Cricket Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Dh is always complaining about how many bottles we have floating around the fridge. We have seven - six store bought and one homemade. I suppose I could get rid of a couple but everyone likes different things. So how many do you have? (Doesn't matter what the expiration date is!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 2 My family likes Ranch, and I prefer Italian...lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 My mil has about 10, just for her and fil. She doesn't seem to get that they don't last forever. She once put a bottle of dressing on the table that had expired 5 years earlier. It was probably fine, but :ack2:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I do not like store-bought salad dressing. Instead, I make my own Caesar dressing, and I must say, it is by far my favorite! It took me years to find a good recipe; this one comes from the Cook This, Not That book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abreakfromlife Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Catalina Ranch Italian Greek Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Vidalia Sweet Onion Vidalia Sweet Onion with roasted red pepper Henri's Tas-tee and I usually make a homemade balsamic basil vinaigrette, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 We don't have any. When I make a salad I generally just use a dash of fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and some salt and black pepper. If I'm feeling feisty I may add a crushed clove of garlic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Zero. We make dressings for each salad individually. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhM Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 :lol: and do I have several of the same kind? Why yes I do. 3 ranch style, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I've never bought it. I like my salad plain as do my kids. My husband puts hot sauce on his salads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 About half a dozen here... Italian vinaigrette, Ott's (demanded for taco salad), Ranch, blue cheese, Thousand Island (demanded for Reubens). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Three. Blue Cheese, Creamy Ceasar (store bought) and honey mustard (home made). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I usually make my own dressing on a meal-by-meal basis, but we have a backup bottle of Newman's Lite Balsamic in case I'm too tired... BTW, my youngest calls Newman's dressings "Man Sauce"... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 All of you at 0 amaze me! :lol: I have homemade oil and apple cider vinegar vinaigrette ranch italian 1000 island annie's goddess dressing annie's roasted red pepper vinaigrette wishbone raspberry salad spritzer The Goddess Dressing and the salad spritzer really should be tossed in the trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna in Texas Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Just Caesar for my husband. It was recently that we discovered that he'll eat any salad green as long as it had a little caesar on top. I usually make mine on the fly. I especially like spiced rice vinegars. On occasion, dd will make a homemade ranch, but we tend to go through that so quickly that I don't like to make it too often. If anyone has a great caesar recipe, I'd like it. I think he's ready to branch out and try a different one. I can't stand the texture of store bought dressings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 My mil has about 10, just for her and fil. She doesn't seem to get that they don't last forever. She once put a bottle of dressing on the table that had expired 5 years earlier. It was probably fine, but :ack2:. LOL! This is my sister. Some of her bottles practically had sprouted legs and were getting ready to run out the fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Just Caesar for my husband. It was recently that we discovered that he'll eat any salad green as long as it had a little caesar on top. I usually make mine on the fly. I especially like spiced rice vinegars. On occasion, dd will make a homemade ranch, but we tend to go through that so quickly that I don't like to make it too often. If anyone has a great caesar recipe, I'd like it. I think he's ready to branch out and try a different one. I can't stand the texture of store bought dressings. I'll send you mine later. I can procrastinate no longer and have to run to the store now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I usually have a jar of organic ranch in the fridge for dipping carrot sticks & red pepper strips. I make all other dressings from scratch, but it's actually harder to find organic buttermilk than it is to find organic ranch dressing, so I generally buy that one. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaissezFaire Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I voted none, but I meant no store bought bottles. We have two bottles of homemade dressings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieC Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Zero at the moment! We had a bunch until I realized that every single one of them had expired - some by 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 2 Thousand Island for dh and the kids Caesar for me Sometimes we also have an Italian or Vinaigrette, but I am the only one who eats it. dd11 doesn't usually eat dressing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 We eat a ton of different kinds around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Zero. I can't stand salad dressing, and the rest of my family doesn't want it either. Naked salad! :D Although every now and then a bottle gets snuck in when my mother comes to visit, brings her own, and forgets to take it home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I have two homemade bottles. One ranch, one honey mustard. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 We don't buy salad dressing. I do have a couple different vinegars in the fridge though, that are used to dress salads. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 We have one store-bought Trader that ds16 likes. We have one home-made that ds13 likes and one in the cupboard (my vinaigrette that I make up about 1 or 2 times a week.) I am not a big fan of commercial salad dressings, but this one by TJ's doesn't have wonky ingredients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Dh is always complaining about how many bottles we have floating around the fridge. We have seven - six store bought and one homemade. I suppose I could get rid of a couple but everyone likes different things. So how many do you have? (Doesn't matter what the expiration date is!) We have 3 store bought and 2 bottles of homemade dressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Bill, it is clear you only have one child - and not at home all day:). I feel it is an accomplishment if we get all the dishes on the table on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 4 Ranch Honey Mustard Italian Raspberry Vinaigrette But I did promise to make my husband some Blue Cheese Dressing, so I really need to get on that! All our dressings are home made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Can you share your Honey Mustard recipe? Please? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 (edited) Bill, it is clear you only have one child - and not at home all day:). I feel it is an accomplishment if we get all the dishes on the table on time. But Ellen, I can make a delicious and healthful salad dressing in under 45 seconds. Even my 5 year old can make wonderful salad dressing. It is not an onerous task. Washing the greens is far more time-consuming than making the dressing. And given the absolutely awful ingredients used in the typical bottled dressing (low quality chemically extracted polyunsaturated oils, sugars, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, etc.) it is well worth the less-than-a-minute of time it takes to make a fresh olive oil based salad dressing. And if healthfulness wasn't an issue (and it is) the flavor of homemade dressings is vastly superior to bottled dressings (which I think are vile :ack2:) Bill Edited March 31, 2010 by Spy Car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Zero. And more than that, we don't eat salad. At all. Some people have issues with textures or tastes on other things. My can't-eat-this thing is lettuce. I just can't do it. It isn't taste. It is texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 But Ellen, I can make a delicious and healthful salad dressing in under 45 seconds. Even my 5 year old can make wonderful salad dressing. It is not an onerous task. Washing the greens is far more time-consuming than making the dressing. Gotta agree with you on this one... Even a decent (not necessarily 100% authentic) Caesar dressing takes me less than a minute... (it does use mayo instead of egg, but for ease of prep, it can't be beaten) This is enough for 1 largish salad using 1 largish head of romaine, but usually I make a bit more: 2 generous TBS of mayo 2 generous TBS of olive oil a squirt of anchovy paste from a tube (optional, but so so good) a dash of worcestershire sauce a tsp or so of dijon mustard (optional) crushed garlic to taste (or if you are in a HUGE hurry, garlic powder - NOT salt) squeeze of lemon juice Mix all ingredients with a whisk EXCEPT the olive oil until very well blended Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until well emulsified Immediately dress salad, add some parmesan, freshly cracked pepper, a few more lemon squeezes and voila, you're done. Note: I don't add any salt to this dressing because I make my own croutons from day old bread, and they have been prepared with kosher salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Washing the greens is far more time-consuming than making the dressing. And if healthfulness wasn't an issue (and it is) the flavor of homemade dressings are vastly superior to bottled dressings (which I think are vile :ack2:) Bill This is so true. I'm now at the point where I can just pour a little olive oil and vinegar onto the greens, sprinkle with salt and mix, and it usually comes out tasting right. Takes less than a minute. I feel like a simple dressing like this brings out the nice flavors of the salad rather than disguising them...and I always ask for oil and vinegar at restaurants now - I can't handle the richness or the amount of dressing that they put on salads anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 This is so true. I'm now at the point where I can just pour a little olive oil and vinegar onto the greens, sprinkle with salt and mix, and it usually comes out tasting right. Takes less than a minute. I feel like a simple dressing like this brings out the nice flavors of the salad rather than disguising them...and I always ask for oil and vinegar at restaurants now - I can't handle the richness or the amount of dressing that they put on salads anymore. Yep... It's fun to monkey around with the types of oils and vinegars, too. Red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, champagne, white balsamic, lemon juice and olive oil, apple cider vinegar, etc... For a while it was all about balsamic. Now I'm back to good quality red wine vinaigrette. A good caesar or blue cheese dressing is the only exception that i have, and those are really easy to make, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Yep... It's fun to monkey around with the types of oils and vinegars, too. Red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, champagne, white balsamic, lemon juice and olive oil, apple cider vinegar, etc... For a while it was all about balsamic. Now I'm back to good quality red wine vinaigrette. A good caesar or blue cheese dressing is the only exception that i have, and those are really easy to make, too. Yum! Yes, I have been known to mix my vinegars. :D Sometimes I'll mix plain yogurt with balsamic to make a creamy dressing. Or mix champagne vinegar and orange juice. Or mix red wine and white balsamic. Or add some goat cheese and chives....oh don't even get me started with my goat cheese obsession. :lol: (I think I'm going to be making a nice big salad for dinner tonight. :D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 You are right, Bill. That is why we usually make our own (2/3 of ours are homemade.) However, those 45 seconds are just too much sometimes. May you never be beset by chronic illness and