Monday's Menu

As I have been moving away from all the processed food, one of the things I've had the toughest time with is salad dressing. The main one I wanted to perfect is Buttermilk Ranch because it is one of my favorites. I have tried several different versions of a buttermilk ranch as well as a few organic bottled versions that weren't too crazily priced.

Nothing ever seemed to work out though. I haven't gone back to conventional yet though. If I ever feel tempted, I just turn over the bottle in the store and look at all the unpronounceable ingredients. When I got truly frustrated, I gave up for a while and instead made some of my 'go-to's' from other recipes. 

Like this Poppy seed dressing (recipe below).

Or the one that I make for this salad recipe. I call it an Asian dressing.

Or the one that is in this recipe -- Orange Curry dressing.

Recently, I wanted to add a Southwestern dressing to use as a dipping sauce if someone wanted it. It turned out to be a hit -- and with more than just Hubby. I found it here but I'll put the recipe below too. By the way, do not use coconut oil for the oil. It cooled and got chunky. Ick!

And, of course, there is always a basic vinaigrette. There are as many variations as you could think up for those.

So I still hadn't found my ranch but at least I could provide options. Then, I decided to give Pioneer Woman's buttermilk ranch a try. It was good. Real good. Even Hubby commented that it was the best yet. The only problem with it was that it requires fresh herbs -- three of which I do not yet have growing around the house. So I know what will be going into next year's seed order.

For now, I can maybe stretch out my salad dressing rotation so I don't have to take out a second mortgage to buy fresh herbs for salad dressing. I highly recommend giving it a try. It is better than the bottled stuff for sure.

Hope you give one or more of these a try.

Poppy seed Dressing

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground dry mustard

1 teaspoon grated onion

1 cup oil (I've used olive oil successfully)

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Combine with blender sugar, vinegar, salt, dry mustard, and onion for 20 seconds. Add oil in stream while blending until combined. Stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate.

Tangy Southwestern Dressing 

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup ketchup

6 dashes hot sauce

4 teaspoons cumin

4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

4 teaspoons sugar

2 finely chopped garlic cloves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2  teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup oil

Combine all ingredients except oil. Whisk or blend to combine. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking or blending to combine until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pioneer Woman's Buttermilk Ranch

1 clove (to 2 Cloves) Garlic
Salt To Taste
1/4 cup Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives
1 cup (Real) Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency)
White Vinegar (optional, To Taste)
Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste (optional)
Fresh Dill (optional, To Taste)
Cayenne Pepper (optional, To Taste)
Paprika (optional, To Taste)
Fresh Oregano (optional, To Taste)
Tabasco (optional, To Taste)

Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about an 1/8 to ¼ teaspoons of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk or buttermilk if desired.