Chopped Salad, Oatmeal Cookies

DEAR SOS: Would you please try to get the recipe called Dal Rae Chopped Salad from the Dal Rae in Pico Rivera. It’s very unusual and good.

--OPAL

DEAR OPAL: Thanks. What a satisfying, lush main-dish salad for busy summery days or any time of the year.

DAL RAE CHOPPED SALAD

4 cups chopped lettuce, romaine and watercress

2 cups crisp chopped bacon

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup chopped pimientos

1 1/2 cups grated blue cheese

2 cups chopped peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped red onions

3 cups diced peeled avocados

6 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

Bottled French dressing

Arrange lettuce, romaine and watercress in large salad bowl. Layer with bacon, chicken, pimientos, blue cheese, tomatoes, onions, avocados and eggs. Serve with French dressing. Makes 6 servings.

DEAR SOS: I lost a great cookie recipe and wondered if you would have it on hand. It contained pecans, cornflakes and rolled oats.

--HAZEL

DEAR HAZEL: No, we don’t, offhand, know of the recipe, but I’ll bet some of our readers probably do. Perhaps we’ll hear from them soon. Meanwhile, here’s a great oatmeal cookie from Martin Luther King Hospital.

MARTIN LUTHER KING HOSPITAL OATMEAL COOKIES

1 1/2 cups raisins

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/3 cups brown sugar, packed

2 cups flour

1 1/8 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

3 3/4 cups oats

Place raisins in bowl and add enough warm water to cover. Soak 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

Combine eggs, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, shortening and sugars in mixer bowl. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add to egg mixture and beat at low speed 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Add oats and raisins and mix until blended. Mold into 2-inch-thick rolls. Wrap in wax paper and chill. Slice rolls into 1/2-inch slices and place on baking sheets. Flatten to 1/4-inch thickness and bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 32 large cookies.

DEAR SOS: I believe you printed a recipe for a diet-type hot cocoa mix--before I became diet conscious. Would you please print it again?

--JEAN

DEAR JEAN: Here’s the mix that will save you oodles of pennies and worry over calories.

MAKE-YOUR-OWN COCOA MIX

5 cups instant nonfat dry milk

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Blend nonfat dry milk, sugar and cocoa powder in paper or plastic bag and store in dry place. Use as needed. Makes 6 1/2 cups mix.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send recipe request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail.