Real Crunchy Step: Seasoning and Salad Dressing

by Denise at Better Than My Best



My new favorite salad consists of Romaine Lettuce, cucumbers (from my garden!), strawberries, feta cheese, and walnuts, topped with a balsamic vinegarette. Although store bought balsamic vinegarette is ok, I never find it to be as good as homemade restaurant dressing, so for this week's crunchy step, I decided to try to make my own.

I found a recipe for a creamy balsamic vinegarette, but it called for less than crunchy ingredients like mayonnaise and something called Morton's Nature's Seasoning. I could make my own mayonnaise, but it would only last a day or two, so I decided a little mayonnaise would be fine this time, but I couldn't bring myself to buy a seasoning mix. There are several different homemade recipes for this seasoning mix, so I picked one that was suggested to use with the homemade balsamic vinegarette dressing.

The Seasoning:

1/3 cup of salt
1/4 cup of black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
2 1/2 TBL sugar
1TBL parsley flakes
2 tsp celery seeds

Since this would make a ton of seasoning, I halfed it. (There are 4 TBL in a 1/4 cup, and for the 1/3 cup of salt, I just eyeballed half of 1/3 cup). I also didn't have quite enough garlic powder. I definitely bought a new bottle a couple of weeks ago but could not find it. I'm sure the next time I go into my spice cabinet, it will be right in front of my face, laughing at me.

Have a cute little girl mix it up for you, until it looks like cigarette ash.

Watch out, all this seasoning mixed together kind of burns your nose.

I poured it into my empty garlic powder bottle. I hear this seasoning is good on all kinds of things. I'll have to google some recipes.

Salad Dressing:

Recipe from www.mylifeasamrs.com

4 cloves garlic, grated
3 TBL mayo
2 TBL lemon juice
1 TBL Dijon mustard
1 TBL Sugar
2 tsp Nature's Seasoning
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix everything but the vinegar and oil. Then mix in vinegar. Then slowly mix in oil. I failed to read the mix in the vinegar and oil seperately, and I think it does matter as mine does not seem to be as creamy as the picture in the original recipe. I also thought it smelled amazing, but the taste was a tad strong. I might lessen the amount of seasoning the next time I make it.

Tonight my vegetarian Sister-in-Law, who introduced me to my new favorite salad, is coming over for dinner. I hope she likes the dressing!



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