HONEY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

This dressing has been my very favorite for years now.  The flavors of garlic, dijon mustard, and honey work so well together and make any salad over the top delicious!

One of the reasons I like this dressing so much is that it tastes so fresh (because it is), and it is super easy to throw together!  It will keep in the fridge for several days to a week.  It could probably last longer but I am over cautious when it comes to food safety!  Tonight, I grilled some tilapia, made some garlic brown rice (it was from a box and scrumptious), and served this salad and dressing along side of them.  Healthy, filling and super tasty!

If you are used to buying bottled dressings, I would urge you to just give this a whirl.  I think you will see that it is worth the little bit of extra time it takes to make it from scratch!

HONEY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

 (I usually double this recipe)
 

2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced

Enough salt to make a paste

1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed Lemon

2 teaspoons Honey

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Pepper

 

With the back of a spoon mash the garlic and salt into a paste.

Combine the other ingredients and add to the garlic paste.

Whisk all ingredients together until well incorporated.

Serve over your choice of salad greens.

 

 

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

 

 

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Eating healthy does not have to be boring or tasteless.   I have tried so many times to like this dressing when I go out to eat and it is just....tolerable in most restaurants.  Bottled balsamic dressing is not even worth it...I'd rather just eat plain lettuce. So, I decided to see if I could improve the taste just a bit. I did....and now it is one of my favorites! 

This dressing is seriously the quickest, easiest dressing ever.  The most important part is to purchase a good balsamic vinegar.  It makes a difference.  My favorite balsamic vinegar is one that I bought at a cooking expo.  It was an aged balsamic vinegar from Modena.  I have saved the label so I could order some online.  I saw the label just this week and then when I went to look for it, of course, I cannot find it.  But here is America's Test Kitchen's review of balsamics that they recommend.  Balsamic vinegar should be aged and thick like a syrup....although the one I used tonight was one I bought at HEB grocery store.  I just took a chance,  It was Central Market brand but when I took at little sip, it burned the back of my throat a little. 

However, I realized that have another bottle that I bought at the same expo and it was called Leonardo and Roberto's Gourmet Blend Traditional Balsamic Vinegar. It has a smooth, sweet taste.  It is so good that I could probably just put it on my salad without making a vinaigrette.   As balsamic vinegar ages, it gets richer and sweeter and loses its acidity.  So, this is one brand that I can testify to the taste.  Another thing, balsamic vinegars are a little costly for the good ones.  This bottle cost around $50 but it is worth it and it goes a long way!  If you do not want to purchase online, I am thinking that any gourmet kitchen store would probably have a good balsamic vinegar.  Beaumont is about 20 minutes from my home and they have a great kitchen store called Kitchen Concepts, I bet they would probably have several to choose from for those of you who live close.

Tonight, I cooked salmon and served it with baked sweet potatoes and a salad with this dressing.  I hope you will give it a try...healthy, easy, delicious....perfect combo!


BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper (I always taste and add a little more!)

Put in a mason jar or cruet with a lid and shake well!

ENJOY!

 

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

BEST DIPPING OIL

Let me just start by saying that I am not a huge parsley fan.  I know...what is wrong with me?  Even though the main ingredient of this dipping oil/salad dressing is parsley, I can't stop eating it!

 

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile.  All the flavors meld pretty quickly so you can make this 30 minutes before serving and it is amazing!!

 

I use it for a dipping oil for bread or toasties, like pictured above.  I use it for my dressing on my salad.  It is wonderful drizzled over any vegetable....green beans, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, etc.  We have even drizzled it over my mashed potatoes. 

 

I never measure for this recipe.  I did measure in the beginning, but those measurements went something like this...2 big handfuls of parsley, sprinkle with red pepper flakes until the top in covered, start with 1-1/2 cups of olive oil and then add more...soooo it wasn't really an accurate recipe.  However, now I just eye the ingredients and then tweak until I get the flavor and consistency that I want.  However, I did my best to measure accurately so that you can have a good base to go by.  You may not want as much Red Pepper Flakes since it does make it pretty spicy or as much fresh garlic.   I am a garlic-lover!!!  The good thing about this recipe is that you can adjust your ingredients to your liking. 

 

My friend Kelly introduced me to this divine dipping oil a few years back and I love using it when I want something besides butter on my bread or heavy dressings on my salads. 

 

It is inexpensive to make and it lasts a week or two in the fridge.  I wish I could be more accurate about how long it lasts but it never lasts very long...maybe a week at my house.

 

I would suggest the next time you fix an Italian meal or a steak dinner that you make this and drizzle it over your salad or serve it in little, individual dishes for a dipping oil for bread.  Or, buy a baguette and slice it in approximately 1/2" thick slices and toast in a 350 degree oven until crispy on one side, then flip and crisp on the other side.  Serve in a basket and have a cruet of this dressing for people to drizzle over the bread toasties.  Yummmm!!!!

 

 

 

PARSLEY-GARLIC DIPPING OIL

 

1 cup Curly Parsley, chopped

4 large cloves Garlic, minced

1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper

1-1/2 cups Extra-Light Tasting or Delicate Tasting Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Salt, or to your liking.

 

 

Chop enough parsley to measure 1 cup.

 

Pour in 1-1/2 cups of Olive Oil...I use Bertolli Extra Light, Delicate Taste Olive Oil.  You may want to add more after all the ingredients are combined.  You want it to be more like a dipping oil.

 

Mince 4 large Garlic Cloves and add to the mixture.

 



 

Sprinkle in 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes.  As you can see, I like a lot but you may want to start with half the amount, allow to sit for about 30 minutes, taste and then add more if you like. (I know this is a different bowl than the one above...it's from a different meal.  I told you I like to make this a lot! Ha!

 

 

Add 1 teaspoon of salt or whatever pleases your palate.  I am a salt-a-holic...I know that is not a good thing but it is what it is!

 

 

I like this picture because you can see how all of the ingredients stick to the parsley which is why this is such a good recipe.  By the ingredients having something to adhere to, you get a taste of all of the flavors at once...this is making me want to go make some right now and it is 10:30 in the morning! 

 

ENJOY!

CLICK FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE