My Mom's Go To Meal...Goulash and Her Special Salad Dressing

It's recipe Tuesday.  I haven't blogged for a few days because frankly everyone in my life is just going through the motions.  Life is kind of in a holding pattern until we get out of this cold winter weather.  I am feeling lazy and need to get my rear in gear.  I started vacuuming cobwebs from the ceilings.  The cobwebs have probably been there for a while, but I just started seeing them.  Dirt and dust from the woodburning stoves settles on the webs.  It's kind of like sprinkling special dust on fingerprints to make them show up.  This happens at this time every winter.

Today's recipe is for a salad dressing that my mom used to make.  We always had it on iceberg lettuce.  Iceberg has very little flavor, but that is what she used.  Mom would cut the lettuce in small pieces and wash and wash and wash under running water.  Then she would drain it very well.  My mom washed all her produce thoroughly.  I mean more than usual.  She didn't worry much about pesticides, but when I asked her why she overwashed food, she said that she was sure all the produce pickers didn't walk all the way back in from the fields just to go to the bathroom.  I had never thought about that, but she was probably right.  Mom always made this salad with what we called goulash.  Her goulash was just browned hamburger, tomato soup or spaghetti sauce and macaroni mixed together.   Any family member who reads this blog will remember.  The sweet of the dressing complemented the tomato, hamburger and macaroni.  I don't have the exact recipe because mom didn't use one.  These are the ingredients for the dressing but the proportions may be off a little.  If it's too thin, add more Miracle Whip and if it's too thick you may have to add more milk.  If anyone has the exact recipe, please send it to me. 

Mom's Salad Dressing

1/2 Cup Miracle Whip
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Milk (she used evaporated milk)
1-2 Tablespoons white sugar
A little salt and pepper
Small amount of finely diced onion

Whisk together until smooth. 


This next recipe is a variation of moms.  I made a full batch and it keeps very well in the refrigerator.

Creamy Apple Dressing

Ingredients:
1    cup  real mayonnaise
2    tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2    tablespoons 100% apple juice
1/2    cup brown sugar

Whisk together the ingredients until smooth.
I used Fat Free Mayo so the total calories per Tablespoon is only 37.