Salad Dressings

Quick Vinaigrette 

2 Tbls olive oil

1 Tbls vinegar (any flavor you want)

salt and pepper to taste

add ins: optional

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

kinds of vinegar:

red wine vinegar

white balsamic vinegar

apple cider vinegar

flavored vinegar from specialty stores

VINAIGRETTE:

1 tsp Finley minced garlic

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 1/2 TBls white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 /4 tsp pepper

Mix all the vinaigrette in a mason jar, put a lid on and shake to mix.

Panzanella Salad

MAPLE SYRUP DRESSING
1/2 cup oil
4 TBls apple cider vinegar
3 TBls real maple syrup
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Mix all together in a Jar
goes really good with Mixed greens, diced apples, red onion, candied pecans, crumbled feta cheese or parmesan cheese, and dried cranberries.
OR
1 part maple syrup
1 part apple cider vinegar
1 part apple juice
3 parts oil (olive oil)
dash of dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Italian Dressing Mix

1 Tbls garlic powder

1 Tbls onion powder

1 Tbls white sugar

2 Tbls dried oregano

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 Tbls dried parsley

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/2 Tbls Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together and put in an air tight container or zip lock bag.

To make the dressing, mix 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup oil, 2 Tbls water, and 2 Tbls of Italian dressing mix. Shake up util blended.

ALTERNATIVE: To make the dressing zippy, replace the white vinegar with Pinot Grigio Italian Vinegar. So so good.

Homemade Greek Dressing

1/4 cup + 2 tsp olive oil

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp dried oregano

3/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt 

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/3 cup + 1 TBLS red wine vinegar (this gives it a great taste)

In a container mix first 8 ingredients. Pour in vinegar and whisk vigorously until blended. 

I put everything in a mason jar with a lid and shook vigorously until blended, then I stored it in the mason jar in the refrigerator. Yumm

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing YUMM!

1/2 cup Mayonaise

1/2 sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried chives

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/8 tsp finely cracked pepper

Whisk together the mayo, sour cream and buttermilk. then add the herbs. 

Store in refrigerator. 

If you think you wont use all of it before it goes bad just cut the recipe in half. 

Mediterranean Salad Dressing

DRESSING

1/3 cup oil (I used canola oil)

1/8 cup White balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbls white sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a mason jar with a lid, shake until blended. Pour over salad and enjoy

Mediterranean Salad with Pasta 



Honey Mustard Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 TBls yellow mustard
2 TBls honey
1 TBls white vinegar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir well to combine.



Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad dressing
3 TBls honey
1 1/2 TBls rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sesame oil

Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad

Big Mac Dressing

2 tbls full fat mayonnaise

2 tbls full fat sour cream or yogurt

2 tbls ketchup

2 tsp water

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tbls spicy pickle relish (or sweet)

1 tbls minced white onion

1 tsp sugar

dash of tabasco sauce or hot sauce

1/8 tsp salt, divided

Mix all together in a jar.

Cheeseburger Salad with Big Mac Dressing

Homemade French Dressing

1/2 cup of Ketchup

1/2 cup of white vinegar

1 cups of oil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 scant cup of sugar

Mix all the ingredients except sugar in large mason jar or blender. blend until mixed. gradually add the sugar shaking or blending until mixed. 

Really good French dressing. I made it into a cold pasta salad and added sauté zucchini and cooked corn on the cob. 

Cut the recipe in half if you don't think you will use all of it.  

Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad

Dressing

3 TBls honey

1 1/2 TBls rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/8 tsp sesame oil

Blend together dressing ingredients. 

Salad:

3 cups romaine lettuce chopped

1 cup coleslaw blend

3 TBls sliced almonds

Chicken nuggets Optional

Make the salad and pour over as much dressing as you want. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Chicken Alfredo Instant Pot

This recipe is all over the internet and easy for first time instant pot owners. 

3 Tbls butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

10 ounce bow tie pasta (or other noodles)

1 lbs cubed chicken breast, RAW

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup parmesan cheese

Add butter and garlic to the pot, then add broth, cream, pasta and chicken. 

give a light stir. 

Pressure cook for 7 minutes

Let natural release for 5 mins.

Take the pressure off and stir.

