Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I'm Nuts About My Homemade Salad Dressings!

Now that the weather is warm, you will probably want to eat lighter.  What can be more refreshing at this time of year than a crisp, fresh garden salad topped off with a homemade salad dressing?

Many consider making a salad dressing too much work.  I find the hardest part is assembling the ingredients.  After that, a few seconds in a blender or a food processor, out comes a marvelous and wholesome dressing.

The first dressing recipe that I have for you, called My Super Salad Dressing, is something you can't find on a grocery shelf in bottled form.  You can taste the influence of the Orient in its exotic makeup.  Once you try its unique flavor, it will become very habit forming!

The second recipe I hope you will try is one I love for My Ultimate French Dressing.  The creamy and slightly sweet flavor it adds to a salad is lightly accented by only a touch of onion.

If you do want to save money and know what you're eating, then invest in the few extra minutes it takes to create your own salad dressings.  Nothing can compare to the taste of homemade and I'm sure you'll agree once you whip these up!


My Super Salad Dressing

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of grated onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon of celery salt or 1 teaspoon of fresh celery leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard
2 tablespoons of ketchup
2 tablespoon  of Soy sauce
1/4 cup Sherry or dry white wine
3/4 cup of canola oil
1 tablespoon of white vinegar

Add all the ingredients and put into a blender or food processor and blend for a few seconds until well combined.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or more to blend the flavors.  (This extremely important because if you skip this step, the taste will be altered.)  Makes one cup.


My Ultimate French Dressing

1 cup of canola oil
1 cup vinegar (any variety works)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1 teaspoon of grated onion
1 tablespoon of Worchestershire sauce
1 cup of ketchup or tomato soup


Mix sugar, salt, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together.  Add grated onion and ketchup or tomatoe soup.  Add vinegar and pour on the oil slowly.  Place dressing in a bottle and keep refrigerated.  Makes one yummy pint!