Monday, March 3, 2014

Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing


Last summer I started searching online for a salad dressing I could make myself.  I suppose we'd run out of store-bought dressing and I'd already made the rest of the salad.  What I didn't know that day is the recipe I used would become a staple for salads around here, and change how I thought about dressing.

There's really nothing like fresh salad dressing - something recently made without all the preservatives.  Last month I posted this Simple Balsamic Dressing, and this month I've got something a little more springy.  I know Spring doesn't officially start until later this month, but I know we've got a few warm days that will be mixed in so let's be prepared for them!

For starters, I keep my dressings in an old bacon bits jar, which works great for size so that it lasts a few weeks but not too long.  Plus these bacon bits are pretty great if you like to use those in salads.  They cost a little more than other brands, but I think of it as I'm also buying the awesome jar.

You can rip off the paper, and goo gone works wonders to get the gross sticky stuff off.  
I throw them in the dishwasher to get them good and disinfected since there used to be meat there.

 The ingredients for this recipe are as follows:
lemon juice
olive oil
mustard
garlic
salt and pepper


I wrote the original recipe and followed it strictly the first few times, but now I just guesstimate and do things a little differently to how I like them.

When I make this, first I toss in the garlic.  I'm lazy and use that stuff in the jar a lot of times, but I'm sure fresh garlic would taste much better!


Then I throw in the mustard.  I've found it is hard to dissolve the mustard in the liquid, so I try to stir it in with the garlic first.


Then I add the lemon juice.


Then the salt...and I don't like doing extra dishes, so as you see here you can keep your mustard spoon!  ;)

Then add the pepper to taste.  Tyler eats the Balsamic dressing.  Since this one's mine, that means LOTS of pepper!  

I love pepper!  

First mix in the salt and pepper, then add the olive oil.
It looks so pretty and green!

I've been using this olive oil for about 2 years and really like it!  It isn't such a bad price for such a large container that lasts us for months.

Then put the lid back on and shake everything together!  I love the color of this dressing!

If you want the exact measurements for this recipe, check out the source HERE!  I love that this is so simple, and I pretty much always have all of the ingredients so I can make this anytime we need it!

Do you make your own dressings, or do you prefer a specific flavor found in dressings from the store?
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14 comments:

  1. ha--your cooking style seems very similar to my own, approximations and efficiency with reusing spoons galore!! Nothing ever turns out exactly the same, but that just adds adventure. I tend to prefer my salads dry, I've never really tasting a salad dressing that I liked much at all.

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    1. It drives me insane to use 5 spoons and 3 bowls to make one thing, which is why I approximate so much. If I had a maid to do my dishes I might consider not reusing, but then I'd feel bad for her and so nothing would change. It works, right?!

      I don't know if I could do salad dry - I'd need at least some oil or vinegar in it! But dry salad is probably much healthier!

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  2. I'm really intrigued by bacon bits...? You buy bacon in a jar? Oh, America, land of dreams! ;)
    I don't usually use dressing, unless it's somewhere other than home and there happens to be some kind of creamy dressing. Looks like a simple one to make though!

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    1. Haha, this made me laugh! Yes, we have special bacon that we use on salads and buy prepackaged at the store! At least my family does it - based on the large variety of them at the store I would imagine quite a few other Americans buy them as well! It does seem a bit ridiculous, doesn't it? America is quite bad to prepackage and preserve EVERYTHING...and it's just so convenient to not have to cook bacon if I want it on my salad. haha

      I like creamy dressing when it is fresh, but I get a little bit weird with it if it has sat in the refrigerator very long (even if it isn't expired or anything).

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  3. everything about this looks amazing!!

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  4. i LOVE the idea of homemade dressings! but i've never done it before.. then you put the bacon bits next to it, and .... jimminy christmas i'm hungry. I'm going to have to pin this for later. <3

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    1. Haha, glad it made you hungry! Maybe I've failed if it didn't! ;) Hope you'll get a chance to try out some homemade dressings soon! They're so easy!

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  5. 1) This looks delicious 2) I love reusing jars! Brilliant.

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    1. I just can't throw away jars anymore. Sometimes I buy food based on the container - I'll definitely pay more for products if I can reuse the jar for something else!

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  6. I love lemon garlic!! I bet you could brush it on some chicken breast too! Thank you for sharing at This~N~That Thursday at Through the Dutch Door!

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    1. I hadn't thought of that, but I bet you're right, it sounds like a good summery chicken marinade too! Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. You've been featured on our linky party!! This~N~That Thursdays at Through the Dutch Door!

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    1. Thanks Misty! I'll definitely head over and check that out! :)

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