Lemon Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients:

2/3 Cups of your fav brand of balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
2 tbl spoons of honey

Wisk it all together and drizzle it on your tasty salad. Enjoy!

Store the leftover dressing (if you have any left.. it is soo good) in a jar or container in the fridge.

Tartar Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon minced capers
• 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
• salt to taste
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, capers, and egg. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a dash hot pepper sauce. Stir. Chill.

Poppy Seed Dressing

• 1/2 cup fat-free creamy salad dressing (ie: Fat Free Miracle Whip TM)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar (or Splenda)
• 1/8 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a small bowl, whisk together salad dressing, milk, white sugar, vinegar, and poppy seeds. Chill until ready to use.

Dry Ranch Style Seasoning for Dip or Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt –or-
• ½ t. season salt and ½ t. kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
1. In a small bowl, stir together the parsley, pepper, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme. Use as a substitute for Ranch Dressing Mix.

Footnotes
• Uses

• To make dressing, mix this recipe with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk.

• For dip, mix this recipe with 1 3/4 cups sour cream and 1/4 cup of buttermilk.

• Use in place of one packet of Ranch dressing mix in recipes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 3
Total Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Homemade Ranch Dressing

• 1 clove (to 2 Cloves) Garlic
• Salt To Taste
• ¼ cups Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives
• 1 cup (real) Mayonnaise
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency)
• White Vinegar (optional, To Taste)
• Worcestershire Sauce (optional, To Taste)
• Fresh Dill (optional, To Taste)
• Cayenne Pepper (optional, To Taste)
• Paprika (optional, To Taste)
• Fresh Oregano (optional, To Taste)
• Tabasco (optional, To Taste)

Preparation Instructions

Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about an 1/8 to ¼ teaspoons of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.

In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk or buttermilk if desired.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

From: ourbites.com

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
(ignore directions on the packet)
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C Green Salsa*
Dash Louisiana Hot Sauce

This is tough folks. Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

*A note about green salsa:

There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Herdez. Herdez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I've tried. Even their medium green salsa is really spicy! I like to buy La Costena (pictured) because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce. If you're not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you're getting into!

I use this on salads, and also as a dip for things like chicken fingers, veggies and steak fries and of course these taquitos.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

From ourbestbites.com

Taquitos! Just in time for Cinco de Mayo

The tortillas baked up nice and crisp, and I found spraying the tops with a little cooking spray and a pinch of salt helped them have that deep-fried flair. And actually, I prefer this baked version because the deep fried ones tend to get so chewy and oily. These are super easy to make and even easier if you prepare the filling ahead of time. You could experiment with all kinds of filling--shredded beef or pork would be great, too.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients:

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them a damp towel over them. Usually 30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.


Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

The ones pictured below are actually flour tortillas- which I found out I like just as well (maybe even better!) than corn ones.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, the Dressing above.



The dressing is a knock-off version of a Costa Vida/Cafe Rio style dressing, using Green salsa. Green salsa is made primarily from tomatillos and other things like jalapenos, limes, etc. And it's different than "green sauce" like Pace for example. Make sure to check the ingredient list and see that tomatillos are listed as the top ingredient. This is stuff I always have around so I can whip it up any time the craving comes along. And it comes along often! I love love love this dressing.

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

(ignore directions on the packet)
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C Green Salsa*
Dash Hot Sauce

 Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

*A note about green salsa:

There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Herdez. Herdez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I've tried. Even their medium green salsa is really spicy!  I like to buy La Costena (pictured) because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce. If you're not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you're getting into!

I use this on salads, and also as a dip for things like chicken fingers, veggies and steak fries.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

From Country Living

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoon(s) finely chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon(s) finely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoon(s) roughly chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon(s) roughly chopped fresh oregano
• 4 cup(s) (about 4) roughly chopped red and yellow tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon(s) pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 3/4 pound(s) tagliatelle pasta
________________________________________

Directions

1. Combine the shallots, garlic, mint, oregano, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a large bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the pasta according to package directions, drain, and toss with the tomato mixture.

3. Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper over the dish, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and serve immediately.
________________________________________

Tips & Techniques
Organize by first washing all herbs and vegetables. Chop in the order listed, rinsing the cutting board only after chopping is complete .

No-Mayonnaise Ranch Dressing

• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place sour cream and buttermilk into a mixing bowl. Season with parsley, chives, garlic powder, dill, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Healthier Option: 1 cup fat free plain yogurt, and 1/3 cup Light Sour Cream, and 1/3 cup Veganaise grapeseed oil Mayo. (sometimes a splash of buttermilk too)

Nana’s Spaghetti Sauce

• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. In a large skillet combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, garlic, sugar, vinegar, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir all together and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes (for the best flavor). Stir frequently to prevent burning.

