Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

In my house, you can never have too many salad dressing recipes.  We eat salad pretty much every night.   Tim McGraw would be so proud.

This dressing is just a hint of spice, without being overwhelming, although if you leave the seeds and ribs on, watch out!  It's equally good on salad as it is as a dip.  You could also drizzle it over black bean patties.

Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
Adapted from Confessions of a Foodie Bride


Ingredients
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 small bunch of chives (about 2 Tbsp chopped)
Small handful cilantro
1-2 jalapenos, seeds and stem removed
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk


Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and then blend for 10-20 seconds. Check consistency and blend in buttermilk to thin as needed. If it's dressing, more.  If it's dip, less.
Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

Chipotle Chicken Salad

This salad was so delicious!  It is a great light meal.  Even my father, who is not exactly adventuresome, pretended to enjoy it.  The dressing is not spicy, and I love the avocado in this salad.  It is absolutely awesome!  I ate it for lunch the second day, and it was still wonderful.

Chipotle Chicken Salad
adapted from Nutmeg Notebook


Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 whole chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, with 1 tsp of sauce added
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce (2 heads)

1 1/2 lbs chicken (I marinated in 3 tablespoons canola oil, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt for a minimum of 6 hours)

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced

1 cup yellow tomatoes, sliced

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 diced peeled avocadoes
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
2 ears corn, boiled for 2 minutes and then cut off the cob.

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients in a food processor until well combined.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Russian Dressing

In my family, russian dressing was always mayonnaise plus ketchup.  This is a more sophisticated version, with more complex flavors.  It is great on salads, as a sandwich spread, or  dip for fresh vegetables.  I was surprised by the chopped pickle, but it makes perfect sense, and gives a nice sour note!

Russian Dressing
Adapted from Jeff Mauro


1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2/3 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 dill pickle, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, dill pickles and shallots in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. Do not over-blend, you still want texture. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in a covered jar until serving time.

Romaine, Chicken, Avocado, and Balsamic Reduction Sauce Salad

Here's the nice, light salad I promised!

We have this great place by us.  It's total bar food.  There's lousy, not so fresh popcorn served as soon as you sit down.  It has great burgers, great hot dogs, and also-unexpectedly- some amazing salads. This is one of them.  Any way I can eat more avocado is always welcome.  The balsamic reduction sauce is really sweet- I want to try it with strawberries!

 Romaine, Chicken, Avocado, and Balsamic Reduction Sauce Salad
Balsamic reduction adapted from Jeff Mauro

Balsamic Reduction

4 cups balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
8 fresh basil leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large shallot, roughly chopped

1 head romaine lettuce
Grilled chicken breast or thighs
Cherry tomatoes
1 avocado

Heat the balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, salt, pepper, basil, thyme, garlic and shallots into the saucepan and stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let cook until the liquid is reduced to 1 1/3 cups, 45 to 60  minutes. To measure, you may have to strain at 45 minutes, see where you are, then poor back in pot.  It's ok not to re-add all the onions and such back at that point.  Otherwise, once the mixture is reduced, strain it through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and let cool. Store the balsamic base in the fridge; it's great as salad dressing, marinade, drizzled over steaks, over strawberries.

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

I love homemade salad dressings.  I take great pleasure in making things from scratch, and keeping preservatives and god knows what else out of us.  Well, except for the adobo sauce bathing the chile peppers- that doesn't count!

This dressing has a good kick, and is great for dipping fries, salads, and sandwiches.   I think it's my new favorite!


Chipotle ranch dressing
Adapted from foodie bride 

3/4 cup mayo (low fat)
3/4 cup sour cream (low fat is fine; or you can replace half or all with fat-free Greek yogurt)
2-3 canned chipotle peppers with 1 Tbsp sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 small bunch of chives
Small handful of cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk (optional)


To make the dressing, place all dressing ingredients except the buttermilk in a blender.
Blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency and add buttermilk if desired (less buttermilk for dipping, more for dressing).
Store in an air-tight mason jar in the fridge for a week or more.

Spiced Honey Chicken Salad with Honey Citrus Vinaigrette

I adore this salad.  I love the chicken, I love the dressing, I love all of it.  It almost could make me forget that it's the dead of winter.  This dressing goes with any salad.

Honey-Citrus Vinaigrette
Adapted from Our Best Bites


1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 T grated onion
1/3 C fresh orange juice
3T fresh lime juice
2T honey
3/4 t cumin
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/2 C vegetable oil

3. Place all ingredients in a tightly sealed jar and shake your bootie (and the jar) vigorously. Store in the fridge, and shake before dressing salad.

