I make mine with a box of small shells cooked in salty water. Drain and rinse. Dump into a large bowl. Add two large chopped tomatoes and one large chopped green bell pepper. Cook 1 lb. of bacon in microwave, crumble and add to bowl. Add salt to taste and lots of black pepper. Stir in Miracle Whip until everything is coated to your liking. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.
My family loves this, 'specially with fresh garden tomatoes. It keeps well in the fridge IF it lasts that long.

I use 1 box of elbow macaroni. chopped celery, chopped onion, six egg yolks mashed..Add miracle whip, sweet pickle juice, prepared mustard to mashed egg yolks and mix well...Pour over macaroni, celery and onion and mix. Sprinkle paprika on top..Let it sit in frig over night...

Here's a different twist.
A pack of the colored rotini - I think it's veggie.
Veggies of your choice. Cucumber, green pepper, cherry tomatoes, black olives, onion, celery, carrots, etc.
My daughter just said that mini pepperoni is good in this too. Not for me.
A bottle or so of Italian dressing and let marinate for a while.

I routinely make the tri-colored pasta(3 cups) salad, I use red onion, 8oz pepper jack cheese- small cube, 2 roma tomatoes deseeded, 8oz pepperoni or 8oz hard salami, marinate overnight in Italian salad dressing(last time used Olive Garden salad dressing found at Sam's club)(big hit)

My families favorite is macaroni, frozen peas(still frozen & not cooked, you can use canned peas, but not me), cheese cut in squares, can of chicken drained (you can also use tuna), mayo & season salt to your liking. Very yummy.

This is an interesting post. The only thing I can comment on is years ago we ate at "The Machine Shed" at the "Living History Farms" in Des Moines, IA I joked with the waitress wondering if they had recipes for the cole slaw and meat loaf. When left the chef came to meet us - recipes in hand for us reminding me that they were for 100 people. BUT he was quite adamant about the dressing. Buy 'salad dressing' not Miracle Whip. M. Whip he said is not salad dressing ! Up until that I had always used M Whip. Never again !

Macaroni Salad. cook macaroni in salt water until done, rinse in cold water and drain. Add chopped boiled eggs, chopped onion, pickle relish, chopped celery, mix with mayonaise or Miracle Whip and a little mustard and black pepper. You can omit veggies you don't like or add others you do like. I sometimes use chopped sweet pepper also. Be sure and cook macaroni in salt water. If you don't it will be flat tasting and you can't get it salty enough just by adding in the salt and mix in. This is better if made a few hours before serving and let flavors meld.

Pasta Salad
Boil a pack of spiral pasta. Add cut-up boiled shrimp, carrots, celery, black olives, green olives, tomatoes. Add as much Italian dressing to your taste. Refrigerate, preferrably overnight. Serve. I make this a meal by itself.

I don't have a recipe, but I love a good pasta salad. A friend in our sewing group always has the best pasta salads so one day I asked her what for her secret to such great tasting pasta salads. She said to begin with 8 oz of pasta of your choice, cook as directed in salted water, drain and while pasta is still hot, stir in 2 TBS of vinegar. The pasta absorbs the vinegar as it cools and really brightens the taste. When pasta is cooled, add other ingredients according to taste.

I make mine with elbow macaroni cooked, two chopped eggs, one can of tuna drained, chopped black olives and some shredded carrots. I dress it with Hellman's Real Mayonnaise.