Creamy Macaroni Salad

I like to have a big bowl of this on hand for 'HOT' days (you know the kind-- hot and humid!) when I don't want to heat up the kitchen by cooking or baking-- boiling water included!   

Once you have the macaroni and 

sauce together (the first eight ingredients), 

you can add exactly what you like...

INGREDIENTS:

1. 4 cups UNcooked elbow macaroni 
2. 1 cup mayonnaise
3. 1/2 cup salad dressing (like Miracle Whip)
4. 1/4 cup distilled white or red vinegar
5. 2/3 cup white sugar
6. 2 and 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard (I sometimes use honey mustard).
7. 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Add what you like of the following:

• 1 medium onion, finely minced (or, some snipped/chopped chives?)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (sweet red pepper can be used, and adds color).
• 1 cup of cubed ham
• 1 cup of cubed cheese
• 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into chunks 
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup frozen petite peas, uncooked
• Small cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  
2. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. 
3. Rinse under cold water and drain.  Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, salad dressing, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper.  Stir with a spatula/scraper  until you can feel the sugar has dissolved or lost its graininess.
5. Stir in whatever else you like (see the list above).  Mix well.
6. Add the cooked/cooled macaroni and gently mix until all is coated.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

You can also make this salad have a very different taste by substituting the cubed ham with canned/drained tuna, bacon pieces, canned/drained white chicken chunks, imitation crab, or ???