Add in parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

You can add veggies if you want, peas or broccoli. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Refrigerator Dill Pickles Spicy or Regular

Large mason jar (This recipe is for 1 large jar)

1 English cucumber per jar

1 1/4 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 TBLS + 1 tsp pickling salt

4-5 sprigs dill

4 cloves smashed garlic gloves

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

If spicy add:

1 tsp red pepper flakes

sliced jalapeño pepper

Add vinegar, water and salt to a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Add dill, garlic, peppercorns and if making it spicy add red pepper flakes and jalapeño, and sliced cucumbers to one jar.

Pour the liquid (vinegar, water and salt) after cooling for 10 minutes over the cucumbers.

Let cool on counter, then refrigerate. Don't eat for 3 days. Then enjoy.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Smashed New Potatoes

1 bag of new potatoes

melted butter, maybe 1/4 cup

cheddar cheese grated

cooked bacon, chopped

green onions, chopped

Sour cream or seasoned 

(I used smoked sriracha with smoked maple syrup from sugar bobs. ORDER HERE

make sure you get the SMOKED sriracha with smoked maple syrup. Free shipping with purchase over $25.  I added some to my sour cream until I liked the taste. 

I used an instant pot to cook my potatoes for 8 minutes with 1 cup of water on the bottom. I used a trivet to keep the potatoes up out of the water. You could use crumpled up tin foil if you don't have a trivet. Pressure cook it for 8 minutes then quick release. 

Take potatoes out and put on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Smash with a spatula

Melt butter and add to each potato.

Broil until the potatoes start to brown and crisp.

Take out of oven and add cheese and bacon.

Put back under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

Take out and sprinkle onions and sour cream over the top. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

 

Smoked Burgers on a Traeger

Ok, I had a taste test with my husband. I ground meat 3 different ways. The winner of the meat was a tie between 100% course ground chuck roast and 50/50 chuck roast and beef brisket. So if you want to just keep it cheap just do the chuck. I kinda liked the 50/50 better but it was too close to care.  Next time I want to do chuck roast with bacon 3:1 ratio and see if that is good. If I do that I will update this post. 

I also chopped up vadalia onions and baby Bellas with some olive oil and 2 TBls butter in a cast iron pan with salt and pepper and added them to the traeger. They weren't done, so at the end I put them on my side burner on my grill to cook them all the way. Then pour them over your burger. So good. 

Fresh ground Hamburger patties 100% chuck roast or 50/50 chuck roast/beef brisket

Cheese, any kind you like 

vadalia onion

baby Bella mushrooms

butter

olive oil

salt and pepper

Start the Traeger grill to 200 degrees, let warm up

Chop up the onion and mushrooms.

Put them in a mini cast iron pan with olive oil, 2 TBLS butter, salt and pepper

Season the burgers with salt and pepper, put the burgers on the grill and put a thermometer probe in and set the internal temp to 155 degrees.

Put the mini cast iron pan on also. 

Close the lid and cook for 2 hours or until internal temp reads 155 degrees. 

******* it was 2 hours and internal temp wasn't up to 155 yet. So I increased the temp of the Traeger to 250 degrees and finished off the cooking until internal temp reaches 155 degrees. ********

When internal temp is 155 open the lid and put cheese on the burgers. 

Cook until internal temp in 160 degrees.

I took the cast iron off the traeger and put it on my side burner on my grill to finish them off. 

PRINTABEL RECIPE

Panzanella Salad

I went to a cooking class at Cooks of Crocus hill and we made this salad. It is so good. Worth making it again. This recipe is from the cooking class in St Paul. So fun. 

BREAD:

4 cups cubed French bread

1 1/2 TBls olive oil

salt and pepper

Cut the bread in large chunks, drizzle olive oil over the bread and add some salt and pepper. 

Put in large pan and start to brown the bread. Done when lightly brown and crunchy.

VINAIGRETTE:

1 tsp Finley minced garlic

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 1/2 TBls white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 /4 tsp pepper

Mix all the vinaigrette in a mason jar, put a lid on and shake to mix.

SALAD:

cherry tomatoes, handful cut in half

4 inch English cucumber, thicker slices then cut in half

1 large yellow bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup sliced red onions

10 basil leaves, chopped

Mix everything in a large bowl and let sit room temperature for 30 mins before eating. 

Put in a little of the dressing at a time incase there is too much. Add more as needs. 

YUMMM

PRINTABLE RECIPE

This is what an English cucumber looks like. It is usually in the produce section wrapped individually in plastic wrap. It has less seeds, less water in these cucumbers.