Ruth's French Dressing

My closest friend, Gayle, is married to a bear of a man named Ben. Ben is one of my favorite people. My husband, Dean has only one aunt; a gentle, sweet woman named Ruth. Ruth is also one of my favorite people. Ben and Ruth have never met, but they share an interest in food. Ruth loves to cook and Ben loves to eat.

Ruth has a much used cache of first-rate recipes. Over the years I have acquired several of her best. One of my husband's favorites is her version of French Dressing.

I love sharing recipes with my friends and when I visit Gayle and Ben I like to have them sample a few of my latest finds. Gayle and I have been best friends for so many years that cooking in her kitchen is as comfortable as cooking in my own and a few years ago while visiting I mixed up a batch of Ruth's French Dressing. That night at dinner Ben found the dressing to his liking. He liked it so much that he ate all the salad remaining in the salad bowl, just to have something on which to put the dressing. The next evening at dinner Ben spread some of the dressing on his steak as well as his salad. "Wow," said Ben, "this is delicious and I'll bet it is good on potatoes, too." The following evening at dinner, besides enjoying the dressing on his salad, he spread it over his scalloped potatoes, then he speared the remaining smoked beef sausage link from the meat platter and together with the one last hunk of french bread, he constructed an impromptu sandwich over which he spread Ruth's French Dressing. With that, Gayle picked up the dressing cruet and gazing at the last spoonful of dressing, said, with a twinkle in her eye, "Gee, Ben, there's just enough left for your coffee in the morning!"

Ruth's French Dressing is one of the best I've ever tasted and when you try it you may find that Ben was justified in his enthusiasm for it. One bit of advice; it is better made a few days before it is served as it takes some time for the flavors to meld.

This recipe is dedicated to Gayle, my best friend.

RUTH'S FRENCH DRESSING
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon A-1 Sauce
1/3 cup catsup
1 small yellow onion, grated

Put all ingredients in electric blender and blend for 10 seconds.

Yields approximately two cups