Category: Sauces and Dressings

Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing

Make delicious Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing in only 3-4 minutes. It has 5 ingredients and adds a zesty, fresh pop of flavor to green salads.
Make delicious Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing in only 3-4 minutes. It has 5 ingredients and adds a zesty, fresh pop of flavor to green salads.

I am always looking for new and exciting salad dressings that I can make from scratch at home. Usually it costs less in the long run to make homemade salad dressings, especially with the cost of groceries recently!

This recipe for Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing is one I found in an old cookbook of mine and tweaked the recipe slightly, to suit our taste.

It is simple salad dressing to prepare, and is a fresh, flavorful addition to mixed green salads. The total amount of salad dressing (as written) is enough for a big green salad (4 servings).

If you want to have more on hand, the recipe can EASILY be doubled or tripled to meet your needs. Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Are The Ingredients I Will Need?

To make this salad dressing you will need 5 ingredients. They are fresh lime juice (from 1 lime), vegetable oil, a small jalapeño pepper, a clove of garlic, and a small piece of fresh ginger.

Fresh lime juice (from one lime) is needed for the salad dressing.

Prepping The Jalapeño

This recipe, as written, calls for using ¼ of a small jalapeño pepper. The photos below are representative only, to show you what must be removed.

Remove the seeds (they contain the heat so don’t rub your eyes after handling them!). and finely dice the jalapeño.

Finely minced jalapeño pepper is used, after seeds have been removed.

Prep The Fresh Ginger

Peel a very small “knob” of fresh ginger. Once peeled, mince the small piece very finely with a knife OR use a microplane (shown in photo below) to do the same thing.

The amount of fresh ginger needed is very small (but necessary for the flavor of the salad dressing). Did you know you can freeze the leftover ginger and continue to use it over and over? Here’s how to freeze ginger.

Peeled , finely minced fresh ginger is used to make the salad dressing.

Make The Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing

Now that the ingredients are prepped, the Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing will come together in only a brief minute! 

Place the lime juice, oil, minced jalapeño pepper, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Use a fork and whisk these ingredients together until they are fully combined.

Salad dressing ingredients are stirred together until fully combined.

Once the salad dressing is fully mixed, it can be used immediately OR you can cover and store it in the refrigerator.

If you choose to refrigerate it right when it’s done, you will need to re-stir the ingredients well once again before you use it.

The Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing is mixed and ready to top a green salad.

Serve And Enjoy!

When ready to use, give it a quick stir, then add the lime jalapeno salad dressing to any of your favorite mixed green salads.

The salad shown below (first photo) is a kale and sweet potato salad, and this simple, but this flavor-packed dressing pairs really well with it.

The salad dressing also compliments green salads with fresh fruit, because it compliments the sweet fruit well.

Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing is poured over a kale salad with sweet potatoes.A green salad with fresh fruit is complimented well with the salad dressing.

Hope you give this unique (but delicious) salad dressing a try, and trust you’ll enjoy it! It’s such a simple recipe, but it tastes really good on a cold, crisp green salad.

Thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few homemade salad dressing recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Salad dressing recipe adapted from: “Year Round Fresh”, page 184, published by WW International, Inc. in 2018

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Make delicious Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing in only 3-4 minutes. It has 5 ingredients and adds a zesty, fresh pop of flavor to green salads.

Category: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: lime jalapeño salad dressing
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 27 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • teaspoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh minced ginger finely minced
  • ¼ small fresh jalapeño pepper seeded, finely minced
  • ½ small garlic clove finely minced
Instructions
  1. Place the lime juice, oil, minced jalapeño pepper, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl.

  2. Use a fork to whisk these ingredients together for about a minute until they're fully combined.

  3. Once fully mixed, it can be used immediately OR cover and store it in the refrigerator. If refrigerate it right when it's done, you will need to re-stir the ingredients well before you use it. Serve, and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts
Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 27 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 0.4g3%
Trans Fat 0.02g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 0.2mg0%
Potassium 11mg0%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 0.1g0%
Protein 0.1g0%
Vitamin A 12IU0%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.01mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make delicious Lime Jalapeño Salad Dressing in only 3-4 minutes. It has 5 ingredients and adds a zesty, fresh pop of flavor to green salads.

 

Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads

Make Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads in 5 minutes! Recipe yields enough vinaigrette for 4 side salads or 2 entrée salads, and it’s delicious!
Make Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads in 5 minutes! Recipe yields enough vinaigrette for 4 side salads or 2 entrée salads, and it's delicious!

Today I want to share a simple, quick recipe for a delicious and unique salad dressing I’ve made for several years.

Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads is incredibly EASY to make, with 8 ingredients and a blender or food processor. It is a flavor-filled Asian inspired vinaigrette that bumps mixed green salads up a notch, in my opinion.

Did I mention how ridiculously easy it is to make in 5 minutes or less? Oh… I did? Okay! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Ingredients Will I Need?

There are 8 ingredients used to make this hoisin vinaigrette for salads. All of them can usually be found in local grocery stores.

You will need soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, oil, white wine vinegar and hoisin sauce for the vinaigrette. Sesame oil and hoisin sauce are typically found in the Asian food section of most grocery stores. 

Ingredients used to make hoisin vinaigrette for salads.

Hoisin Sauce Is The “Star” Of This Vinaigrette

Hoisin sauce is really the “star” of this vinaigrette. It is a dark-colored, flavorful, slightly sweet and tangy thick sauce, commonly used in Asian recipes. 

A jar of commercially prepared hoisin sauce, used in this recipe.

