Salad Dressing

I always make A dressing, that can be used with all kind of meat, as a dip for cut down vegetables and as a salad dressing.

You basically use light sour cream (dont really need the mayo), some basic spice to get some taste to it, and then a spice of your own choice. I usually use garlic and ground pepper and a basic spice called Aromat (dont know if you have it in usa). You can basically use any spice you like, and fresh spiceherbs are fantastic to use. I have found out that it really matters how the spice is. If you use spice that has been in a open container for years, or a spice that is low-quality then nothing will taste good with it. If you buy spices that are very fresh, good-quality and preferable ones that you grind yourself, then everything tastes amazing. I bought some whole black pepper and it tastes so good freshly grinded on meat or in sauces, and I didnt even like black pepper that much before.

Blue cheese is normally over 30% fat so I dont eat it, some feta is under 30%, but I think you dont have to use cheese in this dressing because the sourcream with good herbs gives the creamy cheese flavor I think you are looking for. It is always good to make the dressing first and let it set in a refrigerator for at least one hour before you use it. If I put some cold chicken in this dressing and bring it to work it always tastes as if I put some mayonese in it, but it is only 5% fat sourcream.

it might be high in fat, but if you use a good gorgonzola - you don't need that much of it - the better the cheese, the less you need.

I like balsamic vinegar, olive oil and less than 1 ounce of gorgonzola with some spiced pecans a chopped up pear and some greens... my favorite salad.

I spent two summers in France when I was in high school, and ever since, I've been making my own salad dressing like they do over there. Once you try it, you never go back! The one essential tool you will need is a mini food processor (one of those hand-held ones, that comes with a little container to mix in). Anyway, here are my two favorite dressings:

Sweet Mustard Vinaigrette:
1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
.25 cup olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
spoonful sugar free seedless raspberry jelly/jam/preserves
2 cloves garlic (we like garlic, but you might want to just use one)

For both of these, I sometimes skimp on the olive oil, but that will definitely make the dressing have more bite. Also, I kind of made up the measurements on the balsamic vinaigrette, because I never measure it. Just eyeball the oil/vinegar so that they have equal parts.

I also have some yummy salad recipes if anyone wants them. Hope this helps!

that raspberry balsamic vinagrette sounds fantastic - I've usually made it with it with dijon, white wine or champagne vinegar, garlic, thyme and olive oil witht he raspberry preserves... the balsamic woudl give it some extra punch... yummm

if you just want the garlic flavor, without the garlic if it interferes with you - just hit it once with a knife to crush it a little - and throw it in the dressing and shake it up - take the clove out when you are ready to serve it...

I use salsa sometimes instead of salad dressing.

Yes!
Asian Dressing:
About 1/4 cup rice vinager (I use marukan seasoned gourmet...all the others arent that good)
about half a cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 clove pressed garlic
2 tsp sugar (or splenda)
and 1 cup vegatable oil (this sounds like alot i kno...u mite wanna use less...its up to u)

Mix together and pour on some spring mix leaf salad with onions and tomatoes
Its soooo good!
If anyone trys this please let me kno if u like =)

Caesar dressing

I make my own homemade Caesar dressing.
its very simple, inexpensive and has only a few ingredients.


ingredients:
1 egg
garlic 1.5 - 2 cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
black pepper
olive oil: roughly about half a cup, depends on how big a salad you are making
parmesean cheese: to taste


take one egg and beat it in a bowl or measuring cup.
mix in the tablespoon of lemon juice to let the acid "cook" the egg
finely chop 1.5 or 2 garlic cloves, depending on how big they are. then add it
and mix in some black pepper to taste.
lastely add the olive oil the amount of oil you use depends on the size of the salad, when i make it, i usually have anywhere between 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of dressing.
pour over lettuce, croutons and toss w/ parmesean cheese.

lime juice can be substituted for lemon if need be.
and obviously the less cheese you use the healthier it is.
hope this can add to your repetoire of healthier homemade dressings


~scubadhp

anchovies - must have anchovies blend them ito the dressing and it adds incredible flavor to the dressing

i love cesear salad...

*turns green and gets woozy*.....anchovies are you kidding?? Mal your othere ideas are awsome and tasty sounding........but anchovies??? EEEEE, no way man!!!! I like catalina.........any suggestions for a good substitute that is simular???? (uh.. no anchovies added thoe )
STAR

grind 'em up and you don't get the fuzzy mouth feel - it's not cesear salad unless there be anchovies

:stomps foot :

crap wish i hadn't done that


Catalina dressing should be pretty easy to fake..


It's equal parts ketchup and red wine vinegar and chopped onion (finely chopped so that it gets kinda juicey) add some sugar or splenda to desired degree of sweetness (3 -4 packets maybe?) a few generous dashes of worcestishire sauce (I won't tell you that it's made from anchovies) then top off with canola oil (olive oil i think would be too heavy) and salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup canola oil
a few packets of splenda
worcestishire sauce
salt and pepper

I've seen a recipe or two that calls for paprika - i'm not sure if that would help with the sweetness but a sprinking of sweet paprika would give additional color.

OK...I have an idea...let me know if this is crazy...

Caesar dressing uses eggs and oil, and all the other stuff....what if....

You used eggs rich in Omega-3 and used olive oil and flax seed oil....voila....I'm thinking a dressing loaded with good fats...maybe not good for the calorie counters....

My usual salad dressing is olive/flax oil and balsamic vinegar

does flax seed oil have a flavor? and would it emulsify (that's like my 15 cent word for the day)? that is -

traditional cesear dressing also has dijon mustard in it - so that might be a strong enough flavor if flax seed oil does have a flavor..

cooking science experiments -how very alton brown

Well, I don't actually know what flax seed oil tastes like....I get an olive oil that also has flax oil in it already...but its a great choice for EFA's

And hey, if in doubt, just a add more garlic to the dressing!

and to adding more garlic to anything -i say - AMEN

Just tried this one only I used black cherry jam. Turned out fantastic!!
Just one thing - make sure to get the good balsamic. Makes a difference!

OOOOOOoooo, this just might work!!!
I will pretend i did not read the anchovie worcestishire sauce thing!!!
What a bout Cilantro Oil? would that be ok ya think???

i love cilantro - it'd give a different taste to it - i'm not sure how it would really work out - catalina dressingtends to be sweet -cilantro is grassier - anything but sweet - mad scientist in the kitchen -- if it doesn't work - noreal harm done