Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado& Tomato

This recipe is Wife Approved and she actually makes it herself. I just kicked back and took a few photos so you can see how she does it.

I like Macaroni Salad anytime and this one couldn't be easier to do. Once you cook the macaroni, just cool it down then get to chopping a few veggies.

Juicy tomato and creamy avocado always go well together, and with the addition of fake krab you have a filling and winning Macaroni Salad - it's a standalone meal.

I can find tomatoes for less than a dollar per pound, especially smaller Roma and cherry tomatoes. Often tomatoes are semi-ripe and slightly hard. They improve in taste if you let them ripen on a counter for another day or two. Refrigerate when ripe.

Avocados are frequently on sale at my local Latin market.You want to plan ahead if avocados are hard and green, they may take a few days to soften for peak ripeness. And a trick I use is to keep ripe avocados in the refrigerator until read to use.

Fake crab, or krab, is carried by my local 99c only Stores, but since you only need half a pound for this recipe even regular markets often sell it for $2 to $3 dollars per pound - so it's still a cheap$kate seafood deal.

And pasta is a deal at any grocery store.

I use mayo a lot, so I always stock up when it's on sale. My local 99c only Store carries all kinds.

Click on any photo to see larger.

So there is no excuse not to make my latest recipe, Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado& Tomato, especially when it's Wife Approved! It travels well, so make plenty to bring to your next pot luck or party.

Ingredients

• 12 to 16 ounces of elbow macaroni - small or large elbow.
• 1 cup chopped tomtoes - about 2 to 4 tomatoes, depending on size. You can use any type of tomato even smaller and cheaper Roma or cherry tomatoes. Okay to add more to taste.
• 1 cup chopped avocado - about 2 avocados, depending on size. Okay to add more or less according to your budget.
• 8 ounces fake crab - okay to use more or less to your taste.
• 1 and 1/2 cups of mayo - I used light, but okay to use regular or any type you like. Add as much mayo as you like. May need to add more mayo for larger 16 ounce package of macaroni.
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar - use white or rice vinegar.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Extra flavor - half a teaspoon of dill (dry or fresh,) celery seed and dried mustard.
• Water - enough to cover and boil macaroni. 

Directions
Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add dried elbow macaroni and cook until desired tenderness, about 7 to 10 minutes. Okay to follow macaroni package directions.

After macaroni is tender, drain it and cool macaroni down with cold water -- so the cooking stops before macaroni becomes to mushy.

Add macaroni to a large bowl. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to macaroni.

Add mayo. Mix and taste to see if it's creamy enough for you. Add more mayo if necessary.

Chop tomatoes and avocado.

My wife likes to "brighten up" chopped tomato with a dash of vinegar, salt and pepper.

Shred or slice krab. See below under Hindsight to reconstitute krab if it's mealy and dried out from freezing. 

Add chopped tomatoes, krab and avocados. Lightly mix all ingredients. Be careful when mixing, if avocado is very soft. Okay to add avocado last, so you don't smash it up.

Serve right away, or refrigerate for a few hours to chill. Avocado will start to brown the next day, so best to try and finish Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado& Tomato in a couple of days; or just set aside the unpeeled avocado and add fresh chunks before serving.

Hindsight
You can make this Macaroni Salad without krab. To keep it vegetarian use a vegan mayo.

If you prepare Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado& Tomato far ahead of time make sure to check for desired creaminess to see if mayo holds up. You may need to add a tablespoon or so more.

Sometime kab can be tough or mealy, especially when frozen and defrosted. To bring krab back to life, add it to a bowl and just drizzle on half a teaspoon of water over defrosted krab. Cover it with a paper towel or napkin and microwave in 10 second increments. Stir krab and repeat if necessary. You just want a slightly warm and soften krab. Be careful not to overcook krab or it becomes mushy.

Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado

This recipe is Wife Approved and she actually makes it herself. I just kicked back and took a few photos so you can see how she does a Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado.

I like Macaroni Salad anytime and this one couldn't be easier to do. Once you cook the macaroni, just cool it down then get to chopping a few veggies.

Juicy tomato and creamy avocado always go well together, and with the addition of fake crab you have a real winner of a cold salad for a hot day.

