Whenever I am unsure of anything, I’m totally guilty of thinking about it a lot (read: overthink and analyze to death). And frankly, the past few years have given me a lot to think about. The good news? I can handle it better now. As I have gotten older, I have found solace in making lists — to-dos, pros and cons, etc. They let me work out whatever is bothering me, and find enough peace that I don’t lose sleep or drive myself bonkers. Totally a good thing. And all that list making has spilled into my worklife where I preemptively make lists about what needs to be done, when things are do, plans I have and such. Really, it’s made me a lot more organized.

Being organized (okay, my kitchen cabinets? not so organized … I mean in a more overall sense) has allowed me the mental space necessary to tap into the things I really like to do — writing, creating, sharing. And especially cooking for those I love. It’s also let me really see beyond what I enjoy to making things that my family will love. Like this Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. It’s pretty far from my first choice of dressing, but I wanted to make it because it’s something the kids and Shawn adore. I love to make people happy through my food.

Do you like ranch dressing? Whenever ranch dressing hits the table, the kids get wildly excited and ask for it. They like it on salad, steamed broccoli, baked potatoes, whatever …

Ranch dressing requires minimal time and effort, and the payoff is so worthwhile. But the key to making this is in the ingredients you use. You want to choose the best quality ingredients you can because the quality and flavor is key to this dressing’s success.

That’s why I got a little specific in the ingredients list, suggesting my favorites for this recipe. For instance, I like Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise — the full fat kind. It has a mild flavor that lets the other ingredients really shine. (Yes, I am a Hellmann’s Real Foodie, but Hellmann’s has been in my fridge pretty much my whole life.). For the buttermilk, I love Kate’s Real Butter Milk which is made by the same folks who create my favorite butter — Kate’s Homemade Butter. It’s really the best buttermilk I have ever had, but if you have a different favorite, use that!

Making this couldn’t be easier.  You measure the ingredients, whisk it all together, pour into an airtight container, chill and use. Simple. Fresh. Yum. The kids and Shawn adored this dressing, so once fall comes around (when I keep buttermilk around regularly), this will be making frequent appearances at my table.

And here’s a fun way to use this ranch dressing — bread thinner pork chops with it. Even as someone who isn’t a fan of ranch, I love pork chops that are dredged in ranch and breadcrumbs and then grilled. When a relative made them for dinner recently, I was the total skeptic — but wow. Try it.

One last thing: I am totally in love with this OXO Salad Dressing Shaker. It has a great seal and is super easy to pour. Plus, the wide opening when you unscrew the top makes it so easy to pour homemade dressing inside to store it. OXO sent me this recently to try out and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it’s probably the best salad dressing container I have used. Although I love flask-style ones, they aren’t easy to get the dressing into and can be challenging to clean. This isn’t. And the fact that the BPA-free container is dishwasher safe? Totally a happy bonus that makes my life easier.

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Disclosure: I was not compensated for the writing of this post. However, I am an unpaid brand ambassador for Hellmann’s and also received this salad dressing container from Oxo in hopes I would write about it. But all opinions are my own.

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This is the story of a vinaigrette. A delicious, sweet-tangy vinaigrette that I adore.

Last year, I went to an event at Craftbar where I discovered my new favorite salad dressing: Shallot Vinaigrette. It was one of those edible moments where the fork glided into my mouth and I was instantly won over. Forkful after forkful, I couldn’t get enough. I loved it so much that I begged Maris, who was working at the event, to get my the recipe (sadly, they didn’t fork it over).

A few weeks ago, I was leafing through old editions of Everyday Food, looking for recipes, inspiration — something. And it was there that I found it. A recipe for Shallot Vinaigrette, tucked neatly between advertisements for coffee and maraschino cherries. I probably leafed right past it back in 2006 when the magazine arrived.

Honestly, there was no way of knowing if this dressing would be anything like the Craftbar one. Even looking at the ingredients, it was hard to tell if the result would be something I’d enjoy. The list included a substantial amount of mustard, which usually makes me skim past recipes. But I decided to go for it anyway. Who knows … it could be incredible, right?

I really paid little attention to the recipe directions, and just mixed everything together at once, exchanging Marjoram for oregano (since the grocery store was out of the latter). Of course, I sampled before pouring into a dressing container too … but the real verdict came when I dressed my salad with it. So, was it bliss? Um, yes. This Shallot Vinaigrette was fabulous. Everyone who tried it raved — a good sign, for sure.

