#23 Balsamic Vinaigrette

Now here is another one of my replacement recipes for the few in the book that I will not be making. I thought another dressing recipe would be good since dressing is definitely something that people tend to buy instead of making homemade. But the little extra effort is worth it...so fresh and yummy! Without all the extra fillers!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I used Strawberry Basil flavored balsamic vinegar)
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2-1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In my handy Pampered Chef dressing mixer, I added all the ingredients and plunged the mixer until the dressing was emulsified.

 

I served this dressing for our annual Valentine's day dinner, over a bed of baby spring greens and sliced strawberries!!! Yummy! Balsamic vinegar dressing is not always kid friendly...but a couple of mine like it....My sweet hubby and I- love it!

Variations: Basic Vinaigrette- Use 1/4 cup white wine vinegar instead of balsamic
Garlic- Add 1 tsp. minced garlic
Lemon Parmesan- Use fresh lemon juice as your acid instead of vinegar + 1/4 c. finely grated parmesan
Herb- Add 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh herb like thyme or parsley
Blue Cheese- Add 1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese

#15 Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Now that I have a couple quarts of buttermilk in the fridge, I need to use it before it expires. Since a nice leafy romaine salad was on the menu for supper last night, I thought I would start with dressing. My hubby and oldest daughter love ranch dressing...so if they liked it; I knew it was a good recipe...so here it goes!

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (Adapted from "Homemade Pantry")

1/2 cup buttermilk (I used my own)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt ( I used my own)
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste ( I used the left-over 1/2 lemon from my ricotta)
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. gradulated garlic (or 2 cloves fresh)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

The original recipe called for fresh parsley and fresh chives..but I refuse to use fresh unless I can get them out of my own garden...so it will have to wait until summer:)

 

I put my ingredients in my handy, dandy Pampered Chef dressing maker...really great investment of $12.50 if you make a lot of homemade dressing! It works slick:) There are even recipes right on the container and the plunger works great to mix igredients! Super easy!

So...how did it taste? It was really, really good.Tasted just like store bought without all the junk..like MSG.....totally worth the itty bitty time and effort! I'm more of a Poppy Seed or French dressing girl myself, but I had to try this and I really liked it....and so did Hubby and my oldest. So it's a keeper! Can't wait to use my fresh herbs this summer, along with my fresh greens right out of my garden:)