I grew up on Ranch, Italian, French and Thousand Island. Stuff you would drown iceberg lettuce in to make it palatable. Stuff that could live in your fridge for ages.
Granted, when Ranch first came out, it was homemade. You mixed the packet with buttermilk and mayo. Et voilà!
If you went with Good Season’s Zesty Italian, that, too, would be considered homemade because you shook up that powder, oil and vinegar in the nifty bottle your first packet would come with (and, trust me, ours was made with Wesson rather than olive oil).
But I haven’t bought bottled dressing since the 90s (and, boy, didn’t dressings get fancy back then?). Why? Because I find it absurd.
In my opinion, there are only two dressings one needs and, chances are, you have all the ingredients for each at home, right now, and can “make it fresh” in less than two minutes, right there and then: 1) Honey Mustard; and 2) Lemon Olive Oil.
Here are the ingredients for each:
Honey Mustard = good dijon and local raw honey (I prefer sage blossom honey because if a honey could be savory, it’s that)
Lemon Olive Oil = freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper
You spend literal pennies making these delicious dressings and expend minimal effort.
For the recipes, it’s all based on/adjusted to taste. With the Honey Mustard, using standard flatware (not measuring spoons, but do you), I take a heaping small spoon/teaspoon of mustard and a large spoon/tablespoon of honey, mix them up in a teacup, adjusting to taste if necessary…and I’ve been doing this so long that I can eyeball it and it’s spot on. Bigger salad for more people? Make the same serving for each person, minus one person. A little goes a long way.
For the Lemon Olive Oil, depends on the lemon. I can go quarter or half for the juice, a measured tablespoon of oil, then salt and pepper to taste. Whisk it with a fork and it will brighten every ingredient in your bowl. (Juice to taste, too. Sometimes, I like it more lemony; others, I prefer the balance.)
What about Balsamic Vinaigrette, you say? It’s my go-to when I order out, but who has time to emulsify? (Not to mention, honey and mustard are typical ingredients for that…so why not just stop there?)
I like things that are quick and simple, effortless to make and pack a lot of flavor. My dressing is fresh every time I have a salad. No need to question how long it’s been open in the fridge. No expiration date to check. No ingredients you can’t pronounce (unless you struggle with dijon), and no preservatives you don’t want or need.
Now, this might seem a silly thing to be noted as The Best Thing I’ve Ever Done, but here’s the lesson: You can make life easier, and more delicious, by being curious. (And maybe by being cheap, too.) Doing something as simple as this is a way to nurture ourselves. Not just our tastebuds, but our spirits.
Cooking, to me, is an expression (and, yes, I realize concocting salad dressing isn’t exactly cooking…let’s not split hairs). For anyone who thinks they can’t cook, or don’t like cooking, get curious about it. The whys and the hows of it. What do you like? Can you make it and maybe make it better? (Chances are, you can.)
I can’t tell you how much fun I had trying to recreate my favorite cauliflower soup. Was it exactly like the restaurant’s? Hell, no! But it was pretty effing good in its own way.
I add cinnamon and maple syrup when I make my iced coconut milk matcha lattes. Yum. (Adding cinnamon to just about anything is a win.)
Fun fact: You do not need a “binder” to make meatloaf (no egg and/or breadcrumbs or oatmeal). You don’t need a loaf pan, either. Know what else? Make it1 with marinara instead of ketchup. Just mix the meat and the sauce. You can skip chopping an onion (the sauce has that), and just add additional salt and pepper. Shape it into a “loaf” on a baking sheet, top with remaining marinara and boom!
None of this is exactly gourmet cooking, I know. That’s not the point. The fun is the point. The breaking of rules is the point. The curiosity is the point!
I love thinking of flavors that go together and experimenting. And the more you get to know your own taste, the more successful those experiments will be. And the failures are just teachers in disguise. Some of them are actually kind of tasty.
When we get curious, we take on new things, learn new skills, and grow our confidence. Yes, even with something as simple as salad dressing. Give it a try. See where it takes you.
What do you make that’s always homemade? Let me know if it’s the best thing you’ve ever done. xo
Listen to the latest ep of Happy Rebel:
I make mine with ground chicken or turkey.
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