PICNIC MACARONI SALAD WITH BOILED DRESSING

      8 ounces elbow macaroni
      5 hard-cooked eggs
      3/4 cup diced Vidalia onion
      1 cup sliced celery
      3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
      1 large carrot, scraped and coarsely grated
      1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
      Capers, optional

      Boiled Dressing:
      3/4 cup sugar
      1 1/2 tablespoons flour
      1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
      3/4 cup water
      1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
      1/2 cup mayonnaise
      Yield: 12 servings

      Cook macaroni in boiled, salted water according to package directions. Drain. For a colorful salad, prepare packaged macaroni-and-cheese mix, with the powdered-cheese packet.
      Place all drained macaroni in a large mixing bowl; toss gently with diced hard-cooked eggs, sweet onion, celery, bell pepper, carrot, parsley and capers.
      For boiled dressing, whisk sugar, flour, vinegar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, a couple of minutes over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Whisk in mustard and mayonnaise. Pour most of the warm dressing over the macaroni mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Serve cold. Recipe adapted from "Smith & Hawken Gardeners' Community Cookbook," compiled and written by Victoria Wise (Workman Publishing, 1999, $19.95 softcover).