# Catalina dressing, what's in it?



## giggler

I made Catalina Chicken the other day and loved it!

I think it was from some very nice Ladies on this list.

Make plenty of suace! It is sort of sweet/ sour and you need enough sauce to cover your rice!

But I am such a cheepskate, I would like to make my own Catalina Dressing.. what do y'all think is in it?

I read once that 1000 island dresseng is 1/2 mayo and 1/2 ketchup.

Thanks Eric Austin Tx.


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## PrincessFiona60

Catalina Dressing

    1⁄2 cup ketchup
    1⁄2 cup sugar
    1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar
    1⁄2 cup onion, grated
    1/4 teaspoon celery seed
    1 teaspoon paprika
    1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 cup light olive oil
    salt and pepper

Add all to blender or using a stick blender, buzz till mixed well.  Makes 3 cups.  Refrigerate.


Oh, and 1000 Island also has pickle relish, hence the islands.


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## Katie H

I asked my knowledgeable friend, Google, for a "catalina dressing recipe" and this one came up, among others.  But the recipe gives you the basic idea, which seems to be what PF posted.

I haven't had catalina dressing in years.  May just have to get some lettuce and make some this week.


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## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> I asked my knowledgeable friend, Google, for a "catalina dressing recipe" and this one came up, among others.  But the recipe gives you the basic idea, which seems to be what PF posted.
> 
> I haven't had catalina dressing in years.  May just have to get some lettuce and make some this week.



Heh!  That's the one I found when I started looking for homemade dressings.  Had to play with it to get what I wanted.


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## Katie H

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Heh!  That's the one I found when I started looking for homemade dressings.  Had to play with it to get what I wanted.




It sounded right to me and the photo looked like the catalina I remembered having as I was growing up.  I also noted that the remarks were favorable, too.


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## Dawgluver

I love Catalina and salsa on taco salad.  I have made the one Katie linked to, it was decent, though mine solidified in the fridge.  I ended up with a big chunk of Catalina


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## Steve Kroll

A half cup of sugar AND ketchup? Eeek!!


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## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> A half cup of sugar AND ketchup? Eeek!!



you don't eat all three cups at once.  A 2 tablespoon serving is minimal sugar.  One of the comments said they used Splenda and it was good.  Since I can't use artificial sweeteners...I've gotten good at finding the exact carb impact of sugar in recipes.


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## Steve Kroll

It just seems to me like the ketchup alone would add enough sweetness, but the sugar would take it over the top cloying. I'm a vinaigrette or blue cheese guy. I guess I just don't care for salad dressings that taste like dessert.


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## Kayelle

Dawgluver said:


> *I love Catalina and salsa on taco salad.*  I have made the one Katie linked to, it was decent, though mine solidified in the fridge.  I ended up with a big chunk of Catalina



Ahh Haa.....you're the one who turned me on to this! It's *perfect *on taco salad!!


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## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> It just seems to me like the ketchup alone would add enough sweetness, but the sugar would take it over the top cloying. I'm a vinaigrette or blue cheese guy. I guess I just don't care for salad dressings that taste like dessert.



Yes, it is a little much, I too prefer more savory.  I make my own ketchup for this very reason.  Just didn't use that in the recipe list.


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## taxlady

Steve Kroll said:


> A half cup of sugar AND ketchup? Eeek!!


My thoughts, exactly.


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## PrincessFiona60

It's a framework recipe...do what you need to do to make it your own.


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## CWS4322

I used to love catalina with blue cheese dressing on salads and French fries...not 1000 island dressing, but ... not sure what you'd call it. My go-to "dressing" these days is oil (usually EVOO)+vinegar, S&P.


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## Vanitas

Dawgluver said:


> I love Catalina and salsa on taco salad.


I'm not normally a fan of Catalina, but that sounds delicious! Definitely going to give that a try next time we whip up taco salad at home.


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## Dawgluver

Vanitas said:


> I'm not normally a fan of Catalina, but that sounds delicious! Definitely going to give that a try next time we whip up taco salad at home.




It really is good.  I used to tend bar at a Mexican chain restaurant, and this was a customer fave.


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## Cooking Goddess

I haven't had Catalina dressing in decades. An old boyfriend loved it, so I've always figured that why I never use it. Maybe it's just because it was so sweet to my tongue. I wonder if it would be palatable if the sugar is totally eliminated, or at least reduced by half or more.


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## Dawgluver

I get the Kraft Low Fat Catalina, I don't find it to be too sweet, especially when mixed with salsa.  I like it better than French dressing.

I'm also one of those weird people who order salad with both French and Ranch on the side when we go out.


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## CWS4322

I used to order Catelina and Blue Cheese dressing on the side...I guess I'm in the weird club, too! I also love Blue Cheese dressing on French fries...


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## Roll_Bones

I prefer Catalina over the standard bottled french dressing.  I don't make either, but do keep Catalina in the fridge. I think its Kraft, not sure.
My wife likes it on salads and i like it to dip chicken tenders in.

I always have a bag or two of frozen crispy Tyson chicken tenders or tenderloins.
I was out of honey mustard once so i tried the Catalina as the dipping sauce.
I now prefer the Catalina for the dipping sauce.
As a matter of fact, I just had two very crispy deep fried tenderloins sprinkled with essence and drizzled with Franks hot sauce.
On the side was my Catalina dipping sauce. Quite good, actually. And very easy.


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## bakechef

Catalina is Rob's favorite, so we always have it around, that and thousand island.  Catalina is one of those that does well as a low fat dressing without losing much flavor.

Sent from my XT1080 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


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## Roll_Bones

I have never liked thousand island dressing.
It looks and tastes just like ketchup, mayo and sweet pickle relish.


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## Addie

Roll_Bones said:


> I have never liked thousand island dressing.
> It looks and tastes just like ketchup, mayo and sweet pickle relish.



That may be because those are the ingredients.


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