I believe I may have discussed before the “salads” of my childhood – plain iceberg lettuce topped with sliced carrots and a bottled salad dressing.  It’s no wonder I had such an aversion to salad for such a long time.  I had no idea what a fantastic meal they can make.  Granted, my dad was a single parent raising three very rowdy kids, so I hardly know how he got dinner on the table at all.  Even so, a little more variety would have made a world of difference for me.  The first real salad I ever truly liked was Caesar salad, and thanks to that little love affair, my tastes have grown to appreciate all sorts of wonderful varieties of salads.

Of late, ranch salad dressing has been my new fling and I am head over heels.  Crunchy romaine lettuce with tomatoes, red onion, homemade croutons and grilled chicken – add in this dressing and you have a meal I love so much, I crave it every single night.  Now that is a salad I can get on board with.  The measurements for the herbs in the dressing may seem a bit vague, but it’s important to taste and make adjustments accordingly.  The recipe only calls for chives and parsley, but I think dill would be a lovely addition as well.  That said, I don’t think I’ll change a single thing next time because I just love it so much as it is.

  • Yield about 2 cups

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise (I use light)
¾ cup sour cream (I use light)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼-1 cup buttermilk (I use the full cup)
1 small bunch chives
Small handful parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • 01

    Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor starting with ¼ cup of the buttermilk and blend for 10 seconds.  Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    Note: For all those asking how long this keeps, I don’t know exactly since I’m not a food scientist.  I would imagine as long as any of the separate components might keep in the refrigerator.  Mine kept at least two weeks before we had used it all.

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