You Will Never Buy Dressing Again....

I grew up using bottled dressing like everyone else.  When I started to experiment making my own dressing, it opened up a new world for me and it is very hard for me to go back to the bottled stuff.  Making your own dressing takes about 2 minutes, the taste cannot be compared, and it is economical.  


Many times I whip up a dressing just for the salad we are having that night.  I scale down the amount of dressing I make, add it to the bottom of a salad bowl, top with lettuce, etc. and the salad is ready for me to toss when I am.  This is a great tip and can be put in the fridge for hours this way - it does not cause the salad to get soggy (a cooking miracle!)  But I have started to make a larger batch of dressing in a mason jar or tupperware container (who doesn't want a mason jar filled with homemade dressing in their fridge?  It makes me feel all Martha Stewarty.)  Just add in all the ingredients, put the top on and shake.  You will have a great vinaigrette all week.  


I not only use vinaigrettes on salads, but I marinate chicken, meat, fish, and seafood in them.  Also if you grill chicken breast, broil some fish, or simply saute some veggies, just pour a bit of vinaigrette over before serving and all of a sudden your boring dinner has just turned up a notch.  Making a batch of vinaigrette in a cute jar is also a great house warming gift or something nice to bring to someone's house instead of the obvious bottle of wine.  


Here are my favorite vinaigrette recipes!


Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
3/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. of honey
1 tbs. of dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
optional: add minced garlic, shallots, or minced herbs (thyme and rosemary are my favorite)


Favorite Salad: spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, candied pecans/almonds/walnuts


Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette
3/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tbs. of dijon mustard
zest of one lemon
1 tbs. of minced garlic or grate the garlic in for a smoother texture
salt and pepper to taste
optional: add thyme for a nice herb taste


Favorite Salad: arugula, shaved parm


Fruit Juice Vinaigrette
3/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of grapefruit or orange juice
1 tsp. of honey
1 tbs. of dijon mustard
1-2 tbs. of apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
optional: zest of grapefruit or orange, tbs. of poppy seeds.


Favorite Salad:  butter lettuce, grapefruit segments, avacado, and  rotisserie chicken.


*if you don't like honey, just add some granulated sugar and if you aren't a fan of mustard then just leave out (the beauty of vinaigrettes is that you can adjust the ingredients and flavor to your liking.)