Did You Know You Can Make Homemade Hoisin Sauce?

If you don’t have access to a jar of commercially prepared hoisin sauce, you can make a homemade version that has a fairly similar flavor. Granted, it’s a “version” of the original but it will work perfectly fine for this vinaigrette recipe.

Authentic hoisin sauce uses fermented soybean paste as one of its main ingredients. I don’t know about you, but I don’t normally keep that ingredient in my pantry!

Many Asian recipes call for hoisin sauce in their ingredient list. If I don’t have a jar of hoisin sauce when I need it, I make my own, using this recipe (found on my blog).

If you don’t have authentic hoisin sauce, this works well in recipes as a good stand-in for the original. The ingredients for the homemade version of hoisin sauce are shown below.

Ingredients used to make a homemade version of hoisin sauce.Close up photo of homemade version of hoisin sauce on a spoon.

Prepare The Vinaigrette 

Making the hoisin vinaigrette for salads is super easy! Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor.

Process (or blend) all of the ingredients until completely mixed into a smooth and creamy vinaigrette. Transfer the salad dressing into a small container.

Cover and refrigerate the vinaigrette until you’re ready to serve it on a favorite mixed green salad. It tastes best when its had a little time to chill, so all the flavors can “mingle” and get to know each other!

After blending, the hoisin vinaigrette for salads is smooth and creamy.

Time To Enjoy The Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads

There should be enough of the hoisin vinaigrette to dress four small side salads. If you’re using it on a large, main dish salad, you should have enough of the dressing for two salads.

The photo below shows the vinaigrette on a main dish salad I make called Mixed Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Crisp Panko Chicken.

This flavorful vinaigrette is a wonderful addition to many types of mixed green salad, and I think you’ll enjoy it. Be sure to store any leftover vinaigrette in the refrigerator (covered), for up to 4-5 days.

Hoisin vinaigrette for salads, on mixed greens with chicken, in white bowl.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my website. I trust you enjoy this easy to prepare salad dressing as much as we do. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, to suit your needs.

Please come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of homemade salad dressings for you to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Cooking Light- Annual Recipes 2007”, page 103, published by Oxmoor House, Inc.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Make Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads in 5 minutes! Recipe yields enough vinaigrette for 4 side salads or 2 entrée salads, and it's delicious!

Category: Condiment, Salad Dressing
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: hoisin vinaigrette
Servings: 4 side salads
Calories Per Serving: 49 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • teaspoons soy sauce or low-sodium, if available
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic or 1 large clove
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor.

  2. Process until completely mixed into a smooth, creamy vinaigrette. Transfer salad dressing into a small container.

  3. Cover and refrigerate vinaigrette until ready to serve on a mixed green salad. TIP: It tastes best when its had time to chill, so the flavors can "mingle" and get to know each other!

  4. Recipe is easily doubled or tripled. Store any leftover vinaigrette (covered) in refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

Note: The caloric calculation was made using the amount needed for 4 small side salads. If using on a main dish salad (2 servings), the caloric count will be higher.

Nutrition Facts
Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 49 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0.2mg0%
Sodium 207mg9%
Potassium 31mg1%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 0.4g2%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 3IU0%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads in 5 minutes! Recipe yields enough vinaigrette for 4 side salads or 2 entrée salads, and it's delicious!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce is a DELICIOUS dessert topping! Recipe is easy, and yields approx. 2 cups, using 6 common ingredients!
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce is a DELICIOUS dessert topping! Recipe is easy, and yields approx. 2 cups, using 6 common ingredients!

If you’re looking for a delicious ice cream topping, may I suggest this yummy peanut butter ice cream sauce? It is sweet, creamy, and packed with peanut butter flavor!

This sauce is so good it’s hard to keep out of it, once any leftover sauce is in the fridge. I MIGHT have snuck a few teaspoons of the sauce all by itself, and wow, is it ever yummy!

If you enjoy peanut butter, then I’ll bet you’re going to love this ice cream sauce! The sauce is a perfect topping for vanilla, chocolate or chocolate chip ice cream.

It’s also very simple to prepare, and will make a plain old, ordinary scoop of ice cream absolutely perfect! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Creamy Syrup Base

Measure milk, sugar, corn syrup, and salt into a deep, large saucepan. Stir until these ingredients have been well-combined.

Cook the sauce on LOW heat, stirring often, until this mixture thickens (usually about 5-7 minutes).

Sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt are cooked on Low heat in a saucepan.Stirred often, the ice cream sauce base will thicken as it cooks.

Measure creamy peanut butter into a small bowl, so it is ready to add all at once, as soon as the sauce thickens. Set it aside.

Creamy peanut butter in a small white bowl, ready to add to the cooked sauce.

Time To Add The “STAR” Ingredient!

The creamy sauce will thicken as it cooks on Low, then it will begin to boil, and rise up in the saucepan.

IMPORTANT! Keep stirring the sauce, and do not leave the pan unattended, so it won’t boil over!

Add the peanut butter to the sauce, and continue to cook the sauce on Low, keeping it well-stirred, as it melts.

Ice cream sauce base boils as it cooks, prior to adding peanut butter.

Peanut butter is adding to the hot ice cream sauce, and stirred while it melts.

Stir, Stir, Stir!

Keep stirring the peanut butter into the sauce. It will take a couple minutes for the peanut butter to melt and be fully blended into the sauce.

As soon as the peanut butter has been fully incorporated, take the pan off of the heat.

Peanut butter, slowly melting into the sauce in pan, while being stirred.

Let the sauce cool (of the heat) for 5-6 minutes. Once cooled, add vanilla extract and stir, to combine it with the peanut butter ice cream sauce.

Vanilla extract is added to cooled peanut butter sauce (off of the heat).

Serve The Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce

This recipe will yield approximately 2 cups of peanut butter ice cream sauce. When it has sufficiently cooled (serve it warm, not hot!), it is ready to be enjoyed!

To serve, spoon a couple Tablespoons of the peanut butter ice cream sauce over a favorite scoop or two of ice cream.

Peanut butter ice cream sauce over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If desired, you can top the peanut butter sauce with a few chopped peanuts, for added crunch! We love this sweet sauce!

Peanut butter ice cream sauce, served over chocolate and vanilla ice cream scoops in dish.The peanut butter ice cream sauce on a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

I hope you have the chance to try this yummy peanut butter ice cream sauce, and feel confident you’re going to enjoy it, too!

Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in a refrigerator for 6-7 days. The sauce can be reheated in a saucepan or microwave, after stirring.

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SWEET DESSERT SAUCE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of sweet dessert sauce recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (found handwritten recipe on an index card in an old recipe box)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce
Prep Time
12 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
12 mins
 

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce is a DELICIOUS dessert topping! Recipe is easy, and yields approx. 2 cups, using 6 common ingredients!

Category: Desssert, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: peanut butter ice cream sauce
Servings: 16 (2 Tablespoons per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 93 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Karo syrup (clear)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Place milk, sugar, corn syrup, and salt into a deep, large saucepan. Stir until well combined. Cook on LOW, stirring often, until mixture thickens (5-7 minutes).

  2. Measure peanut butter into a small bowl, so it's ready to add when the sauce thickens. Set aside.

  3. Sauce will thicken as it cooks, then begin to boil, and rise up in the saucepan. Keep stirring; do not leave pan unattended, so it won't boil over! Add peanut butter; continue cooking on Low, stirring constantly, as it melts. As soon as peanut butter has melted, and been fully incorporated, move pan off of the heat.

  4. Let sauce cool 5-6 minutes. Add vanilla extract and stir, to combine. When sauce has cooled, it's ready to serve over ice cream! Best served warm, not hot.

Nutrition Facts
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 (2 Tbl.))
Calories 93 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 67mg3%
Potassium 52mg1%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 22IU0%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce is a DELICIOUS dessert topping! Recipe is easy, and yields approx. 2 cups, using 6 common ingredients!

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

Homemade Thousand Island Salad Dressing is a cinch to make in only 5 minutes! Use it on your favorite green salads, hamburgers or patty melts!
Homemade Thousand Island Salad Dressing is a cinch to make in only 5 minutes! Use it on your favorite green salads, hamburgers or patty melts!

Today I’m going to share with you how simple it is to make homemade salad dressing in a few minutes, in the comfort of your own home. Simple and delicious is my favorite kind of recipe!

I have quite a few homemade salad dressing recipes here on my blog, and always enjoy learning how to make them from scratch, at home.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing is a cinch to make, and uses fairly “common” kitchen ingredients. This famous salad dressing is named after Thousand Islands, New York (apparently), where it is believed to have been first created.

If you’re interested in learning more about the origins of Thousand Island Salad Dressing, you can do so HERE. Let me show you how to make this delicious salad dressing, lickety-split!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Thousand Island Salad Dressing Is EASY!

The ingredients you need to make thousand island salad dressing are mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, red onion, white vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper.

Measure, then place all ingredients except the salt and pepper into a medium-sized bowl, and stir until the salad dressing has been fully combined.

Season with salt and pepper to suit your personal taste (it doesn’t take too much- start with 1/8 teaspoon, then add more, as desired).

And just like that, you’ve made homemade thousand island salad dressing!  See how easy that was? You’ll probably also notice that this salad dressing is fairly THICK.

Ingredients for thousand island salad dressing are measured into a bowl.

Some people even add a hard-boiled egg to their dressing. I don’t care for it that way, but feel free to add a finely crumbled hard-boiled egg to the salad dressing if it makes you happy!

You may also notice that the ingredients in thousand island salad dressing are similar to those in Russian Salad Dressing. That’s true, but did you know Russian Dressing also has horseradish in it? 

Thousand Island Salad Dressing is mixed together in a silver, medium sized bowl.

Check The Texture To Suit Your Preference

Check out the texture of the thousand island salad dressing. You may like it very thick, but if you’re like me, you prefer it a bit thinner in texture.

If desired, simply add a little bit of milk (in very small increments), and stir until the salad dressing reaches your desired consistency.

A spoonful of thousand island salad dressing shows how thick it is.

I typically add about 1-2 Tablespoons milk to mine to thin it slightly when I make it. This texture is completely YOUR CHOICE, of course.

A bit of milk has been added, to thin out the salad dressing a bit.

Storing The Salad Dressing

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the Thousand Island Salad Dressing at least 2-3 hours before serving, for best flavor.

You can also transfer the salad dressing to an airtight container before refrigerating, if you prefer. I usually store mine in a canning jar.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing can be stored safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. The recipe (as written) will yield about 1 cup of salad dressing, so it is fairly easy to use it up during that week.

A glass canning jar is filled with thousand island salad dressing, then refrigerated.

Serve The Thousand Island Salad Dressing

After the thousand island salad dressing has been fully chilled, use it to top one of your favorite mixed green salads for added flavor!

The salad dressing is also a wonderful condiment which can be used on burgers or patty melts. It is delicious, spread on a grilled patty melt with caramelized onions.

