Creative Cooks

Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing
Prep Time 5 mins Total Time 5 mins Servings: 24 1 tbsp servings (recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
3/4 - 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon finely cracked pepper
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste approximately 1-3 teaspoons, adjust to taste

Instructions

Whisk together the mayo, sour cream and milk until smooth. Add the spices and whisk until combined. Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This dressing will keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

You can swap plain white vinegar for the fresh lemon juice in this recipe. Both acids work beautifully to provide the perfect amount of tang in the dressing.

Homemade Ranch Dip
Yield: approximately 1 ½ cups

¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
¼ - ¾ teaspoon dried dill weed, adjust to taste
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried chives
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon finely cracked pepper
Freshly squeezed lemon juice or plain white vinegar, approximately 1-3 teaspoons, adjust to taste

Whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Summer Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Prep/Total Time: 15 min. Yield: 16 Servings

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 packages (5-1/2 ounces each) torn mixed salad greens
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the first eight ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.
In a salad bowl, combine the salad greens, onion, mushrooms, raspberries and walnuts. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 16 servings (1 cup each).

Nutritional Facts
1 cup equals 96 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 161 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fat, 1/2 starch.

Winter Panzanella with Apple Dressing

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Dash each salt and pepper
1 loaf sourdough bread (1 pound), cut into cubes
2 tablespoons each minced fresh basil, cilantro and mint, divided
1 cup fresh arugula
1 medium apple, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, sliced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel

APPLE DRESSING:
1/4 cup chopped peeled apple
2 tablespoons honey, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon apple brandy or apple cider
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Place squash cubes in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven and cool.
In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon each basil, cilantro and mint. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Place the cooled squash, arugula, apple slices, onion, cranberries, olives, lime juice and peel, croutons and remaining herbs in a large bowl.
In a small skillet, cook apple in 1 tablespoon each honey and oil over medium heat until apple is softened and caramelized, stirring often. Transfer to a blender.
Add the vinegar, brandy, mustard, salt, pepper and remaining honey. Cover and process until pureed. While processing, gradually add remaining oil in a steady stream. Drizzle over salad; toss to coat. Yield: 14 servings (1 cup each).

Nutritional Facts
1 cup equals 276 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 363 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Pepper Steak and Roasted Potato Salad with Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients
Potatoes:
1 ½ pounds new red potatoes, cut in half
Olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh black pepper

Dressing:
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup buttermilk
1 fat clove garlic, smashed and minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup Roquefort blue cheese, chopped/crumbled

Steak:
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Vegetable oil, for greasing the pan
1 pound sirloin steak
8 packed cups chopped romaine hearts

Extras:
thin-sliced red onions
tomatoes
crumbled bacon
sliced/cubed cucumber

Instructions
Roast the potatoes:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment first and lightly grease. Add the potatoes and drizzle 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil over them and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to massage the oil all over the potatoes. Bake until fork tender about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dressing:
In a medium bowl whisk the mayo, buttermilk, garlic and vinegar together. Stir in the Roquefort and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.
Cook the steak:
Use a mortar and pestle to crush the peppercorns or smash them with a meat mallet on a cutting board - cover them with a paper towel then a dish towel and pound until crushed.
Lightly oil a large cast-iron skillet and set over high heat. Salt the steak well on both sides then press one side down into the peppercorns.
When the pan is smoking hot lay the steak in - peppercorn side down and turns heat down to medium-high. You kind of have to use your own judgment for cooking the steak depending on its size and how rare you like it. This is how I did mine and it weighed about a pound: Cook about 4 - 5 minutes on the first side for medium well steak (pink but not bloody in the middle) then flip and cook on the other side 3 - 4 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and cover with foil. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes before slicing.
Divide the romaine among 4 plates followed by the potatoes and any extras you like. Slice the steak thinly against the grain and plate. Drizzle very generously with the blue cheese dressing.
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.