Make It Yourself...Old Fashioned Cooked Salad Dressing

When my husband’s diet restricted the kinds and amounts of salad oil he could eat, I searched for a mayonnaise substitute he could enjoy.  Our grandmother used to make this kind of “cooked” or “boiled” dressing, and in fact, contributed a recipe for it to a local 1935 church cookbook that Myrna still has.

I got out my old cookbooks and found this recipe, in not one, but 3 cookbooks. We find that we actually love this dressing – we like it much better than anything we can buy.  Bonnie thought it tasted something like deviled eggs, and I agree. 

It will keep a week or so in the refrigerator.   It is a great dressing anywhere you would use mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, which is actually a cooked dressing, but full of preservatives.  You can add some whipped cream or sour cream to lighten it for some salads or for topping on gelatin salads – perfect.  I also make it with cook-type clear jel so celiacs like Myrna can enjoy it, and it looks more like Miracle Whip.

We like it in egg, chicken, macaroni and tuna salads, deviled eggs, sandwiches and the like.  The fruit salad version is good with Waldorf salad.  We're going to use it on our first B-L-T sandwiches today, as we got some home-grown hothouse tomatoes at the Dutchman's mennonite store.  Just couldn't wait for those garden tomatoes.

This is simple to make in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over a pan of hot water – do not let the top pan touch the water.  It takes less than 5 minutes to cook.  I like having control over what is in my dressing, and not having it full of preservatives.   We like cider vinegar in this, although I have made it with both white vinegar and half white vinegar and half lemon juice as well, and all versions were good.   Notice that the calories are only 25 per tablespoon!     

                             Cooked Dressing

  2        tablespoons  Sugar

  2        tablespoons  Flour, All-purpose (or Cook-type Clear Jel)

  1        teaspoon  Salt

  1        teaspoon  Dry Mustard

  2        large  Egg Yolks -- slightly beaten

     3/4 cup  Milk (I have used skim milk, whole milk and it’s really good with half and half)

  4        tablespoons  Vinegar – mild (we like cider vinegar)

   1/2 -1 Tablespoon  Butter  

Mix dry ingredients; gradually add egg yolks and milk; cook over hot (not boiling) water until thick, stirring constantly, only about 3-4 minutes.  Add vinegar and butter; mix well and cook until thick, only a minute or two.  Cover with plastic wrap right on the top of the mixture while cooling it.  Chill; stir before using.

For fruit salads; increase sugar to 3 tablespoons, substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice and 1/4 cup orange juice for milk. 

67¢ per cup   Only 25 Calories per tablespoon

  "Betty Crocker Good and Easy 1954 or Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book 1946 and 1968"

  "1 cup"

Per Tablespoon Serving made with milk: 25 Calories; 1g Fat (37.2% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 144mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

I usually use my leftover egg whites in these very easy recipes:

Easy Coconut Macaroons

Amaretti