BeeBe Gallini's Macaroni Salad

I have a great many pasta salads in my arsenal, but this one was new to me when I was cooking from Alice's Brady Bunch cookbook for my other food blog, "Cooking with Alice". I made it for my unsuspecting foodie book club and they ate it up. I have to say it was quite good and I have had a number of requests for the recipe, thus making it a good choice for today's post. It is rather simple in it's ingredients (mayo, Dijon mustard, red pepper and pasta) and in prep. Now, as was Alice's want, she included a tablespoon of cream. But I think if I made it again I could omit that without repercussion. Also, I used the Trader Joe's Dijon, which has a slight kick to it, and that melded nicely with the sweetness of the red pepper. I also used shells instead of macaroni which worked well as the chopped pepper and the dressing could nestle inside, but that's just me.

The episode in question was titled "Mike's Horror-Scope" as it centers around Carol, who,  always wanting to know what's next, reads Mike's horoscope. It tells of a mysterious woman entering his life. Soon thereafter, Mike gets a new high maintenance architectural client named Beebe Gallini. She has hired his firm to construct her new cosmetic factory. But this is to be no ordinary factory. She wants everything pink, and shaped like a make-up compact, and we know Mike Brady has only one design aesthetic that looks suspiciously like their house. Anyway, he is at his wits end with Beebe's demands when she intrudes on the Brady household with even more changes. The Brady kids are impolite and unruly in front of her, and she lets each one of the kids have it for their behavior. This is the last straw for Mike, putting his brood before business, he tells Beebe to take a powder.

The Recipe:

1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's Light and it works nicely, thank you very much)
2 tblsp white wine vinegar
1 tblsp cream (highly optional)
1 tblsp Dijon mustard
8 ounces of pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed with cold water
1/2 cup diced red pepper (or more depending on taste)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine mayo, vinegar, mustard and cream (if you must) and season with salt and pepper. Add cooled pasta and mix well. Chill for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Add the red pepper, toss gently and serve immediately.