My parents are coming into town today to attend a pet adoption event at Brian’s office, and to celebrate my upcoming birthday (I’ll be 29 next Friday!).

The dinner plan is to cook on the grill, enjoy homemade caesar salad and fresh seasonal veggies. I’ve been dreaming about this meal as well as our company coming to visit all week and it’s had me thinking about warmer weather and eating outside.

Eating outside is one of my absolute favorite things to do – so I’m hoping this year we can do it often!

As a kid, we would often grill outside, attend summer picnics with friends, and camp. There were a few foods that would always make an appearance, and one of those foods was my dad’s Macaroni Salad.

The dressing is creamy, subtly sweet and has a bit of zip thanks to mustard and vinegar. The texture is crunchy with fresh green peppers and soft with the tender macaroni. Something about this dish just screams SUMMER – making it perfect for picnics, grilling, and any other type of outdoor eating.