I can find tomatoes for less than a dollar per pound, especially smaller Roma and cherry tomatoes. Avocados are frequently on sale at my local Latin market.

Fake crab, or krab, is carried by my local 99c only Stores, but since you only need half a pound for this recipe even regular markets often sell it for $2 to $3 dollars per pound - so it's still a cheap$kate seafood deal.

And pasta is a deal at any grocery store.

So there is no excuse not to make my latest recipe, Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado, especially when it's Wife Approved! It travels well, so make plenty to bring to your next pot luck or get-together.

Ingredients

• 12 to 16 ounces of elbow macaroni - small or large elbow.
• 1 cup chopped tomtoes - about 2 to 4 tomatoes, depending on size. You can use any type of tomato even smaller and cheaper Roma or cherry tomatoes.
• 1 cup chopped avocado - about 2 avocados, depending on size. Okay to add less according to your budget.
• 8 ounces fake crab - okay to use more or less to your taste.
• 1 and 1/2 cups of mayo - I used light, but okay to use regular or any type you like. Add as much mayo as you like. May need to add more mayo for larger 16 ounce package of macaroni.
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar - optional. Use white or rice vinegar. Okay to substitute with lemon or lime juice to keep avocado fresh looking, if you are picnic or pot luck bound.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Water - enough to cover and boil dry macaroni.

Directions
Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add dried elbow macaroni and cook until desired tenderness, about 7 to 10 minutes. Okay to follow macaroni package directions.

After macaroni is tender, drain it and cool macaroni down with cold water -- so the cooking stops before macaroni becomes to mushy.

Add macaroni to a large bowl. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to macaroni.

Add mayo. Mix and taste to see if it's creamy enough for you. Add more mayo if necessary.

Shred and mix in fake krab.

Add chopped tomatoes and avocados. Lightly mix all ingredients. Be careful when mixing, if avocado is very soft. Okay to add avocado last, so you don't smash it up.

Serve right away, or refrigerate for a few hours to chill. Avocado will start to brown the next day, so best to try and finish Macaroni & Krab Salad with Avocado in a couple of days; or just add fresh cubed avocado before each serving.

Waikiki Beach & The Rainbow Drive-In - Hawai'i Travelogue Video

Take a walk on the Waikiki beachside with the Traveling Cheap$kate. It's a full plate of video footage featuring: a scenic stroll along the beach; a visit to the world-famous Rainbow Drive-In for a Loco Moco Plate Lunch; and a fast food stroll for Spam Musubi.

My wife and I stayed across the street from Waikiki Beach on the 11th floor of Park Shore Waikiki Hotel, which has a view of Diamond Head. Everything we craved was within walking distance.

Click on any photo to see larger.

On the beach squealing posses of local kids caught waves on their boogie boards, while others soaked up the sun strolling and lounging. The area is bustling but we always found a comfy sandy spot to people watch.

Of course there are all manner of dining choices. Well, you know I'm going to find budget eats. Right down the street, about 4 short blocks away. is where I went the most: the Rainbow Drive-In.

 It's a local hangout for cheap plate lunches and more. Amy tried the Mixed Plate of BBQ Beef, Mahi Mahi fish fillet, a slab of Boneless Chicken, plus 2 scoops of Rice and 1 scoop of Macaroni Salad, all for the price of $8.25. What a deal!

Click on photo to read menu item descriptions.

I ordered the Loco Moco Plate. It's what to get if you have a big appetite, especially after a day in the ocean surfing, swimming or boogie boarding. The Loco Moco Plate is 2 Eggs (any way you like them,) 2 Hamburger Patties, 2 scoops of Rice, 1 scoop of Macaroni Salad and, to quote their slogan, "Gravy all over." And it was cheap, at $7.50.

This entree is not for the faint of palate. It's a delicious hot mess when you get eggs over easy. Nothing's better than mixing the yolk with all the other ingredients. Somehow it works. I've been to Hawai'i a few times and have never ordered a Loco Moco - it just seemed too deceptively simple, and too much.

The gravy is made from chicken broth and is quite flavorful. The Hamburger is just plainly fried on a flat top. Rice is for extra carbs and soaking up the egg yolk and gravy. I especially like the Macaroni Salad. It's extra creamy with mayo. This version doesn't have shredded carrots, like in some plate lunches I've tried in Hawai'i. For my cheap$kate recipes for Macaroni Salad and Sticky Rice, just click here.

