Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

You’re going to love this classic, home style, and flavorful buttermilk ranch dressing!  It’s perfect for all types of salads. Whether you’re throwing together a simple side or a gourmet entree, this homemade buttermilk ranch dressing is just what you need to make a memorable salad. Garlic powder, Dijon mustard, and green onion give it a complex blend of bold and fresh flavor. Trust me- once you try it, you’ll never want store-bought again.

The best part about this dressing? It’s so darn easy to make and store. You simply combine everything in the food processor, seal and refrigerate it for an hour, and voila! We like to double the recipe and store it in a salad dressing bottle. That way we always have it on hand and never have to buy it.

Ever heard of women carrying around ranch dressing in their purses? I’m pretty sure they carry around this buttermilk ranch. The buttermilk gives it such a pleasant, creamy consistency that it truly goes with everything. I totally get why some people eat ranch at practically every meal. If you like ranch, be sure to check out my avocado ranch vegetable dip– it’s one of my favorites.

This buttermilk ranch dressing is near and dear to my heart because (no exaggeration) I’m addicted to salad. I LOVE a big, green, leafy salad with lots of fresh veggies, avocado, and chicken. I’ve always been a salad lover, and this dressing definitely meets my high standards.

When you make this, consider whipping up some coleslaw, too. The two recipes contain many of the same ingredients like Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, so you might as well make them both at the same time.

Do you love salad- how about ranch dressing? Let me know by leaving a comment.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 green onion, chopped (green and white part)
• 2 pinches garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Place Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, green onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into food processor. Grind until smooth, approximately 30 seconds. Add mayonnaise, yogurt, and buttermilk and grind until creamy, approximately 15 seconds.
2. Cover and place in refrigerator. Chill 1 hour before serving. Yields 1 cup of dressing.

Lemon Ginger Shrimp Skewers with Yum Yum Sauce

Recreate your favorite hibachi restaurant at home with these juicy, lemon ginger shrimp skewers dipped in refreshing, homemade yum yum sauce. The flavors are a divine contrast. While the shrimp are tangy, the yum yum sauce is cool and creamy. Every bite contains complex and contradicting flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.

For me going to a hibachi restaurant has always been a memorable event. Between their unique atmosphere and the quality of their food, I pretty much remember each and every time I’ve eaten hibachi. I even remember as a kid seeing the onion volcano for the first time. I was utterly amazed and delighted. (I hope you know what I’m talking about!).

This shrimp skewer recipe brings the thrill and excitement of hibachi right to your home. While I don’t recommend you attempt knife tossing in your kitchen, I do recommend eating this recipe when you’re in the mood for something fun and refined. The yum yum sauce is so fresh, you’re going to want an entire bottle of it in your fridge at all times. The shrimp are so tangy and complex, you’ll be shocked by how much flavor something so small can contain.

Considering all the flavor and fun this dish has, you’d think it’d be difficult to make, but that’s not the case. In fact, it’s pretty simple. The only caveat being you have to plan ahead since the shrimp have to marinate overnight.

I actually like entrees that allow me to do most of the work ahead of time. The first reason being that I don’t have to cook much the next day when I’m hungry and ready to eat. The second reason being the anticipation. I get to look forward to a great meal, because yes, I daydream about upcoming meals…Anyway, for this recipe I like to make the yum yum sauce the night before when I make the shrimp marinade. If you go this route, be sure to store the yum yum sauce in a tightly sealed jar or container in the refrigerator (and to not eat it all before you eat your shrimp skewers!).

I hope you have as much fun as I did making these shrimp skewers and transform YOUR kitchen into your own hibachi place. As always leave me a comment with any questions, comments, or if you would like to further discuss onion volcanoes.

Ingredients

Shrimp Skewers

• 1 & 1/2 lbs. medium (20 – 30 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
• kabob skewers
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Yum Yum Sauce

• 1/2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. & 1 tsp. milk
• 3/4 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine ginger, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Pour into large ziplock bag along with shrimp. Marinate in refrigerator overnight.
2. Whisk together butter, mayonnaise, milk, tomato paste, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate in sealed jar or container.
3. Preheat oven to broiler setting. Lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Slide 3 to 4 shrimp onto each kabob skewer, piercing each shrimp twice, and lay onto baking sheet.
4. Once oven is heated, broil shrimp on baking sheet for 1 minute on top rack. Remove from oven. Flip each skewer. Broil another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with yum yum sauce. Yields 4 servings.

Be sure to check out this recipe and more at Fiesta Friday #109 co-hosted by Little Sweet Baker and thebrookcook.

Must-Have Taco Seasoning

As a born and raised Texan, I eat a lot of Mexican food and Tex-Mex. I make veggie tacos and mushroom spinach quesadillas almost weekly. I have tried many different brands of taco seasoning and homemade recipes. I finally found a recipe I absolutely adore. It’s balanced and flavorful. If you’re like me and cook Mexican food often, don’t make this seasoning each time you need it; instead, quadruple this recipe and store it in a spice jar labeled “Taco Seasoning.”

Recipe courtesy of All Recipes and can be found here: Taco Seasoning Recipe

Here it is at 4x, so you can store it in bulk.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. & 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. & 1 tsp. black pepper