Making your own salad dressings

So many are suffering from food allergies like I am. I have discovered I'm not really allergic to wheat just can't handle GMO grains. Unfortunately I have learned I really am allergic to all soy even non GMO stuff. It makes it hard to be able to buy anything at the store now. So I make my own.

To start with I have to make my own mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is easy to make on your own. I always make mine in the blender so here's my recipe.

Blender Mayonnaise

Place ¼ cup oil (your choice any kind will work) in blender with 1 egg, 1 teaspoon each: dry mustard and sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, a dash of cayenne red pepper, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar. Mix on high for 5 seconds and then slowly drizzle in ¾ cup of oil. You may need to stop the blender and scrap down the sides. Now you have non GMO soy free Mayonnaise to use as a base for your dressings.

Make your own Ranch Dressing

I make my dressings up in pint canning jars.

Put ½ cup mayonnaise and ½ cup buttermilk in the jar. Now you can use sour cream or yogurt instead. Any combination as long as you use a total of 1 cup total. BUT if you want it to taste like Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing you will want to use the buttermilk and mayonnaise. Now add 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar, 2 cloves crushed fresh garlic (or ¼ tsp garlic powder) ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, dried parsley, dried dill, and dried chives, a few shakes of cayenne red pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Shake in the jar well and use within 2 weeks.

Russian Dressing is hard to find but easy to make:

1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup chili sauce

up to 4 teaspoons of bottled horseradish if desired

1 teaspoon hot sauce, Frank's Red Hot Sauce works best

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon sweet paprika

fine sea salt to taste

In a mortar and pestle mash onion to create a paste or use a large heavy knife to mince and mash the onion into a paste. Put into your jar and add in the rest of the ingredients and shake to blend. Use within 2 weeks.

Thousand Island Dressing

I have a more elaborate recipe but this one is very simple and does the job just fine.

In your jar, add:

½ cup Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoon ketchup

2 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

a few drops Worcestershire sauce

a few drops of hot sauce

Shake well in jar and use within 2 weeks.

Vinegar and oil

You can use any type of oil or vinegar that you would like. The important thing to know is you must use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I put mine in a salad shaker container and leave on the table. I use ¾ cup extra virgin Olive oil with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Very simple and so very good.

Honey Citrus Dressing

Into your jar add:

¼ cup vinegar

1 cup oil

2 Tablespoon honey

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoon orange juice

½ to 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

a dash each of ground red pepper and black pepper.

Shake well and use within 2 weeks.

Italian Dressing

Into your jar add:

¼ cup vinegar (any type)

2/3 cup oil

2 Tablespoon water

1 teaspoon each of garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, parsley and salt

1 ½ teaspoon Oregano

¼ teaspoon pepper

a big pinch of basil

a pinch of celery salt

Mix and shake well in your jar.  

Hope this helps you!

Cherlynn