A white plate holding a green salad with thousand island salad dressing on top.A patty melt can be spread with the thousand island dressing.

Making thousand island salad dressing is so absolutely EASY, and I hope you have the opportunity to create this recipe. I think you’re going to really like it.

Thanks for taking the time to visit this website today, and I invite you to come back again soon. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of homemade salad dressing recipes you may enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source (and with thanks to Lauren Allen) at: tastesbetterfromscratch.com/thousand-island-dressing

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Thousand Island Salad Dressing
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Homemade Thousand Island Salad Dressing is a cinch to make in only 5 minutes! Use it on your favorite green salads, hamburgers or patty melts!

Category: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: American
Keyword: thousand island salad dressing
Servings: 8 (2 T. per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 122 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 3 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons red onion finely diced
  • 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 lg. clove garlic minced
  • *salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients except salt and pepper in a medium bowl; stir until fully combined. Season with salt/pepper to taste (it doesn't take too much- start with ⅛ teaspoon, then add more, as desired). Stir until combined.

  2. Check texture of the salad dressing. It is fairly thick. If you prefer it thinner, add small amount of milk (1-2 T. at a time). Add milk and stir until salad dressing reaches desired consistency.

  3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate salad dressing at least 2-3 hours before serving, for best flavor. Serve, and enjoy on a favorite green salad or burger.

  4. Store salad dressing in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 6-7 days.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If interested in reducing the number of calories for this salad dressing, consider using light mayonnaise and/or light sour cream.

Nutrition Facts
Thousand Island Salad Dressing
Amount Per Serving (1 (2 Tablespoons))
Calories 122 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 176mg8%
Potassium 39mg1%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 0.5g1%
Vitamin A 107IU2%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Homemade Thousand Island Salad Dressing is a cinch to make in only 5 minutes! Use it on your favorite green salads, hamburgers or patty melts!

Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette

Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette is easy to make in under 5 minutes! It’s delicious, and tastes great on mixed green salads or roasted asparagus.
Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette is easy to make in under 5 minutes! It's delicious, and tastes great on mixed green salads or roasted asparagus.

Do you like making salad dressings and vinaigrettes at home? I do, because it’s convenient, budget-friendly and I can control the ingredients. It’s easy to make most homemade salad dressings, with minimal time involved. This recipe yields about twelve servings (2 Tablespoons per serving), so you can enjoy it on quite a few salads.

This creamy sesame vinaigrette has a slight “Asian” flavor, thanks to the addition of sesame seed oil. Sesame oil is used in many Asian dishes, and is made from pressed sesame seeds. You can learn more information about this flavored oil here.

Whisk the ingredients together and POOF! In only a few minutes you will have this creamy sesame vinaigrette ready. It is fantastic on green salads, and tastes wonderful drizzled over roasted asparagus! Here’s how simple it is to make.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Ingredients Will I Need?

This vinaigrette requires only 5 ingredients to make, and they’re pretty common ingredients! The five ingredients are white wine vinegar, light mayo, honey, sesame oil, and Dijon mustard.

NOTE: You can also add white sesame seeds or red chili flakes, if you want. I’ve done both! That is completely OPTIONAL, and it is perfectly fine to leave them out. 

Sesame oil can be found in the Asian section of grocery stores, and it can be stored in the pantry. If you don’t have access to white wine vinegar, regular white vinegar can be substituted, as well.

Ingredients that are used to make the creamy sesame vinaigrette.

Let’s Make Some Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette

Measure all ingredients for the salad dressing into a medium bowl. Mix the ingredients together using a whisk OR a fork, and continue to whisk until the ingredients are fully blended.

NOTE: If you are adding the (optional) sesame seeds (or red pepper flakes), stir them into the vinaigrette once mixed.

Vinaigrette ingredients are measured into a medium sized bowl for mixing.A whisk or electric mixer can be used to combine the creamy sesame vinaigrette ingredients.

Storing The Vinaigrette

Pour the creamy sesame vinaigrette into an airtight container or small jar using a funnel. You will end up with about  ¾ cup of salad dressing, which yields approx. twelve servings (2 T. each). 

The vinaigrette can be used at this point, if necessary. Store this salad dressing in the refrigerator until well-chilled to get the BEST flavor! This gives the vinaigrette time to let those yummy flavors intermingle!

Creamy sesame vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight bottle in the refrigerator

Using The Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette

Use creamy sesame vinaigrette on a variety of mixed green salads or main course salads. This salad dressing adds so much flavor, you’ll be surprised.

Another way to enjoy this versatile salad dressing is to drizzle the dressing over roasted asparagus! It’s a great way to give the veggies a POP of bright flavor!

Use the creamy sesame vinaigrette to top a garden salad or main course salad.Roasted asparagus taste great when drizzled with the creamy sesame vinaigrette.

I hope you’ll enjoy this simple, flavor-packed salad dressing on a favorite green salad! Any leftover salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to stop by this website. I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of salad dressings for you to choose from, including:

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette is easy to make in under 5 minutes! It's delicious, and tastes great on mixed green salads or roasted asparagus.

Category: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy sesame vinaigrette
Servings: 12 (2 T. per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 44 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 Tablespoons light mayonnaise
  • 6 Tablespoons honey
  • 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 5 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Additional Add-Ins (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
  • 1 pinch red chili pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. Place mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, Dijon, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Mix, using a whisk or an electric mixer. Continue to mix or whisk until completely blended. NOTE: If adding the (optional) sesame seeds or red chili pepper flakes, stir them into vinaigrette once mixed.

  2. Pour vinaigrette into an airtight container or jar using a funnel. You will end up with about ¾ cup of salad dressing.  The vinaigrette can be used immediately, if necessary.

  3. For BEST flavor, store the vinaigrette in the refrigerator until well-chilled before using. This lets all those yummy flavors have time to intermingle!

  4. Store leftover vinaigrette in an airtight container in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving (2 Tablespoons)
Calories 44 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Trans Fat 0.002g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 53mg2%
Potassium 11mg0%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 0.1g0%
Vitamin A 4IU0%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Creamy Sesame Vinaigrette is easy to make in under 5 minutes! It's delicious, and tastes great on mixed green salads or roasted asparagus.

Blueberry Dessert Sauce

Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It’s made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.
Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It's made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.

One of my all time FAVORITE desserts is cheesecake. Seriously. I can never get enough of that decadent dessert, especially when it is topped with a sweet fruit sauce (strawberry, cherry or blueberry, to name a few).

Today I want to show you how simple it is to make a delicious blueberry dessert sauce with just a few ingredients. It tastes wonderful on many desserts (ice cream, pound cake, etc.), but my favorite way to enjoy it is on top of a big ol’ piece of cheesecake! The sauce not only LOOKS good when served, it adds another layer of plump, juicy blueberry flavor to the dessert! Here’s how to make this yummy, sweet sauce.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making The Blueberry Sauce

Place 6 Tablespoons of blueberry jam and 2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice in a medium sized saucepan. Stir the mixture to combine the two ingredients and heat on low, only until the mixture is heated through.

NOTE: This recipe is unique because of its use of blueberry jam. Because the jam is already sweetened, there is no need for additional sugar. Blueberry jam can be found in most grocery stores nowadays which is quite convenient, but I like to use my homemade jam. If you like to can foods, here is my recipe for making homemade blueberry jam (enough to can and keep in long term storage).

Blueberry jam and lemon juice are warmed in a saucepan on low heat.

In a separate small bowl, whisk or stir together water and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Stir the cornstarch “slurry” into the saucepan with the jam mixture until well-combined.

Water and cornstarch are mixed together in a small bowl until smooth and lump-free.A water and cornstarch slurry is added to the blueberry jam and lemon juice in pan.

Continue cooking the blueberry dessert sauce on low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly. This usually only takes a couple minutes, so keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.

The blueberry dessert sauce is cooked until it has slightly thickened, then it's cooled.

Final Step For Making The Sauce

When the sauce has cooled down slightly, add the blueberries and grated lemon zest to the pan. Stir gently, to incorporate these ingredients into the sauce. Let the blueberry dessert sauce finish cooling to room temperature, then it’s ready to use as a dessert topping.

NOTE: If you are using frozen blueberries, make sure they are thawed and drained before adding them to the sauce.

Grated lemon zest and fresh (or frozen, but thawed) blueberries are added to the saucepan.A saucepan with the finished blueberry dessert sauce, ready to be used on desserts.

Serve The Blueberry Dessert Sauce

My favorite way to use this blueberry sauce is to spoon it over a nice slice of cheesecake! The sauce has a small pop of fresh citrus flavor, thanks to the addition of lemon zest, which makes it taste so good!

Blueberry dessert sauce also tastes wonderful as a topping for vanilla ice cream or pound cake. This recipe will yield approximately 12 servings (2 Tablespoons per serving), and any leftover sauce can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days.

A slice of cheesecake is topped with some of the blueberry dessert sauce for serving. We served it as a dessert topping on cheesecake recently to dinner guests, and it was a big hit with them! I hope you enjoy this dessert sauce as much as we do. Thanks for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More DESSERT SAUCE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious, sweet dessert sauces you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Original recipe source: “Treasury of Christmas”, page 404, published in 1996 by Publications International., Inc.

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0 from 0 votes
Blueberry Dessert Sauce
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It's made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.

Category: Dessert Sauce, Sauces
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blueberry dessert sauce
Servings: 12 (2 T. per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 37 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 Tablespoons blueberry jam
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup blueberries fresh OR frozen (thawed/drained)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated yellow peel)
Instructions
  1. Place blueberry jam and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine ingredients. Heat on low, only until heated through.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk (or stir) water and cornstarch until smooth and lump-free. Add to jam mixture in pan, stirring until well-combined. Cook on low heat until sauce has thickened slightly (a couple minutes), stirring occasionally. Once sauce thickens, remove pan from the heat; let sauce cool for 2-3 minutes.

  3. Once sauce has cooled slightly, add blueberries and lemon zest. Stir gently, to incorporate these ingredients into the sauce. Let sauce cool to room temperature before serving.

  4. Blueberry dessert sauce tastes wonderful as a topping for cheesecake, vanilla ice cream or pound cake. Recipe will yield about 12 servings (2 Tablespoons per serving). Leftover sauce can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Blueberry Dessert Sauce
Amount Per Serving (2 Tablespoons)
Calories 37 Calories from Fat 1
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.1g0%
Saturated Fat 0.01g0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.01g
Sodium 4mg0%
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 0.4g2%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 0.1g0%
Vitamin A 7IU0%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It's made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!
Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!

Did you know it actually is very simple to make homemade caramel sauce at home? YEP… it sure is! The only ingredients needed to make it are butter, sugar and whipping cream (or half and half). That’s it! Best of all, you can make it in under 10 minutes! The recipe as written below, will yield about 1½ cups of sauce, and can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator.

