Waldorf Salad (With Wonderful Cooked Dressing)

If you don't care for the mayonnaise dressed Waldorf Salads, this one is for you. It's from my grandmother and probably from the period of the 1930's or so. It's ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I could eat this for dessert, and when I make it usually double or quadruple the recipe so I can send some home with everyone after the holiday dinner. It's best to make the dressing ahead of time so it has time to cool. I usually make it the day before the dinner so it's done and out of the way and ready to go when the salad is assembled the next day.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 6  medium apples, washed, cored, and sliced, but not peeled
• 1  bunch celery, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped

• Optional

• 2 -3  cups grapes, seed and halved
• 2  bananas, sliced and added just before serving

• Dressing

• 1  egg
• 2  teaspoons flour
• 2  teaspoons butter
• 1⁄4 cup vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream, whipped

Directions

1. Cook all of the dressing ingredients except the whipping cream in a double boiler stirring until it thickens. Take off the heat and set aside and let cool.
2. While the dressing is cooling, prepare the fruit and celery by cutting into the size pieces you like and chop the nuts.
3. When you are ready to assemble the salad, whip the cream and fold it into the dressing carefully, to make sure you keep as much volume as you can. Then mix in the fruit and nutmeats and put in the serving bowl.
4. If you are going to add bananas, do so close to serving time, so they don't turn brown. While grapes and bananas are optional, IMO they make the salad much nicer, and I've never made it without them. Don't use overly ripe bananas. Firm ones with a touch of green still on the stem, or solid yellow ones are best.