Top salad with spiced honey chicken and honey citrus dressing.

Carrot Ginger Salad Dresing

Do you love the carrot dressing in japanese restaurants?  ME TOO!!!!  Do you need something tasty to help you  eat leafy green vegetables?  ME TOO!  Do you have a $14 jar of miso?  ME TOO!!!!  Well, I did, until I figured out that my husband when kitchen purging, cleaned us out of it. I have to say that it seems that stuff keeps forever, and thank heavens 'cause it costs a fortune.  Anyway, this dressing is so good, I rebought that ridiculously priced jar of miso and I would do it again.  You might want to double this recipe.

Carrot Ginger Dressing
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen


Serves 4, with dressing to spare

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sweet white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
2 tablespoons water

1 small/medium head of lettuce or mixed greens of your choice


Whiz the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the canola oil and the water.

Drizzle salad with plenty of dressing and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

It's hot.  Cooking indoors is not an appealing option.  But somehow, spicy food is perfect in the heat.  This salad lets you eat buffalo wings without the horrible fried drug sticks, messy fingers, and blaring TV in the sports bar.  : )

It's fairly healthy, and you could make it more so by skipping the butter in the spicy marinade altogether, although there is quite a kick if unmitigated by the blue cheese.  We ate this as an entree salad.  I always find eating spicy things makes you satisfied with less food.


Buffalo Chicken Salad
adapted from Ellie Krieger

Chicken:
2 tablespoons hot sauce (I'm partial to Frank's or Tabasco)
1 Tablespoon of butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive  oil
1 -1 1/2 lbs chicken breast cut into 1 1/2 inch strips, or chicken breast tenders

Lettuce- romaine, or spring mix

Marinate chicken in 3 tablespoons olive oil for at least 3 hours, or several days.  Preheat the grill.  Grill chicken  for about 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through.  In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce and the butter, add chicken and toss until the chicken is well coated.

Blue Cheese Dressing:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt, greek style (regular will be too thin)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk and thickened yogurt into the mayonnaise until smooth. Add the vinegar and sugar and whisk until all the ingredients are well combined. Stir in the blue cheese and season with salt and pepper to your preference.

Serve with lettuce (optionally adding grated carrots, celery, and scallions if desired) either tossed or topped with blue cheese dressing and chicken.

Ranch Dressing

I didn't have any idea what really was in ranch dressing, never mind that one could actually make it- quickly, deliciously, and more healthfully!  We are slowly realizing that there is really no need to buy your salad dressing.  My eldest sister has been telling me this for years, but I always thought she was terribly foodie and fancy for insisting it was easy.  Although she is very foodie, she's right!  This makes a lot of ranch, so you need to eat salad nightly for a couple weeks or use it as a condiment- pizza anyone?

Adapted from Annie's Eats, from Gourmet cookbook 2004

Ingredients:

¾ cup light mayonnaise 

¾ cup light sour cream 

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. lemon juice

¼-1 cup fat free buttermilk (I use the 3/4 cup)

1 small bunch chives (or 1 tablespoon dried chives)

Small handful parsley 

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or with a whisk, starting with ¼ cup of the buttermilk and blend for about 10 seconds.  Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired- this can go from thick dip to salad dressing.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Staff Dressing

OK, so this dressing was so delicious!  We got the French Laundry Cookbook from the library recently, and I have to say, most of that book was just inaccessible to me.  So many of the components require so much time to prepare, like making 2 different stocks from veal then combining as a sauce for a dish, it's just not practical for the limited time we have.  But this- this I could manage.

Staff dressing
from Keller's French Laundry Cookbook


 1 tbsp chopped gartlic
1 ½ tsp chopped shallots
(2tbsp +1tsp)Dijon Mustard
 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
 1 large egg yolk*
 2 cups canola oil

*if you are immunosuppressed (kids under a year, elderly, transplant, etc etc) please substitute 1 tablespoon mayonnaise.  Salmonella is rare but no joke.

Place the garlic, shallots, vinegar and mustard in a blender and blend until well combined. Add the egg yolk and blend again. With the blender on slow drizzle the oil in until the dressing is thick and emulsified. It will thicken and the octave of the blender will change.  (you'll get it when you hear it)  Season with (1/2 tsp) salt and pepper. You can refrigerate in a covered container for a week.