Homemade Ranch Dressing

No preservatives. No high-fructose corn syrup.  Just creamy, tangy homemade ranch dressing in 5 minutes!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 small bunch of chives
• Small handful of parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (I use black anyway).

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients with 1/4 cup of buttermilk in a blender
2. Blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency and blend in additional buttermilk if desired. Less buttermilk for dipping, more for dressing.
3. Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

Yum!

Feta Dip

I tried this recipe on Friday  night for a girls night and it was greatly appreciated.  I thought it was yummy.




Ingredients:
olive oil
1 block (1#) of feta cheese  (I don’t like the pre-crumbled kind because I think it is dry)
2-4 tomatoes depending on size.1 bunch of green onions
1 baguette
Greek Seasoning
1 large platter
salt and fresh ground pepper


Directions:
Pour a generous amount of olive oil on the platter.  Chop tomatoes, onions and feta.  Place on olive oil and sprinkle with Greek seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix all ingredients on the platter and let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.  Just before serving slice the baguette into thin slices.  Yum Yum!!
Original recipe found here with a picture of the Greek seasoning that she uses.

Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch

This dressing has got my kids asking for a salad or raw vegetables for snacks! Anything like that I figured I should pass on.

1 pkg dry Ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
1/4 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. black pepper

Mix all together in one of those shaker things and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

ORZO, GRAPE & PISTACHIO SALAD

1 lb. orzo pasta
2 cups red grapes
2 cups pistachios, shelled and toasted
1 cup basil, chopped
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup walnut oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Toast pistachios: Take 1 cup pistachios and put in a saucepan with the walnut oil. Warm the oil and nuts together, be careful not to boil. Saute garlic in a little olive oil. Prepare orzo from package directions. When orzo has been drained, mix in enough of the pistachio/walnut oil mixture to coat pasta. Add lemon juice to taste. Mix in sauteed garlic. Add grapes and half of the basil. Chill for several hours or overnight. Before serving, add rest of basil, salt and pepper to taste and the remaining pistachios. YUMMY!