not have to face that proverbial straw that broke the camel's back on a daily basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Italian for me Greek for me and ds Creamy Italian garlic for dh and the other 3 Ranch that mom bought by accident and gave to us Peppercorn ranch for me occasionally(usually on sandwiches) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 BikeBookBread's Caesar recipe looks good, but here's the one we like: Mix well or pulse in a blender: 2 TBSP red wine vinegar 1 TBSP mayo 1 clove garlic, minced 2 anchovies (soak in milk for 10" if you want a mellower flavor -- we just skip this) 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Juice of one lemon 6-8 turns of a black-pepper mill salt to taste Then, drizzle in while mixing or pulsing: 1/2 cup olive oil We also make Lazy Man's Dressing: salt and pepper on the salad, maybe some oregano, then a vinegar, sometimes olive oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Is there a hard and fast rule about amount of oil to vinegar. It seems it's usually like 3:1 or 2:1, yet I see people putting in equal amounts. Does the type of vinegar make a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Is there a hard and fast rule about amount of oil to vinegar. It seems it's usually like 3:1 or 2:1, yet I see people putting in equal amounts. Does the type of vinegar make a difference? The more acidic and assertive the vinegar the higher the ratio of oil you use. Sherry vinegar (for example) is strong, so you might go 4:1 (or higher). Where a rice vinegar is quite mild, so you might go 2:1 (or lower). Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Currently only 1 a bottle of ranch for me and my dd to use for dip. When dh is home I'd have a bottle of Thousand Island for him. I would love to make homemade, but whenever I tried it never turned out. Maybe I need to get a few recipes and try again. I really need a recipe, I'm not generally an outgoing cook who tries new things or knows when something needs a little this or that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna in Texas Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 BikeBookBread's Caesar recipe looks good, but here's the one we like: Mix well or pulse in a blender: 2 TBSP red wine vinegar 1 TBSP mayo 1 clove garlic, minced 2 anchovies (soak in milk for 10" if you want a mellower flavor -- we just skip this) 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Juice of one lemon 6-8 turns of a black-pepper mill salt to taste Then, drizzle in while mixing or pulsing: 1/2 cup olive oil We also make Lazy Man's Dressing: salt and pepper on the salad, maybe some oregano, then a vinegar, sometimes olive oil. Ooh, I don't know which to use! Maybe both. :D Lazy Man's dressing is a staple. So many cool vinegars to choose from. Like I said in my previous post, I'm really enjoying rice vinegar. I need to figure out how to expand dh's horizons without stopping what progress I've accomplished. I got him fresh outta his mama's house and it's taken years to get him to eat something besides potatoes, meat, and white bread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 We have seven, but I keep doubles of Italian, Ranch, and French because we often entertain groups that are sitting at two tables (kitchen and dining room.) Otherwise, we would have four. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Technically I don't have any bottles of salad dressing. I do have 4 jars of homemade dressing. I haven't been able to find any glass bottles I like so I just use old spaghetti sauce jars. But I have honey mustard, Italian and 2 of ranch because we go through it so fast that I make extra so I don't have to do it so often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gratia271 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 My family prefers Caesar, and I use boring fat free dressing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 We have two bottles to hold homemade dressing. We go back and forth between filling one or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 One of my most cherished possessions is an English vitreous clay mortar and pestle by Milton Brook. Place a little coarse salt in the mortar. Add a clove of garlic (maybe a an anchovy fillet) and Bang! The salt holds the garlic in place, and it pulverizes into a paste. Bang! Bang! Then add a little good mustard to act as an emulsifier (something that holds oil and a water based item like vinegar together). Add extra virgin olive oil. Acid (lemon juice or vinegar). Any other seasoning. Stir ingredients into suspension. Done. Miso also makes a good emulsifier and is especially good with rice vinegar and sesame oil added to the olive oil, for an Asian twist. Bill http://www.cookware.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=WCM1111 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Always French, and always either ranch or Italian (right now I think it's ranch). The kids mostly stick with French, dh mostly sticks with the others. I eat dry salad. When I really want to treat myself, I'll pick up a bottle of raspberry walnut vinaigrette and add some feta, walnuts and red grapes, but I don't keep it on hand for regular use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Well, you all got me motivated. I made some dressing (olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, salt, ground pepper and cayenne pepper cause I've got to have it). I think I could have used more oil (did 2:1) and ended putting in a little honey (from our own bees, if that counts at all). It was dang tasty. My dh still got his bottle of Paul Newman out of the fridge, but I am bound and determined to work on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Well, you all got me motivated. I made some dressing (olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, salt, ground pepper and cayenne pepper cause I've got to have it). I think I could have used more oil (did 2:1) and ended putting in a little honey (from our own bees, if that counts at all). It was dang tasty. My dh still got his bottle of Paul Newman out of the fridge, but I am bound and determined to work on him. Well done! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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