Rapscallion Oil-Free Salad Dressing Styled After Pritikin Dietary Ideals

DEAR SOS: The Rapscallion Seafood House and Bar in Irwindale serves a delicious oil-free salad dressing they call Pritikin dressing. I have looked in the Pritikin recipe books but can’t find it.

--MARLENE

DEAR MARLENE: The dressing is the creation of executive chef Chris Logan at Rapscallion. “This is my understanding of what a Pritikin dressing should be--something made with no oils, fats or sugars,” he explained.

RAPSCALLION’S NO-OIL DRESSING

1 sweet red pepper, cut up

1 green pepper, cut up

2 medium tomatoes, cut up

1 bunch fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

2/3 cup pineapple juice

1/4 bunch Italian parsley

1/3 cup raspberry vinegar

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Dash dried thyme

Dash dried tarragon

Dash dried oregano

Dash white pepper

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

Combine red and green peppers, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pineapple juice, parsley, vinegar, mustard, thyme, tarragon, oregano, pepper and Worcestershire in blender container. Blend until pureed.

Refrigerate in air-tight container. Makes 4 cups.

DEAR SOS: Some two or three years ago The Times published an excellent recipe for salmon broccoli casserole using celery soup. I’ve lost the recipe and need help.

--DIXON

DEAR DIXON: Well, you’re out of luck with the recipe described, but I located something similar using chicken in Mel Baldwin’s “Down Home in L.A. Cookbook,” a rather droll and amusing cookbook that can be purchased for $14.95 plus $1.50 postage by mail from Mel Baldwin, 1626 N. Wilcox Ave., Hollywood, Calif. 90028.

Baldwin is host of a radio food show. The recipe, says Baldwin, came from Clifton’s Cafeteria, where the food is “down home” in flavor and style. Like Baldwin himself.

CLIFTON’S CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

8 chicken breast halves or 2 pounds medium boneless chicken breast halves with skin

Salt

1 bay leaf

3 to 4 onion slices

3 cups fresh broccoli florets and tender top stems, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 small onion, finely chopped

5 stalks celery, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

6 tablespoons margarine

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

12 ounces cream cheese

1 cup chicken broth or stock

Pepper

1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained

1 cup coarse bread crumbs

Place chicken in enough cold water to cover. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, bay leaf and sliced onion. Cover and bring to boil. Simmer 20 minutes or until fork-tender. Reserve broth and set aside.

Remove skin from chicken and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Steam broccoli, covered, in small amount of salted water 3 to 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and cool.

Saute chopped onion, celery and green pepper in 3 tablespoons margarine until vegetables are slightly transparent. Add mushrooms and cook few minutes longer.

Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese and cook until melted. Add broth to thin sauce to desired consistency (about 1 cup). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix chicken, broccoli and water chestnuts with cream cheese vegetable sauce.

Turn into buttered casserole. Top with bread crumbs and dot with remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Bake at 325 degrees 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Makes 10 servings.

Note: Salmon or other fish fillets may be substituted for chicken.

DEAR SOS: With the holidays so close, could you print a recipe for Cranberry Bread Stuffing that can be baked in a casserole?

--YEONNA

DEAR YEONNA: Certainly. You can stuff an eight- to 10-pound bird with the stuffing or place it in a greased baking pan and bake it 30 minutes.

CRANBERRY BREAD STUFFING

1 1/2 cups cranberries

4 cups dried bread cubes

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

3 to 4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup grated or finely minced onion

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground sage

Dash black pepper

Dash dried mace

Dash dried thyme

Dash dried oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

Puree cranberries in food processor. Place cranberry puree in saucepan with bread cubes, butter, sugar, onion, celery, marjoram, salt, sage, pepper, mace, thyme, oregano and garlic.

Mix well and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Cool before stuffing bird or meat. Makes enough stuffing for 1 (8- to 10-pound) turkey.

DEAR SOS: I seem to have lost my recipe for a pumpkin roll with a cream cheese filling. Can you help?

--READER

DEAR READER: Good timing. The pumpkin roll was a blue-ribbon winner at a fair, and it has won accolades from our readers since it was first printed in 1985.

BLUE-RIBBON PUMPKIN ROLL

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Filling

Beat eggs at high speed 5 minutes. Slowly beat in sugar. Stir in pumpkin.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold into pumpkin mixture.

Grease and flour paper-lined 15x10-inch jellyroll pan. Spread mixture evenly in pan and sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 375 degrees 15 to 20 minutes.

Carefully loosen edges and turn out onto clean towel. Beginning at narrow end, roll up cake. Cool, unroll, fill with Cream Cheese Filling and re-roll. Slice to serve. Makes 1 (10-inch) pumpkin roll.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar until fluffy.

DEAR SOS: Sometime in 1973 The Times’ Home magazine featured a carrot ring that was outstanding. It was a family favorite and made it many times. I have tried to duplicate the recipe to no avail. Can you help?

--MRS. A. J.

DEAR MRS. A. J.: Certainly. It is a festive addition to a holiday menu.

CARROT RING

2 cups mashed cooked carrots

1 cup milk

1 cup cracker crumbs

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup minced onion

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 eggs

Combine carrots, milk, cracker crumbs, cheese, onion, butter, salt, pepper and cayenne in large mixing bowl, mixing lightly but well. Beat eggs until frothy. Blend into carrot mixture.

Pour into greased 1 1/2-quart ring mold and bake at 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Turn out onto warm platter, and fill center with other cooked vegetables, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.