Salad Dressings

Tomorrow I am going to visit family and my assignment is a big green salad.  I like adding all those fun things into the salad like olives, banana peppers, broccoli - whatever my little heart desires.  Also I am not much of a ranch fan.  I will eat ranch dressing if it is that or blue cheese - because in my opinion blue cheese is yucky.  I much prefer a variety of dressings like Dorothy Lynch, Raspberry Vinaigrette, or Pomegranate.  I also really like these three homemade dressings that I made today to bring with my big green salad.  I had all the ingredients on hand which was an added bonus - so hopefully you will also.  The first one I made was an Oriental Poppy Seed Dressing, then a Tomato/French Dressing followed by a "Olive Garden" Italian Dressing.

Oriental Poppy Seed Dressing

(from my friend JoAlice)

4 T. Sugar

4 T. Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 C. Oil

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Poppy Seeds

Combine all ingredients and mix with a hand blender. 

 Makes about 4 oz. dressing.

Tomato/French Dressing

(from my friend Carolyn)

1/3 C. Ketchup

1/3 C. Sugar

1/3 C. Vinegar

2/3 C. Oil

2 T. Worcestershire Sauce

2 T. Onion Flakes

1/2 tsp Pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix with a hand blender.

Makes about 8 oz dressing.

"Olive Garden" Italian Dressing

(from RecipeCottage.com)

1 1/2 C. Italian Salad Dressing

2 T. grated Parmesan Cheese

2 T. Sugar

1 Egg

2 T. Mayonnaise

1/4 C. Oil

Combine Salad Dressing, Cheese, Sugar, Egg and Mayonnaise in the top of a double boiler and mix together with a hand blender until well combined.  Whisk in Oil and cook on top of a double boiler for about 10 minutes whisking occasionally until dressing is thick and egg is cooked.  Makes about 14 oz dressing. 

Refrigerate overnight before serving.

 

With summer in full swing try a little something different on your salad.  The Oriental dressing is really good if you place a teriyaki chicken breast on top of your salad greens, add some green onion, toasted almonds, diced tomato and pour some Oriental dressing on top.  The Tomato/French dressing is really good on a spinach salad.  Be creative!