This creamy caramel sauce is lip-smackin’ good, too! Buttery and smooth, you may find yourself dipping a big old spoon into it, in order to get a good taste. Knowing how to make homemade caramel sauce can save you yet another trip to the grocery store to buy it, which is a plus in my book! Here’s how to make this delicious dessert sauce:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Let’s Make Some Caramel Sauce

Place 4 Tablespoons of softened butter into a large skillet (non-stick or cast iron work best!). Add 1¼ cups of granulated sugar, and then cook on Medium-High heat and stir, as the sugar begins melting. Keep an eye on the pan, because the sugar will slowly start to lightly brown. Stir it occasionally, and watch it carefully, so it doesn’t burn. In the 3rd photo below, you can see the sugar has begun to melt at the bottom of the skillet.

Butter and granulated sugar are heated in a large skillet.As it cooks, the sugar and butter begin to turn slightly brown in color.The granulated sugar begins to melt as it heats up in the skillet.

Keep cooking until the sugar turns amber in color (as shown below), stirring as it cooks. The heating time will usually be about 3-5 minutes total, so keep an eye on it! Once the sugar has completely melted, and the caramel sauce is smooth (no lumps), remove the skillet immediately from the heat.

Butter and granulated sugar begin to turn amber in color and liquefy as it cooks.Once sugar and butter are completely melted and smooth, the skillet is removed from the heat.

Time To Finish The Caramel Sauce!

When the skillet is OFF the heat, slowly pour a cup of heavy whipping cream (or half and half) into the skillet. The COLD cream will sputter and bubble as it is added to the smooth, HOT caramel mixture! Keep stirring or whisking in the cream until it has fully been incorporated into the homemade caramel sauce.

Whipping cream (or half and half) is stirred into the hot caramel sauce.

Serving Homemade Caramel Sauce

Once the cream has been incorporated fully into the sauce, the homemade caramel sauce is ready to go! We usually let it cool slightly, then spoon the WARM sauce over a favorite dessert.

Homemade caramel sauce tastes wonderful drizzled over ice cream, or on top of a slice of pound cake! We also love to drizzle it over apple pie, apple bars, or my Apple Shortbread Tart (seen in 2nd photo below). I’ve also been known (*cough, cough) to enjoy a spoonful of it all by itself… YUM!

Homemade caramel sauce is drizzled over vanilla ice cream.Apple shortbread tart and ice cream, drizzled with the homemade caramel sauce.

The homemade caramel sauce leftovers can be stored up to a week, when covered and refrigerated. It will solidify some as it is chilled. To re-use it, gently reheat the sauce and then give it a good stir before serving.

Leftover caramel sauce is stored in a covered container in a refrigerator for up to a week.

I hope you have the chance to make this simple homemade caramel sauce. It tastes great on a variety of desserts, and is simple to make, from the convenience of home. Thanks for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious, family-friendly recipes.

Looking For More DESSERT SAUCE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several delicious dessert sauces for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Recipe adapted from a recipe (page 114), torn out of an old issue of Sunset Magazine (original month and year are unknown)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
7 mins
 

Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!

Category: Dessert Sauce
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: homemade caramel sauce
Servings: 24 (1 Tablespoon per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 91 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (don't use margarine)
  • cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half
Instructions
  1. Place butter in a large skillet. Add 1¼ cups of granulated sugar; cook on Medium-High heat and stir, as sugar begins melting. Keep an eye on the pan-sugar will slowly start to brown. Stir occasionally, and watch carefully, so it doesn't burn. Sugar will begin to liquefy.

  2. Keep cooking until sugar turns amber in color; keep stirring as it cooks. Total cooking time is usually 3-5 minutes total, Once sugar has completely melted, and sauce is smooth (no lumps), remove skillet immediately from heat.

  3. Slowly pour whipping cream (or half and half) into skillet. The COLD cream will sputter and bubble as it is added to HOT caramel mixture! Keep stirring or whisking in the cream until it is fully incorporated into caramel sauce.

  4. Let sauce cool slightly, then serve WARM sauce over a favorite dessert. Leftover sauce can be stored in a covered container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation was made using heavy whipping cream.
**If you are using half and half instead, each serving (1 Tablespoon) will be approx. 70 calories. 

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 91 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 18mg1%
Potassium 10mg0%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin A 204IU4%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 0.02mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!

 

Homemade French Salad Dressing

Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! It’s great on salads!
Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! Great on salads!

I love to make homemade salad dressing in the comfort of my own kitchen! For some reason, they always seem to taste better… maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part, but they sure are GOOD!

This quick and easy recipe for French salad dressing is a delicious favorite of ours, and I want to share it with you today. When made as written, you should end up with about 16 servings of salad dressing (2 Tablespoons per serving). The recipe can easily be doubled, too!

Over the years I’ve made quite a few salad dressings from scratch (at least 10 different kinds), and this recipe ranks right up there near the top! Tangy, sweet, and filled with great flavor, I think you will love this dressing on your favorite mixed green salad! Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make French Salad Dressing

The first thing you will do is combine granulated sugar, oil, and white vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring often, and let it boil for 3 minutes. When finished, the sugar will be completely dissolved. Set the pan aside.

Sugar, oil, and vinegar are boiled in saucepan to begin making the French salad dressing.

Place ketchup, salt, Worcestershire sauce and finely grated onion in a separate medium bowl. TIP: Use the small holes on a box grater to finely grate the onion, because you want to have very tiny pieces of onion to pulverize in the blender later.

Stir well, to fully mix these ingredients. Once mixed, you are ready to blend all the ingredients together to make homemade French salad dressing!