Shallot Vinaigrette
yields about 2/3 cup
recipe adapted slightly from Everyday Food, December 2006

1 shallot, peeled and finely minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 tsp chopped fresh Marjoram

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk until emulsified. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Sunday is usually a big day around here for the kids and I. We make snacks for the week, perhaps some exciting dessert or side dish, and we take a billion photos … but yesterday, with the soaring temps and humidity, we didn’t cook at all, save a quick, easy new coleslaw recipe that will appear on AmazingMoms later this month.

Still, even though I was totally not cooking yesterday, Paige pulled her pink stool up to the counter at lunchtime and said, “I help you, Mommy!” It wasn’t a question, it was a demand from a little girl who doesn’t care if her cooking job is measuring, mixing or just arranging the clean berries on a plate (yesterday’s job!). Sometimes, cooking with kids is just about being in the kitchen together, even if the result is an uncomplicated, easy lunch.

In any case, I don’t have an inspired Cooking with Kids-themed recipe today. But I do have this fabulous salad with an even more fabulous dressing. Like yesterday’s lunch, it’s uncomplicated but perfect.

It’s greens, half an avocado and some wonderful grilled shrimp. Drizzled with a fabulous homemade dressing that’s sweet and tangy all at once, it’s perfect. I found the dressing in the latest issue of Body + Soul. It will be eaten on repeat this summer — it’s fresh, light flavors are perfect for hot and humid days like this weekend … and even today when rain threatened all day.

For the shrimp, I bought raw, shell-on shrimp at Trader Joe’s that came butterfly-cut (just defrost before using). But you can prepare them at home as well (here’s an easy tutorial, if you want to do-it-yourself).

Try it.

Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Asian Vinaigrette
serves 4

8 cups salad greens, in bite size pieces
1 recipe Easy Grilled Shrimp (see left)
2 avocados, sliced
1/2 cup Asian Vinaigrette (see below)

Divide the greens among four salad bowls. Arrange 1/4 of the shrimp on top, followed by 1/2 an avocado each. Drizzle each salad with 2 tbsp Asian Vinaigrette.

Serve.

Asian Vinaigrette
yields 1 cup
recipe adapted very slightly from Body + Soul, May 2010

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup olive oil

Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, garlic, ground ginger and red pepper flakes to a small bowl. Whisk together until combined. Drizzle a thin stream of oil in, whisking constantly, until fully combined. Transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate and use within a week.

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When I served our salad last night, I was a little apprehensive. Shawn isn’t a big fan of lemon so I wasn’t sure he’d even try this dressing. But he tasted it on one piece of lettuce and then dressed his whole salad with it. “Rosemary is really the star,” he remarked … and it is.

My whole family adores rosemary. The woody herb, with its pine-like needles, grows outside our front door in the summer time. I love being able to send the kids or Shawn out for a fresh, just-picked snippet. It was only natural that when I wanted to make a new dressing the other day, I would turn to rosemary.

Lemon and rosemary are a natural fit for each other, making a tart-bright dressing that holds its own against sharp ingredients. Shawn suggests grating some sharp provolone over a salad with this dressing. This would also be fab with feta, Kalamata olives and cucumbers on a bed of romaine.

I made this in my mortar and pestle, but if you don’t have one, it could be made in a mini food processor too. Just be sure to blend the rosemary, garlic and salt well before adding the lemon juice and oil. You may also want to pre-mince the rosemary, if you do it that way, to ensure that it gets sufficiently broken down.

Do you make your own salad dressing? What’s your favorite blend?

Lemon Rosemary Vinaigrette
yields about 1/2 cup

1 clove garlic, peeled
2 sprigs rosemary, stems removed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil

Add garlic, rosemary and sea salt to the bowl of the mortar. Use the pestle to mash to a paste.

Add the lemon juice in a fine drizzle, stirring and mashing during the addition. Add the olive oil, stirring and mashing during the addition.

Transfer to an airtight container and use within a few days

Notes:

• This yields enough to dress four salads with 2 tbsp dressing each.
• Instead of discarding the lemon peel, freeze it for future use (it can be zested from frozen!)
• Mash the rosemary well, so that it breaks down into fine pieces.

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The sun came out this morning, bringing with it deep blue skies and promise of better weather to come. As cliche as it sounds, it was a sight for sore eyes …  Really, all I can think is thank goodness. The New England winter bought so much snow this year, and ice too. And the past few days have been an almost-unending rainstorm. The gusts of wind lately have also seemed extraordinarily strong. Yesterday, the windows in our little house rattled with the force as I sat here working and writing … not exactly relaxing weather.

