Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped or pressed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the first five ingredients well, then drizzle in the oil gradually. Store in the refrigerator.

I keep our dressing in a Pampered Chef dressing container which has a built-in plunger to mix the oil back into the vinegar.  A shaker bottle also works, but that's pretty messy. The olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator, so you either need to set the bottle on the table about 30 minutes before dinner time, or put it in a big cup of warm water to help it liquefy more quickly.


It's so easy to make my own dressings, and so much tastier, that I no longer buy any salad dressings at all. Try this recipe for Ranch dressing, also.

Ranch Dressing/Dip

Here is a delicious, easy recipe for Ranch dressing. It's probably no less fattening than the kind in the bottle, but it's free of preservatives and artificial flavorings, and it tastes really wonderful. I've stopped buying salad dressings altogether. (I also have a recipe for balsamic vinaigrette.)

1/2 cup sour cream*
1 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried minced onion

*I use light sour cream.

Mix all ingredients and store in a squeeze bottle (the kind you use for ketchup or mustard). Store in the refrigerator. Keeps about two weeks.