Traditional Macaroni Salad

Make the boiled eggs (if using). Add the eggs to a medium pot, fill with enough water so the eggs are covered by about 1 inch (2.5 cm), then bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and turn off the heat, let the eggs sit in the boiling water for about 12 minutes, then transfer to a bowl with iced water and allow to cool down before peeling and dicing. Meanwhile cook the pasta and prepare the mayo dressing.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Drain when al-dente, transfer to a large bowl, and add toss with a tiny amount of oil or butter to keep it from sticking.
Prepare the mayo dressing. In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and paprika. Taste and season with salt and pepper (taste before adding salt as the amount you need depends on which brand of mayo you use!).
Assemble your pasta salad. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, celery, eggs, and cheese to the pasta and mix until combined. Pour in the dressing and mix until combined.
Chill. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. When ready to serve, mix again and top with a sprinkle of paprika and extra red onions and celery. You can add a splash of milk to make the dressing creamy again (after overnight chilling), if needed!