When I was in grade school (in the 70's in Ohio), back when schools made everything from scratch because it was cheaper, the school made a sweet salad dressing that I would love to find the recipe for. It was what made me love salads. It was a clear dressing probably just sugar and oil and vinegar, but I cant find a recipe anywhere that tastes the same. Any suggestions?
By Peggy from Erwin, TN
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If you can describe the taste a bit I could help search for it. Does it taste similar to French or to Thousand Island? If so, I might even have a couple clear ones in my collection ;-)
I know at my old school it was watered down french dressing. It was actually pretty good. The bitter/tartness wasn't as bad.
At my school in Florida they just spooned on salad dressing- the kind that comes in a jar that looks like a mayonnaise jar. They sell it next to the mayo in the grocery store.
I would love to find a good tasting salad dressing too.
Hope you get some feedback.
one egg
one cup of oil
vinegar
seasonings
honey
blender
Put the egg in the blender and pulse for a few seconds. Take the plastic thingy off the blender top, while blender is running, stream in the oil slowly. It will emulsify and get a great thick creamy mayonnaise look. Run in some vinegar until the consistency is how you want it.
about 1/2 teaspoon of salt
The finished product is actually home-made mayonnaise! You can then whisk in your favorite seasonings (garlic and a touch of celery salt are tasty. Mix in the honey until you get it as sweet as you like. If you add ketchup and relish it will be "french" salad dressing. Just keep fooling around with seasonings until you get the taste that you want.
If you season a tablespoon at a time it will give you an opportunity to sample the seasonings until you find the taste that you like best before seasoning the rest of the batch.
I grew up in the 70's too, and I'm from Eastlake, OH! LOL I agree, school lunches were really good back then!
here are a few recipes to try:
Salad Dressing:
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of mustard
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
Half a cup of olive oil
mix all ingredients except the oil. Thendrop the oil in, tablespoon at a time for an extra smooth consistency.
If you want, you can just mix all the ingredients in a container and shake.
Hope one of these hits the spot!
Thanks for the reminder. My mom made a similar dressing, and it was just vinegar, oil, sugar, and a few spices. I'd try 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, and start with 3 T sugar, you might add a little more. Add salt, pepper, and whatever else you like, dill, basil, etc. I'm going to do this soon.
My favorite dressing tastes like British Salad Cream, and is just 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup sugar. Sometimes I use lemon juice instead of vinegar. I use the same for cole slaw, fruit/gelatin salad, or salad (by the way, I almost always put some fruit in my salad)
Take a coffee cup (we use Corelle) fill it half way with sugar. Add two tablespoons cider vinegar. Fill to top of cup with water, stir. No oil needed. Toss with lettuce. Surprisingly good.
Have you tried Good Season's Italian dressing mix? It is a dry mix in an envelope. You just add oil and vinegar and I add a teaspoon of splenda (or sugar). It is the only Italian style dressing I like and I use a little extra vinegar and water and less oil - that way it saves a few calories!
In a one cup measuring cup add one fourth cup water, one fourth cup vinegar, one fourth cup sugar and one forth cup oil.
Schools should still cook food like we had in the 60's & 70's. We had wonderful simple food. Have you eaten in a school cafeteria in the last few years, might as well go to McDonalds it is almost all fast food and the combinations they put together, makes you wonder where they get their ideas.
I have made this mayonaise for more than 50 years. You need to mix together 1 teasp. dry mustard, 1/2 teasp salt, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 tin condensed milk. I usually make a double amount in a large jar, it is yummy & I often eat it off a teaspoon.
But condensed milk is sweet!! Can you taste the sweetness even with the added ingredients? Thanks
this may be it. i loved that school salad dressy, too
1/2 cup oil (I use canola)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Put all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Taste for seasonings and adjust.
Place in an airtight container and store in refrigerator.
Ok so Im from upstate ny and have been searching for the same recipe. The answer is usda recipe cards used for school cafeterias. whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/
Dear Peggy,
I live in Ohio and was wondering the exact same thing as you when I stumbled across your post.
I've done some experimentation and it tastes pretty similar to the old school clear salad dressing, you'll have to try it just make a small batch.
What I came up with is: two parts sugar two parts white vinegar in one part of seasonings you would like it tastes very similar to me.
Try it and let me know what you think.
Your friend from Ohio Carlton
Sorry its been over 10 years I hope you find this informative.
1 cup oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup onion (chopped)
Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
-- refrigerate over night then use.
I am working on a lunch lady documentary and n the past many schools had their own recipes so these can differ. But this is the recipe that most remember.
There is a powdered egg "Cooked" version that it could be too, but the recipe is generally the same.
Hope this helps.
I would love to watch your documentary!
Oh my gosh. My mom used to make a dressing that she got from one of the ladies in the cafeteria at yearling high school in Ohio. My mom called it yearling dressing and I lost the recipe years ago. I think I just found it here!! Thank you!
Yeah it was a clear dressing I was wondering to some of these comments saying it was thousands island or French no it was like a vinegar and oil type but it has little black things like Italian dressing
I've been looking for this recipe too!!! I'm from Ohio as well!!
Peggy, I have been hunting for this dressing too! I went to Catholic school in Akron, Ohio, LOL!
I just tried the recipe given in one of the answers below, (sorry, cant recall name of sender) This is VERY close, maybe best one yet. (Think old school, 1960s, 70s)no olive oil are you kidding me? Schools wouldnt use something that expensive! Use Canola or vegetable oil.
1/4 c. Oil
1/4 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Water
1/4 c. White vinegar
1/4 tsp. Pepper.
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