 The Rainbow Drive-In also serves a smaller Loco Moco Bowl that's easier to handle.

This blog post is a food 2fer. Not only do I review a Loco Moco Plate, but you get a fast food side of Spam Musubi from the 7-Eleven, that I bought around the corner from the Rainbow Drive-In.

Locals have their version of grab-and-go grub, and it's not a hot dog in a bun -- what they like is a sauteed slab of Spam on sushi rice, wrapped with a black band of dried seaweed (known as Nori.) Go into any convenience store, or deli case in a grocery, and you'll find a warmed heat-lamp case of Spam Musubi.

Now I know it sounds gross, but until you've tried it don't turn your nose up, too high.

You might not even know what Spam is, as it's become persona non grata in the food world. It's a processed meat loaf in a can. It may be mystery meat, but if you can handle a hot dog, then you can handle Spam. Actually, Spam is made primarily from ground pork shoulder and ham. The Huffington Post did a short article about Spam, here.

Spam became popularized by the military during WWII. So anywhere American soldiers were stationed, including Hawaii and Korea, Spam followed and was absorbed into the locals' diet.

Japanese make up a part of the local populace, so they added "Hawaiian Steak," or Spam, to their traditional Musubi recipes. Musubi is any protein or veggie with sticky rice that's wrapped in dried nori, or seaweed. It's a small single serving, slightly shorter than a Twinkie.

There are many flavors of Musubi. I've tried breakfast Musubi, a combination of bacon, omelet, and Spam. You can in anything including: cucumber, avocado, fried chicken, steak, tuna, and salmon. Spam's typically sauteed, and sometimes marinated with soy and teriyaki sauce for extra flavor.

Bacon, Egg & Spam Musubi

So kick back and check out my latest Hawai'i Travelogue. It's a fun trip that won't cost you a thing. And do check back for my own recipes of Loco Moco and, of course, Spam Musubi. You might not want to chow down with me, but you will be entertained.

(As an aside, we had some of Amy's friends and workmates over when I just finished the video below. I showed it to them and got reactions that ran from outrage to laughter - just the reaction I hoped for. Hey, I know what I highlight foodwise is not for everybody, that's why I try to, at the very least, keep it fun.)

Waikiki Beach & The Rainbow Drive-In - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 6 minutes, 20 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

99 thanks to:
Rainbow Drive-In
3308 Kanaina Avenue
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96815
808) 737-0177
Website: rainbowdrivein.com/

A great Hawaiian radio station that I feasted on, selecting a few tropical tunes for my Travelogue videos, called "Territorial Airwaves - Your Source for the History of Hawaiian Music."
Online at: www.territorialairwaves.com

Video song: "You're At A Lu'au Now" by Mel Peterson

To see other Hawaii Travelogue blog posts with video, photos, text & GIFs, just click on any link below:
Visit to O'ahu, Hawai'i - intro 
Windward Shore & Keneke Grill

The Road to Waikiki & a Lau Lau Truck 
Waikiki & The Musubi Cafe
Breakfast in Honolulu
7-Eleven Span Musubi

Hawaiian Recipes:
Macaroni Salad & Sticky Rice
Kalua Pig & Cabbage
Mainland Lau Lau with Pork
Loco Moco (eggs, hamburger, gravy & rice)
Teriyaki Spam Musubi

Macaroni Salad and Sticky Rice - Hawaiian Recipes

First things first - every Hawaiian Plate Lunch has the necessary sides of Sticky Rice and Macaroni Salad. For my upcoming recipes of Kalua Pig & Cabbage and Loco Moco, just refer back to this blog post for the following recipes.

For this cheap$kate rice and macaroni is priced right. I get white rice at my local Mexican grocery for way below a dollar a pound.

8, 12, and 16-ounce packages of dried macaroni can be had for 99.99 cents at my local 99c only Store. For this recipe, I used small elbow macaroni, but you can use large elbow, too - whatever is on sale, really.

For Sticky Rice, I rinse the dried grains of rice and cook it with less water. That's it. The rice clumps together but it's still tender. Too much water and the rice grains stay separate.

Of course, you can make the rice any way you like. And if you have a rice cooker, then use that. If you like precooked instant rice, go with it.

Plate Lunches sometimes include Hapa Rice, which is a mix of white and brown rice. "Hapa" is the Hawaiian Pidgin word for "half," referring to a person of mixed race.

And for my upcoming recipe of Spam Masubi (like a serving of sushi fish on rice, with a soy sauce flavored and fried slab of Spam) you also add a little sugar and rice vinegar to turn Sticky Rice into flavored Sushi Rice.

My favorite side of a Hawaiian Plate Lunch is creamy Macaroni Salad. It obscenely simple to do. Just cook dried macaroni following the package directions, cool it down, then mix in mayo, and finally season with salt and pepper.

Some Hawaiian restaurants make it with shredded carrot, so you can add some, for extra crunch.

When you order the typical Hawaiian Plate Lunch, it comes with two scoops of Sticky Rice and one scoop of Macaroni Salad. I like to reverse that. I prefer a more cool Macaroni Salad.

Typical Kalua Pig Plate Lunch

You can see the influences of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, and Portuguese immigrant workers on Hawaiian cuisine in my following series of Hawaiian recipes. So do check back for more, plus a cool video of beautiful scenic Hawaii.

Ingredients for Sticky Rice (3-4 servings)

• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water to rinse rice -- about 6 cups.

Directions for Sticky Rice
There are a few different ways to make sticky rice. Some use a bamboo steamer. It's easiest to use a rice cooker.

I don't own a rice cooker or bamboo steamer, so the following directions are for stove-top cooking rice in a covered pot.

Put 1 cup of rice in a bowl that will hold at least 2 cups of water. Fill the bowl and stir the rice until the water is cloudy. Dump water (not rice) and refill. Repeat 3 or 4 times until the water is almost clear.

Add rice to a pot with a cover, Add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover the pot. Simmer water with rice for 15 minutes.

Turn off heat, give the rice a quick stir (to release any stuck to the pot bottom,) and let sit for 15 more minutes, covered.

Finally season with salt and mix.

Hindsight
You can make rice ahead of time. Let it come to room temperature before eating. I sometimes microwave the cooked rice for about 15-20 seconds to get it to room temperature quicker (drizzle in 1/2 teaspoon water.)

For cooking the rice, a rice cooker is best, but since I don't own one, I resort to regular stove-top cooking. It works fine.

For brown rice do the same, except add another 5 minutes to cooking time, and 20 minutes of setting covered, with heat off. Brown rice takes a little longer to cook. You can also cook brown and white rice together.

This recipe is easy to double, that is, add 2 cups of water to 2 cups of washed rice.

Macaroni Salad Ingredients (4-6 servings)

• 12 ounces of dried elbow macaroni - large or small elbows.
• 1 1/2 cup of mayo - I used light, but okay to use regular or any vegan type you like. And add as much mayo as you prefer.
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot - optional.
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Water - enough to cover and boil the macaroni.

Directions for Macaroni Salad
Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add dried elbow macaroni and cook until desired tenderness, about 7 to 10 minutes. Okay to follow macaroni package directions.

After the macaroni is tender, drain it and cool macaroni down with cold water -- so the cooking stops before the macaroni becomes too mushy. Add macaroni to a large bowl.

Add shredded carrot (optional) to macaroni. Fold in mayo.

Mix it all together. Finally season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hindsight
Add as much mayo as you like to this recipe. 

Some recipes call for half a grated onion. Okay to use a food processor, blender, or old-school box grater. Remove any leftover large pieces of onion. You want the onion to blend in like a thick liquid. Some recipes leave out the onion, so this is optional.

Okay to substitute grated onion with dried onion salt or a teaspoon of powdered onion.

To see other Hawaii Travelogue blog posts with video, photos, text & GIFs, just click on any link below:
Visit to O'ahu, Hawai'i - intro 
Windward Shore & Keneke Grill

The Road to Waikiki & a Lau Lau Truck 
Waikiki Beach & The Rainbow Drive-In
Waikiki & The Musubi Cafe
Breakfast in Honolulu
7-Eleven Span Musubi

Hawaiian Recipes:
Kalua Pig & Cabbage
Mainland Lau Lau with Pork
Loco Moco (eggs, hamburger, gravy & rice)
Teriyaki Spam Musubi