Every time it’s beautiful out, like today, I start dreaming about our gardens to come. My friends and family have asked again and again what we plan to grow in our raised garden beds this summer. My answer is still a little vague, but there are some certainties: tomatoes (yes, despite the late blight of last summer, I will grow them this year), sweet peppers and beans. These are the things that we love and use a lot. Of course, there will be herbs too — lots of them. If we have room, we’ll try pickling cucumbers, something that Will would love.

Our yard is also home to a few berry bushes and some strawberries that we hope will produce this year. There is mint in an alcove as well. Will wants to grow pumpkins again this year, and watermelons too (oh, I cringe thinking about how they will undoubtedly stretch their curly tendrils clear across the yard … but it’s so worth it).

While I look ahead to spring, we are still in winter mode … it’s chilly outside – weather that still requires coats. But inside, we can claim little bits of spring here and there: dreams of gardens, plans for outdoor play and fresh salads coated with homemade dressing …

We eat salads all year round, but crisp, cool salads are a special treat during warm months. On warm days, there is nothing better than digging into a big salad with homemade dressing, crisp croutons and vegetables galore.

This Caesar Salad Dressing is egg-free (honestly, I am a little squeamish about the usage of raw eggs) and pairs perfectly with crisp, vibrantly green romaine, fresh shredded Parmesan and Homemade Croutons. When friends came to visit this past weekend, I served Caesar Salad with this homemade dressing with a spinach lasagna. Last night, we ate it again alongside Chicken Souvlaki and Cream Biscuits. It worked equally well both times.

We all love this dressing. It’s flavorful and pleasant, without any overabundance of acidity. Just perfect … we think.

Caesar Salad Dressing
dresses about three family-sized salads

juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For best results, make this at least one hour before you want to use it. This can be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.

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This morning’s snow was a complete surprise to me. I think I had just about married myself to the idea that even though it’s January still, that the harsh temperatures and need to shovel was behind us. It so totally is not.

Regardless of what season I am in, some days I like to eat lightly. Today was one of those days.

But then, it really doesn’t matter what time of year it is or what the weather is … I love salads all the time. Sometimes, I go for bold toppings — glazed nuts, homemade croutons, roasted tomatoes. Sometimes, I want my dressing to be the star with a bold, aged balsamic vinegar. But other times, I just want simple, easy, light.

This dressing is great for the days where you just want something simple. Although it’s built around the sweet juice of a Honeybell orange, it’s not overly sweet. It does have unmistakable orange notes though. It’s a subtle dressing, one that tastes great without overpowering anything. It doesn’t mind if it’s paired with other ingredients that want to shine too.

And really, it’s a dressing perfect for a simple salad like this one: Romaine hearts, gorgonzola cheese and sunflower seeds. And really … it doesn’t need anything else.

Honeybell Orange Rosemary Vinaigrette

1 Honeybell orange, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp dried mustard

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

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A few weeks ago, I started thinking of fall flavors (seriously, when did seasons become flavors to me?). Apples, pumpkins, squash, Brussels sprouts … I started to scheme about how I could use them to create new dishes.

The first thing that came to mind: Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

Not a dressing that just uses apple cider vinegar, though: One that uses actual apple cider to create a sweet, tangy lettuce-coating dressing. Something that could bridge the light foods of summer with the bone-warming foods of winter. Could cider in a dressing even work?

I’ve been working on this recipe ever since, trying to get it just right. And guess what? I did. It’s earthy and lightly sweet, with that tinge of tang I wanted. Even Shawn, who isn’t a vinaigrette fan at all, liked it a lot.

As for the salad above? It’s romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size bits with half a Haas avocado sliced, about eight medium shrimp that were just steamed, two slices of pancetta fried until crisp and about an ounce of Danish blue cheese. Yum.

Next time though, I would choose a lettuce with a less aggressive taste like a Boston Bibb. I think that would make this salad — and dressing — absolutely perfect.

P.S. The cute bottle? It’s a glass flask from The Container Store. I bought it on a recent trip into New York and absolutely love it for dressings like this. It stores in the fridge well and is absolutely airtight. I use a small funnel to help ease the dressing in without spilling. Both are awesome to have in your cupboard if you love to make your own dressing.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

1/3 cup apple cider
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk all of the ingredients together. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one week.

