1/3 cup salad oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar or vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme, oregano, or basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard or 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
In a screw-top jar combine oil, vinegar, sugar (if desired), herb, paprika, mustard (if desired), and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover; shake well. Serve immediately or cover and store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Shake before serving. Makes about 3/4 cup.
*Italian Vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except use oregano for the herb and use the mustard. Add 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, and 1 clove garlic, minced.
*Red Wine Vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except reduce vinegar to 3 tablespoons. Use half thyme and half oregano for the herb. Add two tablespoons dry red wine and 1 clove garlic, minced.
*Garlic Vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except omit the herb and paprika. Add 2 large cloves garlic, minced.
Making your own salad dressing is a real money saver. When I was younger, I used to love Bernstein's Italian Salad Dressing. Now I make this recipe. It feels good to reuse the salad dressing carafe that I bought at The Salvation Army. Packaging is where most of our money goes for items that we buy at the store. It only takes about five minutes to make your own salad dressings and marinades.
Making the salad dressing is also a good chore for children. This was one of my jobs in our home as a little girl and teenager. I loved helping my mom in the kitchen. She used red wine vinegar and salad oil in her version. In those days, we opened a packet of Good Seasons Italian dressing herbs, and poured them into the bottle. Now I use my own that I have grown and dried. What about you?
I have been making vinaigrette for salads for many years. We made a trip many years ago to the western Sierra here in CA and found a wonderful shop in Murphys that sells olive oils and balsamic vinegars of all types. It was an eye opener about how wonderful a simple one to one mix of GOOD balsamic and GOOD oil olive can be!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I agree, Anita! I absolutely LOVE balsamic vinegar. Thanks for reminding me. I'll have to buy a bottle. I especially love it on fresh, homemade bread.
DeleteMy mom doesn't use vinegar and mustard on salads. She only uses salt, pepper and lime/lemon juice. So I didn't know how to make salad dressing until I moved to the US.
ReplyDeleteNow I always make salad dressing at home, it's just basic one with mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar.
That's interesting, Nil. Your recipe sounds very good. I use olive oil, too.
DeleteLove that second photo Stephanie. All that fresh produce is great.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time I purchased salad dressing. I make my own too and have a few little recipes from old books. Healthier, tastier, cheaper. Most of the time I just use a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice with black pepper.
Thanks Kylie. I was pleased with that photo, too. Sometimes they surprise you. My recipe is from a vintage cookbook, too.
DeleteI love home grown herbs (but you knew that 😉). We did the same thing growing up. My mom still prefers to open a package for many things but is realizing how much better the flavor is when home grown. (I think she just doesn't want to admit it for certain things.)
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, Lady Locust. That's how things were done in those days. Convenience was big, especially for busy mothers. Home grown is delicious and satisfying, isn't it?
DeleteI like to keep it simple and use lemon juice with salt and pepper as my salad dressing. Also sometimes I change it up and use rice vinegar, salt and pepper :)
ReplyDeleteYour recipe does sound delicious! Have saved it just in case, thank you for sharing Stephanie :)
xTania
Sure Tania. I hope you like them. They taste better after they sit in the fridge for a while. The flavors blend together.
DeleteLove.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Regine. I'm so glad that you feel that way.
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