wrinkle is they stopped making Vegetable Delight about 5 years ago.  Fortunately, they made something called Vegetable Supreme.  It was very similar to Vegetable Delight.  Only difference I could tell was it wasn't quite as buttery in flavor and they added sesame seeds.

Now I've found out from an urgent call from Portland, OR they don't make Vegetable Supreme any more.  On the McCormick website it is listed in the Discontinued Product list under Seasoning Blends.  Be still my heart!  I was told by my friend's in Portland that they wanted to make my Mac Salad and couldn't find the seasoning at any store or on the internet.  They instructed me to quickly search the stores in my area for it.  I went to Raley's today and McCormick had a whole new display system.  It was clear that Vegetable Supreme had long been squeezed out.

This recipe is even more precious to me as my Grandma passed away last year at the ripe ole age of 92.  It seems so sad that McCormick feels there is no market for this Seasoning blend.  I've contacted them and hope to find out how I can make this seasoning on my own.  I have a precious 2 tablespoons left.  Just one recipe of my Grandma's Macaroni Salad.  I may have to sniff and taste and figure it out on my own, because I refuse to let this recipe die.  I have many friends and family that love this recipe and make it themselves.  Without further adieu...

Grandma Parker's Macaroni Salad

Over the years friends have made the salad and on occasion I'll be at the event.  Certain liberties have been taken with the ingredients over the years, but not so extremely as this one occasion.  I got to the party and was quickly grabbed by the elbow and whisked into the kitchen.  My friend says hurriedly, "I made your mac salad and it doesn't taste quite right. Could you take a look at it and give me some pointers."  I said, "Sure."  I took one look at the salad and wondered why she would need my help.  It was obvious what was wrong.  The salad was made with bow tie pasta, red onion, no pimento and sliced dill pickle.  She's looking at me with that "Well?" look and I said, "You used bow tie pasta instead of salad macaroni."  She says defensively, "Well, I didn't have any and I wasn't going to make a special trip to the store."  Again, she gives the the "Well?" look.  I said, "My recipe calls for green onion."  She says again defensively, "I didn't have any green onion and I wasn't going to make a special trip to the store."  Now I don't know what to say, because she purposely didn't follow the recipe.  BUT she continues to look pleadingly at me for help.  I say, "What's with the sliced pickle?"  She say excitedly, "I like sliced pickle, so I threw it in."  In my head I threw my hands up in the air and then I said, "I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful salad it's just not going to be my salad," and I walked away.  Everyone enjoyed the salad.