From - Scratch Salad Dressings

Salad Dressings are very, very easy to make. Not only are they more economical, but they taste better too! This is another area of our "food life" where I have been able to completely eliminate buying at the store. Typically - there is always one of these dressings made up in the fridge, but if I need to whip up one at the last minute, it literally takes me about 3 minutes. Homemade dressings will keep a week or two in your fridge - but we usually have them finished in less time than that.


Homemade Ranch:
1 c Helemann's mayo (real mayo, not light or fat-free is what I use)
1 T dry minced onion
1/2 t garlic powder, or granulated garlic (dry)
1/2 t lemon pepper
2 t dried parsley
1/4 t salt, or more to taste
milk to thin

Combine the mayo and seasonings in bowl (or one of those tupperware dressing shakers). Stir to combine. Thin with milk to desired consistancy. (Start with a little milk, stir with whisk or shake in shaker - add until you get it how you like it. If you get it too thin - just add some more mayo to thicken.) *I don't measure any of these ingredients anymore. I did at first, now I just know by looking how much to throw in. This speeds up the time considerably to make it. Once you make it a few times, it's a no brainer! **Also note: this dressing WILL THICKEN as it sits in the fridge because the dry seasonings will "absorb" the liquid. So - when you get it out the next day for a salad, or to dip veggies in.... you may need to thin it again with a tablespoon or 2 of milk. This is NORMAL.

Creamy Dill:
1 c Helmann's mayo
1 c Daisy Sour Cream
2 t dried dill
1 t granlulated garlic or garlic powder
couple dashes of Worchestshire sauce
salt to taste
milk to thin

Combine mayo and sour cream. Stir in dill, garlic, salt and worchestshire. Mix well, thin with milk to desired consistancy. Taste and add more seasoning if you think it needs more. (This is another that will thicken as it sits in the fridge: you may need to thin with a tablespoon or 2 of milk the subsequent times you use it.)

Thousand Island:
1 c Helmann's mayo
1/2 c organic ketchup (I use organic because only organic doesn't contain High Fructose Corn Syrup!)
2 T (or more to taste) chopped sweet pickles or relish
1 T dry minced onion
1 t granulated garlic or garlic powder
salt to taste
sweet pickle juice to thin

Combine mayo, ketchup, pickles, onion, garlic, salt. Mix well. Stir in small amounts of sweet pickle juice to thin to desired consistancy. (This is the dressing we LOVE on our homemade reubans!)

Honey Mustard:
1 c Helmann's mayo
1/2 c dijon or grainy mustard (more or less, depending on strength of "dijon" flavor you like)
2-3 T honey
salt to taste, if needed (really, it depends on how "salty" your mustard tastes)
apple cidar vinegar, to thin

Combine mayo, mustard, honey. Mix well. Thin with very small amounts of vinegar, to desired consistancy. Taste and add salt if needed. (Sometimes I don't need to add salt - the mustard and mayo are salted enough.... it really just depends) This is approximately how I make mine - you can adjust the honey/mustard amounts with the mayo base if you like yours "more mustardy" or "more sweet", depending on your tastes.

Raspberry Poppy Seed Vinegrette:
1 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c raspberry vinegar
2 t sugar
1 t poppy seeds
couple shakes of salt

Combine all in a shaker container and shake until blended. Taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter.

Dijon Vinegrette:
(This is the dressing my French mom made DAILY when I lived in France. It's one of my favorites!)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2-3 T dijon mustard
1 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c vinegar (rice vinegar gives a nice, non-acidic flavor)
salt to taste

Combine garlic and mustard in a bowl. Stir together well. Whisk in oil and vinegar, shake a couple times with salt. I then transfer mine to a shaker container that makes it easy to shake and serve on the table. You can also just thow everything in a shaker and shake to blend. (I have one of those old "Italian Seasonings Cruets" that I got 15 years ago at a grocery store.... I don't know if they still have them or not.)

Enjoy!
Shauna