Our Saturday evening dinner was inspired by a blog post from Larry over at Big Dude’s Eclectic Ramblings and his meat and salad dinner request from wife Bev. Larry made Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. I just happen to have my own favorite recipe, so a fresh salad and my favorite Barbeque Chicken Recipe made it to our table.
I’m sorry Mom, but I was never crazy about the salad you served when I was growing up. Chopped iceberg lettuce, carrots, celery, radish and cucumber served with a selection of bottled Ranch, Thousand Island or Catalina Dressing. Every once in awhile she’d get exotic and we’d find a bottle of Creamy Cucumber or Green Goddess on the table.
I can’t remember exactly when I first discovered there were actually other types of lettuce than iceberg, but I do know that when I did I went salad crazy. And with the countless recipes of vinaigrette’s that I’ve collected over the years, you will hardly find me on the bottled dressing isle. I do have to admit however, that I still grab a packet of Hidden Valley. Love their Buttermilk Ranch.
When I saw this recipe for Homemade Catalina Dressing, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and give it a try. It’s somewhat similar to the bottled I remember from years ago, but with more flavor, more tang and more pizazz. We loved it and have been drizzling it all week for a quick salad side dish.
Let’s take a look.
Homemade Catalina Dressing…It’s What’s for Dressing a Salad.
Happy New Year! Here’s wishing everyone peace, love, health, happiness and lots of good food for 2013.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had about enough cream, butter, cheese, rich sauces and meats for 5 Holiday Seasons. If you’re like me, you’re already planning for some lighter meals and looking for healthy recipes. I thought I’d dust off a few of my old favorites and try to behave…at least until Superbowl. Let’s take a look.
Chicken Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
Savory Swiss Chard Tacos with crunchy caramelized onion, salty Queso Fresco and a bitey salsa. A delicious surprise.
Chicago Hot Dog Sauce in a bottle. My friend Rob over at Sticky Brand Sauces has done it again. This time he’s brought us an invention called ChiDawgo Sauce. Packed inside this bottle you’ll find every single ingredient to turn your hot dog into that famous Chicago-style flavor. Pickled sport peppers, yellow mustard, onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, dill pickle; tomato, and celery salt. But wait, what about the poppy seed bun? Aside from having to purchase truck load quantities from restaurant suppliers, we can’t find them here in Denver. So Rob has even added the poppy seeds into this bottle of bliss. Devilishly clever if you ask me!
Complex and loaded with exciting flavor, I used the CZAR’s Gourmet Oregon Pinot Szechuan Sauce to glaze grilled party wings.
Oh Chimi…churri’ve you been all my life? Flavorful with fresh parsley, hot with red pepper flakes, garlicky with garlic, exciting with red wine vinegar, zesty with lemon…I’m in love with Chimichurri sauce.
Cherry BBQ sauce. Hubs couldn’t quit talking about it.
A wonderful twist on traditional BBQ Sauce. It’s complicated in flavor. Savouring each bite, the palate sorts through a myriad of flavors as you start thinking about everything in sight that you could possibly drizzle this on. Tart, sweet, sticky AND savory, it would be a perfect pair with duck or pork. Our first introduction was on some cinnamon cured smoked chicken.
This is a quick, easy, and delicious dish for using leftover pork roast.
We’ve just returned from a trip back to Kansas to move my mom out of her assisted living apartment and into the nursing home. An exhausting whirlwind trip which left us mentally and physically worn down.
I don’t know about you, but I love being on the receiving end of homemade gifts from the kitchen. This Blackberry Merlot Wine Jelly is a very special gift.
There’s so many possibilities; jams, jellies, chutneys, mustards, salsas, sauces, pickled anythings, breads, cookies, cakes, candies. So far, I’ve whipped up a batch of sweet and spicy mustard, pickled beets and this wonderful Blackberry Merlot Jelly Recipe. I’m thinking my wine loving friends will enjoy this.