Ketchup, salt, Worcestershire sauce and grated onion are combined in a bowl.Small holes in a box grater are used to finely grate onion for the salad dressing. The base for the French salad dressing is combined in bowl.

Time To Blend!

Place the ketchup and onion mixture into a blender. Pour the sugar/oil/vinegar syrup into the blender, as well. Put the lid on the blender. Begin to blend the ingredients on LOW speed, just until combined.

Once lightly blended, increase speed to medium, and let the French salad dressing blend for 3-4 minutes. The blending will allow the ingredients to fully blend and let the oil emulsify and incorporate with the other ingredients.

When done, the salad dressing will be smooth and creamy! HOORAY! You just made your very own homemade French salad dressing! Let the salad dressing cool just a bit (still in the blender), and then transfer it into a serving bottle (I use a funnel).

 Cover and refrigerate the salad dressing until ready to use. You can store the salad dressing in any kind of container as long as it has a lid and is airtight.

The salad dressing is blended for several minutes to fully combine the ingredients.Once fully blended, the French dressing is creamy and smooth.The homemade French salad dressing is transferred to a serving jar once done.

Time to Enjoy The Homemade French Salad Dressing

When you’re ready to use it, simply pour or drizzle (with a spoon) the salad dressing onto your mixed green salad, serve and enjoy!

It has wonderful flavor, and I truly believe you will love this salad dressing! Store any leftover salad dressing (covered) in the refrigerator.

A Tablespoon of salad dressing is drizzled onto a mixed green salad on a white plate.Green salad, ready to eat, topped with French salad dressing.

I really hope you enjoy serving this delicious French salad dressing on your favorite green salads! We sure do. Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes! Have a great day.

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful homemade salad dressing recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (recipe found written on an index card in an OLD recipe box)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Homemade French Salad Dressing
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! Great on salads!

Category: Condiments, Salad Dressing
Cuisine: French
Keyword: French salad dressing
Servings: 16 (2T. per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 96 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ medium yellow onion finely grated
Instructions
  1. Combine granulated sugar, oil, and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Let boil, stirring often, for 3 minutes; remove from heat. Set pan aside.

  2. In separate bowl, combine ketchup, salt, Worcestershire, and finely grated onion. Tip: use small holes on a box grater to finely grate onion. Stir well.

  3. Combine ketchup mixture and oil/sugar mixture in blender. Put on lid. Blend on LOW speed until combined (without splashing). Once lightly blended, increase speed to medium, and blend 3-4 minutes. When done, salad dressing will be smooth and creamy! Let cool slightly, then transfer to covered container.

  4. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then drizzle over green salad. Store leftover dressing (covered) in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Homemade French Salad Dressing
Amount Per Serving (1 (2 Tablespoons))
Calories 96 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Sodium 145mg6%
Potassium 32mg1%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 39IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! Great on salads!

 

 

Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade

Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to your chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It’s good on steak, too.
Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It's good on steak, too.

I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try, and nine times out of ten, we end up enjoying them! This simple marinade is full of flavor, and is a cinch to make. The recipe makes enough to marinate 4 pieces of chicken (shown in my photos) or it can also be used to marinate 2 beef steaks. This recipe can easily be doubled for larger quantities of meat.

I found this recipe years ago in one of the old cookbooks in my collection, and changed a couple things, to suit our taste. The original author said it is a “copycat” recipe from Stuart Anderson’s steakhouse. They use it primarily on steaks, but we think it is a FANTASTIC marinade for chicken! We haven’t had a Stuart Anderson’s restaurant in our city for many years, but I knew their marinade recipe HAD to be good. Guess what? It IS good!

NOTE: The meat you use will need to marinate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) for the BEST flavor, so plan ahead. I usually put the marinated meat into the refrigerator first thing in the morning, and it’s perfectly marinated by dinner time! EASY PEASY! Here’s how to make this smoky grilled chicken marinade.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making The Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade Is EASY!

The ingredients in this marinade are Liquid Smoke (found in most grocery stores), garlic, oil, water, salt, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. Measure all of the ingredients (except for the meat) into a medium sized bowl. Whisk these ingredients well, for a couple minutes, until they become fully blended.

Ingredients to make the smoky grilled chicken marinade are mixed together in a bowl.After mixing, the flavorful marinade is ready to add to raw chicken.

Marinating The Chicken Pieces

Place 4 pieces chicken (I used 4 thighs) in a container with a lid OR in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the meat, and then seal the bag. Make sure some of the marinade covers all sides of the meat.

Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator and let the meat marinate for at least 4 hours OR overnight. Occasionally turn the bag over to re-distribute the marinade, for best results.

Four chicken thighs are soaking in the marinade in a re-sealable bag for several hours.

Onto The Grill They Go!

Remove the chicken from the marinade after it has marinated for at least 4 hours. You can discard any remaining marinade. Cook the chicken (or steaks, if using) on a hot BBQ grill until done.

Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (white meat) and 165°F (dark meat). **If using the marinade for steaks, cook them to your desired doneness. Once done, transfer the cooked meat to a serving platter.

Chicken cooking on the BBQ after soaking in the smoky grilled chicken marinade for hours.

Ready To Enjoy Some Delicious Grilled Chicken!

Now you’re ready to enjoy the chicken with it’s nice flavor from the smoky grilled chicken marinade. Serve the chicken (or steak) with a couple of your favorite side dishes and enjoy a delicious, simple meal.