Easy Pizza Sauce/Crust

• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika

• In a medium bowl, Mix together tomato sauce and tomato paste until smooth. Stir in oregano, garlic and paprika.

OMG! With a little TLC, this sauce tastes just like the sauce in NYC Pizzerias! I added 1/2Tbs basil, 1/2tsp sugar + 1/2 tsp onion powder.

Easy Pizza Crust
 
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
 
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Spicy Cilantro Dressing

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 whole green onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste
Place lime juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeno peppers together in a blender or food processor. Process until well blended and smooth. Add sour cream and mayonnaise. Process again until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Out of Salad Dressing ~ Salad Dressing

• 1 1/2 lemons, juiced
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic pwdr
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. Mix together lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in milk, adjusting the amount or adding a little water, to make the dressing as thin or thick as you like. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

• 1 clove (to 2 Cloves) Garlic
• Salt To Taste
• ¼ cups Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives
• 1 cup (real) Mayonnaise
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency)
• White Vinegar (optional, To Taste)
• Worcestershire Sauce (optional, To Taste)
• Fresh Dill (optional, To Taste)
• Cayenne Pepper (optional, To Taste)
• Paprika (optional, To Taste)
• Fresh Oregano (optional, To Taste)
• Tabasco (optional, To Taste)

Preparation Instructions

Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about an 1/8 to ¼ teaspoons of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.

In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk or buttermilk if desired.

Cilantro Cream Sauce

• 1(8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Directions

1. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl.

Steak Sauce

• 1 1/4 cups ketchup
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 drops hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


1. In a medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until needed.

FOOTNOTE

• I use Delmonte® Ketchup because Heinz is more sweet

Corn Bread Salad I

1 recipe Crispy Corn Bread (below) or 3 cups of 1-inch cornbread cubes
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (4 to 6 medium)
6 cups roughly torn sturdy fresh lettuce, such as Bibb, butter or Boston
2 cups bitter greens, such as arugula or dandelion greens
1 large Vidalia onion, trimmed, peeled, sliced crosswise as thinly as possible and separated into rings
1 recipe Buttermilk-Lime Dressing (below)

Preheat oven to 250°. Scatter the corn bread in a single layer on a half-sheet pan and bake until the pieces are lightly toasted, about 7 minutes.

If you wish to peel the tomatoes: Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes and chop them. Otherwise, just chop the tomatoes with the skin on.

Place lettuce, greens, 3 cups of toasted corn bread, onion and tomatoes to a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle with buttermilk dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Serve immediately.

Do ahead: If you’re making this for a picnic or pot-luck — and oh, you should — I suggest keeping the croutons in one container, the dressing in another and the salad mixture in a third; this is best freshly assembled, or in the 30 minutes after.

Buttermilk-Lime Dressing

Less heavy than a traditional green goddess dressing, but oh-so-much “greener” than my standard buttermilk dressing, this would be equally good on a salad as it would be as a dip (add 1/3 cup sour cream and a bit more salt) for something deep-fried. (Okra, green tomatoes, oysters or hush puppies. I say “yes, please”.)

3/4 cups whole or lowfat buttermilk (whole preferred)
5 tabespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (they say from 3 to 4 limes; I only needed 1 1/2)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional, this was my addition to give it more zing)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil
1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely minced green onios
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Can covered tightly and stored in the fridge up to two days.

Thin, Crispy Corn Bread

1 tablespoon lard or unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups whole or lowfat buttermilk (whole is preferred, here’s how you can make your own)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 12-inch skillet with one tablespoon of the lard or butter, leaving any excess in the pan, and place it in the oven.

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until frothy and then whisk in the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix thoroughly. Melt the remaining butter in a small skill (or your microwave) and whisk the butter into your batter.

While the fat in the large skillet is smoking, carefully remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the fat around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Pour the batter into the skillet; it should “sizzle alluringly”, says the Lee Brothers. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown and the edge has pulled away from the side of the skillet. Remove from the oven and either serve hot, in six wedges, or let cool and reserve for Corn Bread Salad (above).

Copper Coins ~ AKA Carrots

2 cans sliced carrots
1 onion sliced
1 bell pepper sliced

Sauce:
1 can tomato soup
1/2 - 1 cup sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup vinegar
1 t. each salt, pepper, mustard

Mix carrots, onions, and peppers.  Bring sauce mixture to a boil and pour over carrots.  Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Chicken Thyme Marinade

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 1-qt. saucepan, combine the first four ingredients; cook over low heat until mixture bubbles and foams, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool. Place chicken in a glass baking dish; brush with sauce. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain, discarding marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over low coals for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear.

Fajita Marinade

• 3 limes, juiced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, green onions, garlic, cilantro, oil, red pepper, coriander, and anise. Whisk until well blended.

2. Pour mixture over your favorite meat, cover, and marinate for 12 to 24 hours before cooking as desired.