Making your own gourmet salad dressing entails putting a few common pantry staples together and shaking them up in a jar. It really is that simple! This salad dressing recipe is one of the most versatile recipes that you will ever learn. Once you’ve followed this basic recipe a few times you will be whipping up your very own creations that are guaranteed to become family favourites. You’ll becomes famous at summer gatherings for your amazing salads, BBQ sauces and marinades! Maybe you will graciously share your secret with others or perhaps it will become your secret recipe. Either way this recipe is the gateway to creating simple yet wonderful dressings, marinades and sauces.
In the recipe instructions you will find details on how to convert your dressing to a marinade, create a creamy dressing, make BBQ sauce and how adapt the recipe using a variety of oils, vinegars, sweeteners and seasoning’s.
Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar or any jar with a lid. Shake well until blended. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks. Once you realize just how easy it is to make your own dressings, you will never go back to buying those expensive store bought versions with unpronounceable preservatives and additives. Start experimenting with different oils, vinegars and sweeteners to create your own favourites To make a creamy dressing add two tablespoons of plain yoghurt or mayonnaise to the basic recipe and shake or whisk to combine. To create a simple zesty BBQ sauce marinade for chicken or pork, prepare the basic dressing and then add some ketchup (or tomato sauce) brown sugar and Worcestershire. It's also a great topping for meatloaf. There are quite a variety of oils that are rich in essential vitamins, fatty acids and nutrients. In addition to their health benefits, many of these oils provide a distinctive, rich or nutty flavour that can really add a wow factor to your salad dressing. Keep in mind that some oils can be overpowering when used alone. As a rule I like to mix half olive oil with half of any of the following oils: Hemp seed, Grape Seed, Almond, Flax Seed, Walnut or Avocado. You can use any vinegar that you have in your pantry although standard white vinegar can be rather overpowering and harsh. Vinegars that work well include:Champagne, Fruit infused (raspberry, strawberry), Red wine vinegar, Balsamic and Lemon juice. You can also add a splash of orange juice with a splash of lemon makes a nice combination for fruit salad Add a touch of hot mustard, whole grain, beer or any other speciality mustard that you might happen to have. Honey is a wonderful sweetener but you can also use maple syrup, agave or molasses. If all you have is granulated sugar you will want to make a quick sugar syrup. Add the sugar to a saucepan with a little bit of water and gently heat and stir until the sugar granules are all dissolved. Cool before using. Add some chopped herbs, garlic or shallots to make a more savoy dressing. Fresh dill is a wonderful and aromatic addition. Start with a pinch or two of fresh or dried herbs, 1/2 Tsp of garlic and increase as desired. If you want a stronger garlic flavour let the dressing sit for at least an hour before using. 
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Creamy Dressing
Marinade
Combinations
Oil
Vinegar
Mustard
Sweetener
Savoury
