I haven't bought bottled salad dressing in years. Not only is homemade vinaigrette quick and easy to make, it tastes so much better than the store bought versions, I no longer even bother to look at the dressing aisle. While I enjoy playing with different oils, vinegars and herbs, I started making my own dressing to avoid excessive amounts of salt and powdered garlic. Then I got hooked on the endless combinations my own cupboards provide.
But Andrew? He likes creamy dressing. A lot.
When we go to someone's house for dinner, he takes Kraft Creamy Caesar over my aged balsamic, or Hidden Valley Ranch over my herbed maple dressing. His salad dressing motto? The creamier the better. Until now, I've balked at this request. You see, I don't like mayonnaise (at least not store bought) and most creamy dressings rely on this as a base.
But it's Andrew Week and I promised to make homemade versions of his not-so-healthy favourites for the birthday boy. And so, I tackled the ever popular ranch dressing.
Andrew sampled two versions. One with and one without sour cream. He liked both, but preferred the sour cream variation. His verdict -- and this is a direct quote -- "It's wonderful!"
At first I thought he was being sarcastic -- or afraid of Cheryl's wrath -- but he was serious. When pressed to explain what made it wonderful, he said, "It exceeds my expectations in every way." He talks like that at times. Honest.
When pressed for more detail, Andrew admitted he thought a homemade version would be lacking in some way. Apparently this one isn't. How's it feel to know my dressing earned two enthusiastic thumbs up from a creamy ranch dressing aficionado who's been Jonesin' for a fix for more than six years of married life? It'll do.
So, here is my "wonderful" recipe. Having tempered the mayonnaise with sour cream even I must admit it's pretty good -- for a creamy dressing. I'd still rather have a simple balsamic and herb, but it's Andrew's birthday, and he gets what he wants.
Homemade Sour Cream Ranch Dressing
Printable Recipe
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise (real, not Miracle Whip)
- 2 to 3 Tbsp sour cream, full fat
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, or fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp dried mustard
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground cracked pepper
- 2 tsp fresh dill, minced
Instructions
- Whisk buttermilk into the mayonnaise and sour cream, whisking until smooth.
- Add all other ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Season to taste. I don't add salt because of the mayonnaise.
- Serve immediately.
- Keep unused portion refrigerated.
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13 comments:
AH!!! I love this post for so very many obvious reasons.
But mostly I love it because my younger son is a ranch dressing freak and demands it on all his cut veggies. Now I can forgo the bottle and whip up the good stuff. (Wait, maybe I'll wash the bottle and put your dressing inside. Or is that too Jessica Seinfeld of me?)
Andrew, I like you again. You did your woman right.
Cherly, if your son is used to a certain spicing you might have to tweak the recipe. Andrew was just so happy to get a creamy version at home he wasn't about to tell me to add paprika or cut back on the mustard.
And yes, putting your homemade version in a washed out bottle would be too Jessica Seinfeld. I know you're joking, but why not get your son to make the dressing with you?
Wow! I need a spouse like you. I'll have to try this because I admit it ... I'm a ranch girl too.
Well, really blue cheese too, but I bet I could blue cheese this up.
Thanks!
Roxanne, you can blue cheese this up easily. If you do, I'd love to know how it goes. Andrew's a big blue cheese dressing fan, too. I'm not keen on it, but the beauty of salad dressing is you can cater to any palate without much trouble.
Yum- buttermilk and dill! I think this sounds very yummy.
Cheryl - I like your mommy coping strategies. Very smart.
Dana, it is a nice combo. I actually don't mind this dressing and can see lots of variations. Andrew's already hinting at a blue cheese version.
I'm more partial to feta.
Hello from another blue cheese fan. I love creamy dressings and I would be happy to eat almost any veggie under this ranch and the yet to come ranchy/blue dressing. Believe it or not this is is from you super taster sister. Love, Robin.
Wow, this one sounds like a real winner! How fabulous. So glad your hubby loved it. Yay for a fabulous birthday celebration week.
How long will this last in the fridge? My husband takes a salad to work for lunch a few days a week, and then with the kids using ranch on their fries AND pizza, we go through that crappy bottled stuff fairly quickly, maybe a bottle every week or so. And I don't eat it, but yet I dislike all the additives in the commercial dressings (Kraft) that I usually buy for them.
Hurry and answer! (Just kidding. NOT really, though.) Because I happen to have both buttermilk and fresh dill right now, and that never happens!
~ PJ
Elyse, I can't tell you how relieved I was that he liked it.
PJ, the dressing should keep a week as long as you keep it refrigerated. This assumes you use buttermilk and sour cream that are well before their "best before" dates. If you do make it, I'd love to hear what your family thinks.
Ah, Charmian, your photos are stunning. I could almost leap through the screen to shove my finger under the long drizzle over the lettuce.
Salad dressing update: The ranch dressing remains "tip-top" even after a couple of days. I ate an unprovoked salad this afternoon. This is a rare event.
Thank Carolyn. Judging from Andrew's comment, this dressing is worthy of the old finger-swipe.
Andrew? Andrew Thomson? DR Andrew Thomson? Wow! I never thought I'd see the day. Guess I'll have to make this more often.
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