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There is a fantastic little store not far from here that sells balsamic vinegar from a drum with a spigot. When I saw the drum, I thought that couldn’t possibly be where this delectable balsamic comes from, but it was. Just one of those funny things.

Anyway, this balsamic vinegar is unlike any other I’ve had. It’s sweet, with highlights of tanginess, but without the tongue curling burn of most vinegars. It’s so good, I could drink it. Maybe. The store is called Villarina’s and it’s part of a small franchise chain in the New York metro area (all the stores are independently owned).

This orgasmic balsamic vinegar was the driving force that convinced me to give balsamic vinegar another try. For years, I avoided it and turned my nose up at the mere mention of it. But this changed it all . . .

I’ve mentioned before that I prefer a mix of oil and vinegar and homemade dressings to bottled dressings. I like the control you can have over ingredients, flavors, layers. It works for me. And while my basil vinaigrette is my fav new dressing of this summer, this honey balsamic that I made recently is really good too.

Especially if you use good vinegar.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
yields 3/4 cup
recipe adapted from Southern Living

1/2  cup  olive oil
1/4  cup  good balsamic vinegar
1  tablespoon  honey
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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“What’s in this? This is interesting.”

That was my husband’s reaction when he tasted the salad tonight. It was a simple mix of baby greens (one bag for $1 at the farmers market today — just enough for one dinner) and a homemade basil vinaigrette. I skipped the cheese and ignored the croutons and just did an ultrasimple salad. And it worked, or I thought it did.

Of course, upon hearing interesting, my mind raced to all sorts of unfavorable places, as minds are wont to do. Did that mean it was simply vile? Gross? Missing some key component? Did my mix of sweet and savory with a hearty dose of basil just spell major F-A-I-L? Would I be totally screwed on my plan of blogging this dressing tonight?

I pretty much had declared culinary disaster in my head. Words like interesting, unusual, different … they will all do that to me. They don’t exactly speak volumes about greatness. Sorry, but I would much rather be told something is amazing.

Fortunately, he went on to tell me that it was “very basil-y, which is good” and had a slight bit of sweetness (yes, it does), which was good too. The flavor is light, but brimming with the sunny freshness of basil. The vinegar and garlic complement the flavors, lending tang and a touch of bite to the dressing. For me, I could totally imagine eating a salad with this basil vinaigrette while digging my toes into warm sand at the beach. It just has summer written all over it.

Turns out, for my husband, that actually wasn’t a bad interesting — he liked it too. Can there be good interesting? I guess so. But he also had one request: next time, don’t skip the homemade croutons and sprinkling of cheese.

I suppose that isn’t too much to ask.

Basil Vinaigrette

This recipe makes enough to dress at least two family-sized salads.

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the basil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process until everything is mixed up and chopped into tiny bits. While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture and process until emulsified.

Use this to dress a salad immediately, or transfer to an air-tight container and keep in the fridge for up to a week.

More Homemade Salad Dressing Ideas:

• Blue Cheese Dressing
• Mustard Vinaigrette @ Reluctant Gourmet
• Basic Vinaigrette @ Bitten
• Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette @ FitSugar

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What held me up for the past year was the idea of the red flesh. It’s unfamiliar. I don’t remember deciding between blood oranges and navels when my grandmother and I used to grocery shop. Certainly not. Those decisions were left for types of grapes and apples. And somehow, a purple cauliflower was less daunting than the bloody flesh of this orange. Perhaps I am a bit of a creature of habit at heart . . .

So what to do with my blood oranges? I toyed with the idea of just eating them. I considered peeling them and separating into slices for a salad. Then it dawned on me: a blood orange vinaigrette.

I did a little internet exploring and found a recipe that sounded easy, but yum. Not long after, I set to work. I have to say, juicing a blood orange is a gruesome task. (And why do I juice by hand when I have a great juicer? Because I was only doing one orange – it’s a waste of clean-up time to use the big one for this!)

Anyway, I made the dressing, making a tiny alteration of lowering the amount of sugar and the amount of oil. It’s definitely not the prettiest dressing ever, but it’s different.

Unfortunately, when it came time to try this version of a blood orange dressing, it was too mild and dare I say bland. It’s definitely missing something. And I think the oil vinegar ratio is off, even with my lowered oil content. So the verdict? You don’t get the recipe yet. I am still working on developing it. Perhaps some minced shallots, blood orange zest, and a dash of lime juice will do the trick.
Recipe to come. When it meets my expectations.

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