I was stationed in San Antonio when I was in the United States Air Force, where I met and married my wife. 
We had to be conscious of our spending and were always looking for something that was inexpensive to make, but also plentiful. At that time, there was a drive-in movie called The Varsity that showed a triple feature on the weekends and was $2.00 a carload. We had some friends who had a big Impala convertible and we would pack enough food to feed a herd and snack all night long while watching the movies with the top down. And when I say all night long, I mean by the time the three movies, intermissions, previews and cartoons finished, we left the place between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. with our tummies full. This tuna mac salad was always made on our Friday nights at the movies. It met all the criteria: inexpensive to make, plentiful and delicious. It’s great for covered dish dinners, picnics or take to a family in need. If you’re not at a drive-in movie all night long, this dish will feed a lot more than 4 people!!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Lb. small shell macaroni (you can use any type you like but this is my favorite for this salad)
- 1 Can or jar of good oil-packed tuna filet, drained. (I prefer the one in the jar as I feel it’s a better quality.)
- 6 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 Cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 Cup sour cream
- 1/2 Cup minced celery
- 1/2 Cup dill relish
- 2 Tbsp. minced onion
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well salted boiling water. The water should taste like ocean water.
- At the same time as you are cooking the pasta, boil the eggs. Peel, chop and set aside.
- In a large bowl, flake the tuna, add the celery, dill relish, and onion.
- Add the mayonnaise and sour cream and mix well.
- Once the pasta is done, drain well and run a little cold water over it to stop the cooking.
- Add the pasta and chopped eggs to the bowl and mix well.
- Garnish with paprika.