I-am-too-getting-useful-information-from-Facebook Ranch Salad Dressing

If you are on Facebook, I’m sure you have noticed the pictures of food that come complete with recipes.  They say things like, “2 Ingredient Frosting”, or “My mom could not believe how easy this Cordon Blue Recipe is”, or “Tastes just like the original Taco Bell Refried Beans.”  This Ranch Salad Dressing recipe says, “Best ranch you’ll ever taste and its homemade. Recipe lasts for ever too.” and it is provided by Carla Reid Chatterton. 

If you don’t have an account on Facebook then you will not be able to click thru on the link. So, I will give you the recipe with a few alterations by me.  If you want to go a few steps beyond this recipe, use fresh herbs.  The herb mixture will not last as long as when you use dried, but you may achieve a slightly fresher taste.  Frankly, I thought this dressing was quite tasty and fresher tasting than the Ranch Dressing Mix that you find at the store.  And, I do not like the bottled Ranch Dressing, so this is a wonderful and relatively inexpensive alternative.

Lately I’ve been eating a lot of salads because they are quick and I can make a large batch of salad for a couple of days.  Then all I have to do is add the dressing and few nuts or pomegranate seeds or cheese or left over chicken and I’ve got a great meal for lunch.

Now, add your homemade dressing and some nuts or cheese or other protein…

and you are free to go out and enjoy the fall weather on a walk with your dog…

Since we will be moving to Placerville in a few weeks (hopefully), I’m trying to get Obie T. Dogg used to the area.  He still does not like to spend any amount of time in the house we are remodeling, but he loves the walks.

This particular trail is an old railroad route. When I was a very young child we lived up this hill on the left.  I was always very curious about the railroad tracks because a train would go by there twice a day or so.  My mom wouldn’t let me go down and explore because she said there were “Hobos” down there and it wasn’t a good place for a kid to be.  My next door neighbor and I used to take pieces of cardboard and slide down this hill, unbeknownst to my parents.  I never saw a Hobo but I did see a lot of empty liquor bottles and cigarette butts.

The trail is quite long and you can join it in many different places.  Sometimes it goes over highway 50.  Obie T. did not like going over the freeway and so I probably won’t take him back this way.  But, there are miles and miles of trail to walk or ride your bike or horse on The El Dorado Trail.  It is a beautiful refurbished trail now and you will thoroughly enjoy the walk and your dog will thank you by licking your face.

Here’s the Recipe from Facebook:

Homemade Ranch-Style Buttermilk Salad Dressing

Ingredients for basic mix

• 1/4 cup crushed black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 cup Parsley Flakes
• 1/2 cup Garlic Salt
• 2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/4 cup Granulated Garlic
• 3/4 cup Dehydrated Onion flakes
• 2 Tbsp. Dill Weed

Mix all together and pour into a jar with a lid.  Store in cool dry place.

To make a batch of salad dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 heaping Tablespoon of Salad Dressing Mix

Whisk all ingredients together until well mixed.  Chill for 1 hour. Keep covered in refrigerator.  Makes 2 3/4 cups dressing.

I prefer to exclude the dried dill weed and add in fresh chopped dill weed when I made the salad dressing.  Also, I used whole black peppercorns that I crushed myself before adding to the mix.

The dressing is thick and rich and tastes fresh.  Adding it to a fresh salad makes a very satisfying meal.

And, if you have something quick to eat then you can stay out a little longer and catch the sun going down at one of your favorite wineries.  This one happens to be Boeger Winery in Placerville, the oldest winery in the California Gold Rush Area and, I think, it’s the prettiest one in the area.

The colors were absolutely spectacular in El Dorado County this fall.  To see more of my photos of the area, you can visit my Flickr Page or follow me and Yes!Chef! on Instagram (look along the righthand side of this blog page for links.)

Oh!  You can also use this mix as a dip or a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, if you like.

Enjoy!