Better than Store Bought

Earlier this week, I shared my version of the restaurant entree, Chicken Tender Salad.  When I serve this to a group, I put a variety of salad dressings on the table.  When I serve it to my family, I only put one dressing on the table.  Not just any dressing, but a made from scratch honey mustard dressing.

Honey mustard dressing, as the name implies, is made from honey and mustard plus additional ingredients.  Some recipes use Dijon mustard which contains white wine while others use prepared mustard.  Some recipes use sour cream to make the dressing creamy while others use mayonnaise.

In addition to honey and mustard, the recipe I'm sharing also uses vegetable oil, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, onion salt and cayenne pepper.

The last two ingredients -- onion salt and cayenne pepper -- call for a dash and pinch respectively.  When a recipe calls for a dash and the spice jar has a lid with holes, I gently tap the jar two times for a dash.  I only tap the jar one time for a pinch.  If you're afraid too much will come out, tap the jar over a bowl or a piece of wax paper and add the desired amount to the mixture.

A pinch of cayenne pepper

If your jar doesn't have holes in the lid, a good rule of thumb is a pinch is approximately 1/16 teaspoon; a dash, 1/8 teaspoon.

Thoroughly combine the ingredients and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.  The dressing is best made one day ahead so the flavors have time to blend.

The dressing is delicious on salads, but it's also good with chicken nuggets, fries and club sandwiches.  My son likes to spread it on a turkey sandwich and my husband uses it as a dip for carrots.  No matter how you choose to use it, it's better than store bought.

Honey Mustard Dressing

2 1/2 Cups

6 Tbsp. honey

6 Tbsp. prepared mustard

6 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I use canola)

1 1/3 cups mayonnaise

1 tsp. cider vinegar

dash of onion salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  Cover and store in the refrigerator.

© Margaret's Morsels

Dressing it Up

When I was a child, the only salad dressing I liked was French dressing.  As I got older, I developed a more sophisticated palate.  I now eat a variety of dressings, including honey mustard, Italian and roasted red pepper to name a few.  I still like French dressing, but it is not one of my husband's favorites.  Unless we have company, a bottle of French dressing sits in the refrigerator for a long time.

To solve the problem of leftover French dressing, I decided to make my own.  This was harder than I thought since there are a lot of recipes for French dressing.  It took a few tries, but I finally found a recipe I like and my husband likes too.  It only makes a few servings so there's not a lot left over.

Unlike some recipes for French dressing, this one only uses six ingredients.  There's no chopping -- only measuring -- so it only takes a few minutes to prepare.  You can eat it the day it's made, but it's better made a day ahead of time so the flavors have time to blend.

Like many dressing recipes, this contains oil and vinegar.  The recipe specified vegetable oil which is an edible oil made from vegetables, nuts or seeds.  Canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower and sesame are some of the vegetable oils available.  I always use canola for two reasons.  One, it's healthier than some oils.  Two, it doesn't have a strong flavor.

The recipe didn't specify a type of vinegar so I use apple cider vinegar.  Unlike distilled white vinegar that is extremely sour, apple cider vinegar has a fruit flavor.  Strongly flavored oil and vinegar can overpower the tangy sweet flavor of the dressing, so choose your ingredients accordingly.

Other than the ingredients, the only thing you need is a container with a tight fitting lid; I use a jar.  Put the ingredients in the container, seal and shake until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Store the dressing in the refrigerator, shaking well before use.

The dressing is easy to make and tastes so fresh, you won't want to use bottled French dressing again!

French Dressing

6 Servings

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

2 Tbsp. catsup

1/8 tsp. salt

dash of garlic powder

Combine ingredients in a container with a tight fitting lid; shake well.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

This is better made a day ahead of time.

© Margaret's Morsels