Grilled chicken thighs are ready to enjoy after marinating in sauce, then being grilled.Ready to eat the chicken flavored with smoky grilled chicken marinade,The grilled chicken thighs have a nice smoky flavor and are served with fruit salad and rice.

I hope you’ll try this simple recipe for smoky grilled chicken marinade. It imparts a nice, “smoky” flavor to the chicken (or steaks, if using), which we really enjoy. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a great day!

Looking For More SAUCE Or MARINADE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a variety of sauce recipes, both savory and sweet you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Recipe adapted from: the book “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, published 1997 by The Penguin Group, page 281.

0 from 0 votes
Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade
Prep Time
5 mins
Marinating Time (inactive prep)
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to your chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It's good on steak, too.

Category: Grilling Sauce, Marinades
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smoky grilled chicken marinade
Servings: 1 TOTAL AMOUNT
Calories Per Serving: 80 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup water
  • teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon minced, fresh parsley
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes , optional, but good
Enough for 4 pieces chicken OR 2 beef steaks
    Instructions
    1. Measure all ingredients (except for the meat) in a medium sized bowl. Whisk well for a couple minutes, until fully blended.

    2. Place 4 pieces chicken (or 2 steaks) in a flat container with a lid OR in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into the bag/container; seal bag/container. Make sure all sides of meat are covered with some of the marinade. Place bag/container in refrigerator. Let meat marinate at least 4 hours OR overnight. Occasionally turn bag (or meat in container) over to re-distribute the marinade, for best flavor. When ready to cook, remove meat from bag or container. Discard marinade.

    3. Cook chicken on a hot BBQ grill until done. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (white meat) and 165°F (dark meat). If using the marinade for steaks, cook them to your liking. Once done, transfer the cooked meat to a serving platter. Serve, and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTES: The total amount of marinade is enough for 4 pieces of chicken OR 2 steaks, but can easily be doubled.

    Nutrition Facts
    Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade
    Amount Per Serving (1 Total Amount Of Marinade)
    Calories 80 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Sodium 3542mg154%
    Potassium 32mg1%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 32IU1%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 19mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It's good on steak, too.

     

    Apple Cider Vinaigrette

    Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.
    Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.

    Do you enjoy homemade salad dressings? I sure do, and think it’s fun to make salad dressings from scratch using ingredients found in our kitchen. I’ve experimented with many salad dressings over the years, and have posted a LOT of them on this blog.

    Today I want to share a recipe for apple cider vinaigrette, which can be easily made in a few minutes. The vinaigrette tastes great on spinach salads or mixed green salads. Typically a vinaigrette combines oil and some type of vinegar. The vinegar used in this recipe is apple cider vinegar. Other fresh ingredients and spices are added to give the vinaigrette extra flavor and slight sweetness. I really think you will enjoy this salad dressing. Here’s how easy it is to make:

    What Ingredients Will I Need To Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette?

    The ingredients needed are olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, maple syrup and salt and pepper.  These are fairly common ingredients, and because I keep them on hand, it’s easy to whip up a batch of vinaigrette for salads.

    The ingredients are gathered to make apple cider vinaigrette.

    Mixing The Vinaigrette

    It is so easy to make apple cider vinaigrette! Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl or in a jar or container that has a tight fitting lid. If you are using a bowl for mixing, whisk the ingredients together well, until the vinaigrette has emulsified. This means the oil and vinegar and other ingredients are thoroughly combined.

    If you are mixing the vinaigrette in a jar or container, place the ingredients into the container and seal with the lid. Vigorously shake the sealed jar until the oil, vinegar and other ingredients have emulsified, and are completely combined..

    The apple cider vinaigrette is mixed, then poured into a cruet for pouring onto salad.

    Ready To Use!

    Once the apple cider vinaigrette is combined, it can be used immediately to drizzle on a favorite green salad. You can also refrigerate the vinaigrette (covered) in the refrigerator until ready to use. TIP: If using AFTER refrigerating, remove the jar from the fridge a couple minutes before using. Shake the jar (or whisk in the bowl) really well before drizzling on the salad.

    That’s it! You made apple cider vinaigrette from scratch! We especially enjoy this vinaigrette used to compliment a Spinach, Apple and Goat Cheese Salad (shown below). It’s really tasty.

    This salad dressing tastes wonderful on a spinach or mixed green salad.

    I love making homemade salad dressings, and hope you will enjoy trying this easy recipe! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful day.

    Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of homemade, delicious salad dressings to choose from, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/my-favorite-apple-spinach-salad/

    0 from 0 votes
    Apple Cider Vinaigrette
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    5 mins
     

    Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.

    Category: Salad Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: apple cider vinaigrette
    Servings: 12 Tablespoons (approx. 3/4 cup total)
    Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 med. clove garlic , peeled and minced
    • 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (or honey)
    • 1 pinch salt and black pepper (each) , to taste
    Instructions
    1. If Mixing Vinaigrette In A Bowl: Place all ingredients in the bowl. Whisk together well, until oil, vinegar, and other ingredients have emulsified, and are completely combined.

    2. If Mixing Vinaigrette In Jar or Container: Place all ingredients into container and cover with tight fitting lid. Vigorously shake sealed jar until the oil, vinegar and other ingredients have emulsified, and are completely combined..

    3. Store (covered) in refrigerator. If using after refrigeration, remove vinaigrette a couple minutes before serving. Vigorously shake jar (or whisk, if in bowl) to re-combine ingredients before using. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Apple Cider Vinaigrette
    Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
    Calories 60 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Sodium 18mg1%
    Potassium 12mg0%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 1IU0%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 3mg0%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.