One of the ways to get more flavor in your food is to have home made salad dressing on hand. Especially in warmer weather, a cold salad of fruit, cold pasta, or lettuce can become a meal.
And salad dressing is so easy to make, and become completely intuitive if you remember these tips:
First, get yourself a pint canning jar. You can find these by the dozen (the cheapest way per jar, and save the other 11) or singly. The advantage of a pint canning jar is that you know exactly how much it can hold, so you can make dressing in the correct proportions without measuring cups. Wash and dry your jar, the flat lid, and the screw top.
Second, get vinegar and plain oil. . For the simplest dressing, pour vinegar in the jar up to one third of the jar. Then, pour in your oil up to the part of the jar right under the neck. Cover with the flat metal top and screw the lid down. Shake. Done.Vinegar and oil dressing.
As long as you keep the proportions, (two thirds oil to one third vinegar), you can make less dressing if you want. Most of the commercial dressings add much more salt then you need, or chemicals to keep the oil and vinegar mixed. Just shake yours before you use it. Some dressings you will make will go a bit thick in the refrigerator, but as soon as it gets warm again (by letting it sit out a bit), it will be fine.
You will notice once again that making things yourself is MUCH cheaper per ounce than the store bought.
Variations are legion.
To make an Italian style dressing, crush and chop one or more garlic cloves, and pop into the vinegar.. Grind in salt and lots of pepper. If you've got it, add thyme, & oregano. Then let them sit in the vinegar as long as you can (put it in the frig) before you add in olive oil.
To make almost any dressing creamy, you can add a spoon full or mayo (be sure to use mayo if you have kids). Or , use a fork to stir up a raw egg (adults only) and add that. This mix needs to be in the frig.
For fruit salad, use some lemon juice, or use a "sweet" vinegar like balsamic vinegar, or wine vinegar. with plain veggie oil. Add a bit of sugar , and skip the pepper. You can crush in a few berries if you like., or add a tiny bit of mint. Again, you need to keep this one in the frig.
For Caesar salad dressing, start with plain or wine vinegar, and add chopped garlic and chop up two or three sardines very well. add in some grated parmigiana cheese, then add olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Add some ketchup and mayo to the Caesar or Italian dressing, and you've got Russian dressing.
By now , you are thinking of your own mixes (or you will soon!) . See? Intuitive!
And salad dressing is so easy to make, and become completely intuitive if you remember these tips:
First, get yourself a pint canning jar. You can find these by the dozen (the cheapest way per jar, and save the other 11) or singly. The advantage of a pint canning jar is that you know exactly how much it can hold, so you can make dressing in the correct proportions without measuring cups. Wash and dry your jar, the flat lid, and the screw top.
Second, get vinegar and plain oil. . For the simplest dressing, pour vinegar in the jar up to one third of the jar. Then, pour in your oil up to the part of the jar right under the neck. Cover with the flat metal top and screw the lid down. Shake. Done.Vinegar and oil dressing.
As long as you keep the proportions, (two thirds oil to one third vinegar), you can make less dressing if you want. Most of the commercial dressings add much more salt then you need, or chemicals to keep the oil and vinegar mixed. Just shake yours before you use it. Some dressings you will make will go a bit thick in the refrigerator, but as soon as it gets warm again (by letting it sit out a bit), it will be fine.
You will notice once again that making things yourself is MUCH cheaper per ounce than the store bought.
Variations are legion.
To make an Italian style dressing, crush and chop one or more garlic cloves, and pop into the vinegar.. Grind in salt and lots of pepper. If you've got it, add thyme, & oregano. Then let them sit in the vinegar as long as you can (put it in the frig) before you add in olive oil.
To make almost any dressing creamy, you can add a spoon full or mayo (be sure to use mayo if you have kids). Or , use a fork to stir up a raw egg (adults only) and add that. This mix needs to be in the frig.
For fruit salad, use some lemon juice, or use a "sweet" vinegar like balsamic vinegar, or wine vinegar. with plain veggie oil. Add a bit of sugar , and skip the pepper. You can crush in a few berries if you like., or add a tiny bit of mint. Again, you need to keep this one in the frig.
For Caesar salad dressing, start with plain or wine vinegar, and add chopped garlic and chop up two or three sardines very well. add in some grated parmigiana cheese, then add olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Add some ketchup and mayo to the Caesar or Italian dressing, and you've got Russian dressing.
By now , you are thinking of your own mixes (or you will soon!) . See? Intuitive!
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