Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

This post is entirely credited to my wonderful husband!  My birthday is later this month {it's a big one} and Bradley is trying to make it really special for me.  He knows I love Caesar salad, so he scoured the internet for an amazing recipe, headed to the store for the needed supplies, and whipped up this awesome dressing.  We're going to keep tweaking it a bit here and there, but it really is delicious.  Some Caesar dressings have a really fishy taste, but this one contained the right balance {we thought}.

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing {and Caesar Salad}

1 1/2 anchovy filets
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Romaine lettuce
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
croutons

In a food processor, chop the anchovy filets and garlic.  Add in the remaining ingredients until well combined.  Add more half and half, if desired, to thin out the dressing.  Store it in the fridge for about 3 hours before using, as this helps the flavors to blend.

*This dressing made enough for 6 individual salads. 

The Chef

We used this kind of anchovy filets.  They were less than $2.

This is what they look like, and don't fear, because they just smell a tad like tuna fish, not bad at all.

To finish off your salad, make some croutons!

In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter.  Place a piece of bread on top and grill until golden.

Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan, and place bread in once more to toast the other side.

Cut into little squares to place on top of salad.

Break lettuce into bite-size pieces onto salad plate, top with croutons, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and dollops of Caesar dressing.

source: Food.com, Kittencal's Famous Caesar Salad

Mixed Greens and Fruit Salad with Sweet Fruity Salad Dressing

One of my cooking goals this year is to make various kinds of salad dressing.  I love a good deal in the grocery store, and certainly bottled salad dressing is one of the things that you can buy very inexpensively, with sales and coupons.  However, I've noticed that most of the kinds on sale expire within a couple of months, so stocking up proves to be rather pointless.  And, I'm not always fond of the ingredients listed on the back of the bottle.  With just a few basic ingredients, you can make a ton of different kinds of dressings that taste wonderful, are fresh, and are satisfying because you made them with your own two hands!

As I go a bit further into my salad dressing making process, I'll share a post with you on some of the basic ingredients to have on hand if you're looking to make mostly your own dressings.

The first dressing I'm sharing is one that I've used countless times, changing it up a bit each time.  The main ingredient in this one is:  Jam.  And, this dressing works best on a salad that mixes greens with fruit, perfect for any time of year, even in the winter when you can combine some fresh fruits with canned or dried ones.  I recommend making this salad on individual plates, but you could also mix it together in a large serving bowl.  When I've tried it this way, sometimes the fruit tends to drop to the bottom of the bowl, but that may be solved by mixing the dressing in with the salad in the bowl.  

Mixed Greens & Fruit Salad with Sweet Fruity Salad Dressing 

Printable Version

Dressing:

1/4 cup jam {I have used strawberry, raspberry and peach--all homemade, but store bought would work fine too}

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil {or olive oil.  I prefer the vegetable simply because it holds up better once refrigerated}

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, or jar with a tight fitting lid, combine all ingredients except for the oil.  Whisk together, or shake in the jar until well combined.  

Add oil and shake again.  

Save olive oil jars and other glass jars for mixing and storing dressing.

Refrigerate until needed.  Pour over salad.

Salad

Mixed Greens, torn into bite sized pieces

A mixture of any of the following:

Craisins

Mandarin Oranges, from a can {you can also use segments of fresh oranges}

Blueberries

Strawberries, sliced

Toasted almonds

caramelized pecans

Place greens onto individual salad plates.  Top with fruits and nuts of choice.  Drizzle salad dressing over top.