Tuesday, January 2, 2018

New Year Celebration at Home #Macaroni SaladRecipe

Happy New Year everyone!  Howe did you celebrate your new year.  Did  you go to  New York City and watch the countdown till the ball drop?  This year was bitter cold so we decided to stay at home and be cozy.  
I usually  clean the house on the  31st of December so that  it would be clean and organized  at the start of the new year.  Last year was no different, I started early in the day and did not get done until around 2 pm.  I even forgot to set the alarm clock for the  morning mass so we attended  in the afternoon.  Anyway, after I cleaned, I cooked some food that we could eat  while waiting for  the new year.   Again, these are some Filipino dishes favorites.  Macaroni salad, fruit salad, and arroz caldo.  
Macaroni Salad Recipe:
  • 2 cups macaroni
  • 2 chicken breasts, shredded
  • 2 stalks of celery, cut up into small pieces 
  • 1 medium carrot, cut up into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup of raisin
  • 1 cup of miracle whip
  • 1 cup of avocado mayo
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
  • Boil the macaroni according to direction on the package.  Drain and let it cool.
  • On a separate pot, boil some water and  drop in a chicken cube.  When the chicken cube is dissolved, add the  chicken breasts until it's cooked.  Shred it and set aside.
  • Blanch the carrots in hot water for about 30 second.
  • Combine all the ingredients in a big bow and chill  in the refrigerator for an hour.  

This fruit salad is so yummy.  It is a bit different from what I used  to make in the Philippines because I use fresh ingredients there and the major  ingredient there is young coconut.  Over here, I prefer to use the canned fruits because it is cheaper that way, it has everything you need.  You can also use fresh fruits for this  though.  Fruit salad is  one of  my daughter and husband's favorite dessert.  Check out the recipe here.
  One of the traditions we do have in Filipino Culture is to have a bowl of  fresh fruits in the  table at the start of the new year.  Each  fruit represents something but I can only remember some of them.  My mom used to tell us that the  cluster represents family togetherness, the pineapple's eyes represents our awareness to watch out our health, and the rest  is for  abundance of blessings.
 You can check out the recipe of arroz caldo here.  You can always  modify the ingredients, sometimes I make it differently like this one.

 How about you guys?  Share some  thoughts or recipe through the comment.  Happy New Year!

18 delicious comments:

Masshole Mommy said...

That sounds really tasty! I am sure my family would love it. Happy New Year to you and your family!

Alli Smith said...

All the food looks so good! I was at home battling the flu and didn't even stay up to see the new year in. Happy New Year!

Jeannette said...

That all looks very good. I don't think I would want to go into New York City for the ball drop and even if it wasn't bitterly cold. I am not big on crowds. It looks like you chose the right idea.

valmg @ Mom Knows It All said...

Macaroni salad is a nice side because it goes well with so many things. I've never seen it with raisins in it before.

Tomi C said...

Happy New Year! Funny how food traditions help us ring in the new year. I've heard about grapes and the cluster for family, but never heard of the eyes of a pineapple. Love that!

Marysa said...

What a hearty macaroni dish. I don't know that I could do the raisins, but the rest sounds good. I've never made avocado mayo either, but I'd love to try it. Happy New Year!

candy said...

All your dishes look really delicious. Know your family enjoyed eating some wonderful home cooking.

Sarah Bailey said...

Now this sounds so good and the perfect idea to have for a New Years Celebration at home. I hope you had a lovely New Year.

crownthequeen said...

What an indulgent side dish! Man I will have to save this recipe for a cheat day!

Farrah Less g. said...

We watch the ball drop on tv. The weather outside is not so delightful. My family decided to stay home to keep warm. All foods are mouthwatering i love home cook food.

Anosa said...

I spent NYE at home watched the fire works from my home and loved it, looks like you guys had the perfect one

Heather Jones said...

I love macaroni salad! I haven't made it homemade in years. I probably should add that to my list of things to make soon. We also stayed home on New Year's we've done it almost every year since my oldest was born and we now have a routine of ringing in the new year all together sleeping in one room watching the ball drop with snacks at hand. We play games, watch movies and watch movies and the kids camp out on the floor right next to us because some years they can make it to mid-night and some years they can't.

Pam said...

I love the meaning behind keeping fruits on the table during the transition to a new year. One of my friends told me that in her culture, they always wear new clothes from the 31st to the 1st so they don't wear last year's luck into the new year.

rosemary@myhomeandtravels said...

Haven't gone out in several years. Enjoying being in and staying warm. snacking on food like this is much better.

sandy n vyjay said...

A New Year at home is a great way of celebration. We too had a quiet New year at home with the close knit family and lots and lots of our favorite food and drink.

ricci said...

I love Macaroni Salad but have never made it before!! Thanks for this recipe, it sounds easy enough for me to make!!

Amanda said...

Sounds like you had a very yummy new year. That is one of my favorite things about New Year's Eve and Day. We make some delicious food and sit back and relax together.

Anonymous said...

I like the concept behind the fruits bowl, especially the family togetherness with abundance of blessings. Great thought behind it.

Well, you started the New Year with wonderful celebration at home!

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