We eat salad pretty much every night. 90% of the time it's homemade salad dressing, the other 10% it's Kraft Greek dressing. I've honestly never come across a Greek Salad dressing I like more than this bottled stuff. (please don't send me Greek Salad dressing recipes, I'm actually pretty happy that 10% of the time I don't have to make my own dressing)
Here's a quiz for you:
Most people don't make their own salad dressings because:
a) They're stupid
b) They're lazy
c) All of the above
If you chose c) you're right. I know this because I used to be both stupid and lazy. I couldn't remember the 4 ingredients of my salad dressings for the life of me (stupid) and I couldn't be bothered to look them up and make the dressing (lazy)
So I came up with this handy solution so you too can be brilliant and ambitious as opposed to stupid and lazy.
Write the measurements on a glass bottle.
Yup. That's it.
You'll need to measure your salad dressing recipe into the bottle once. Measure out and add the required amount of vinegar, then mark a line for vinegar. Add the required amount of oil, then mark a line for oil. And on and on.
You'll also need the appropriate pen. It needs to be an oil based paint marker. You can use a Sharpie Oil Based paint marker for instance. Amazon sells them on-line and craft stores and sometime hardware stores carry them. They're around $5. ATTENTION! The big, fat liar known as the Internet will lead yo to believe you can just use a regular sharpie then bake the bottle in the oven for half an hour to make the Sharpie permanent. This is a big, fat Internet lie. This technique may work on ceramics that have a slightly rougher surface, but it will not work on smooth glass. Won't. Will not.
Then every time you make salad dressing, all you have to do is grab the bottle and fill with the required ingredients to their fill lines. No measuring. No trying to remember what goes in it.
The one thing you have to watch out for is the oil. Pour your dressing from the opposite side of the jar that the writing is on. Rubbing with water may not be able to remove the writing, but a drip of oil is dangerous.
Interested in making the super-delicious salad in the picture above? Here's my recipe. It has spring mix, strawberries, spiced pecans, brie cheese ... and is pretty stinkin' delicious.
Hey you. YOU THERE! You're kindda brilliant and ambitious. Good for you.
This is why I love you Karen..I learn how to do things the easy way making me look smart.."Nancy..You are so smart and not lazy".."Yes..Yes I know that"..HA!..Therefore I get to bask in the glory of your brilliance!!
Paint the side with the writing with Modge Podge. Hand wash it, and it shouldn't come off, and then you won't have to worry about oil drips...
I am moved by the brilliance of this idea. True story.
Totally going to do this! Great tip.
This is my fav easy French style salad dressing. I use the tomato sauce instead of soup. I make my own sauce and freeze it during the summer and have plenty. And I seldom used canned goods. But I think when made with tomato sauce it is a really great tasting dressing and easy to whip up.
1 cup tomato sauce or 1 cup tomato soup
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 dash Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 garlic clove (optional)
Directions:
Place all ingredients into a bottle or jar.
Cover tightly and shake well.
Chill several hours.
Remove garlic, if used.
Shake well again.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/grandma-stephens-tomato-french-dressing-151209?oc=linkback
Thanks Ann. I've tried a million different French dressing recipes with no success at all. I'll copy this to one try. It looks promising. ~ karen!
I am too lazy to make my own dressing. You MUST try Renee's Greek dressing. You can find it in the refrigerator section in the grocery store. I used to buy the Kraft Greek, but Renee's has so much more flavor. You will be hooked!
This is a great idea!! Thanks.
I agree 95% except my fave is Renees Greek Salad dressing. The rest of the time I make my own and it is usually your amazing maple syrup dressing. Can't wait until spring so we can get FRESH salad mix!
Thanks for what looks like a great recipe. The maple syrup sounds like a great addition! I'll be stocking up on syrup, as this coming Sunday is Maple Sugar Sunday in Maine...yum.
I won't send you any recipes for Greek dressings, but I will encourage you to put some Greek oregano into your garden. It makes all the difference in making authentic tasting Greek dishes!
I will have to try your recipe. Pinning it! Cheers.
life is too short to use bottled dressings (~yuck~)
Good Seasons sells a bottle that has lines already on it, btw =)
Perhaps you could write with fingernail polish....?
Yup! That's an idea. Kindda hard, but it could probably somehow be done. ~ karen!
Nail polish pen. Or just color coded dots: Yellow for olive oil, red for vinegar, orange for mustard, etc.
LOL. If I can't remember my recipe I definitely won't be able to remember which colour dot corresponds with which ingredient. Might be able to write with the polish pen tho. ~ karen!
Really, Kraft? All Kraft dressing taste like, well KRAFT. ugh. But you are forgiven this one transgression. (there is only the one, right?)
Elizabeth - It really doesn't! It's actually a really good Greek Dressing. Cross my heart. ~ karen!
Now I want a salad for breakfast.
Thanks Karen, you make it so easy!
Very wonderful. I would have just called myself forgetful, but . . . your harsher terms "stupid and lazy" fit also.
I make my salad dressings only 1/4 of the time for this EXACT reason. Durn it. Why can't I remember the ingredients? Very clever. Also, I like your salad dressing pourer. Very descriptive, i know. Just wondering. . .is that how you house it in your fridge? Does it have a top, so you get no spills? I use mason jars, but they are a booger when pouring. It wouldn't really be that bad. . .but well you know. . .this is where that stupid and lazy bit comes into play.
Nicki - Yup, that's how I keep the dressing in the fridge. The jar has a metal lid that sticks on it. ~ karen!
And, this would be a good time to note to Nikki about your sponsor/advertiser who sells the mason jar lids with a little spout thingy. Might help with the pouring of salad dressing out of her mason jars. Just trying to make a sale for you:)
You're right! She hasn't advertised with me for a while ... out of site out of mind I guess. ReCap mason jar lids! ~ karen
LOVE this idea. Big thanks from a former stupid and lazy salad maker! :)
You should get into decals. There are some waterslide transfer decals that you can bake on in your oven. In the past I've screen printed my own decals using glazes onto waterslide transfer paper, coated the top with clear spray paint and let it dry before applying. After that I would fire them in kiln but you might be able to modify your print medium for a lower temperature for curing in a conventional oven. But it would be highly experimental. :) Feel free to email me if you are interested or want more info.
This post is useless without a recipe. How dare you hold out on us. ;)
You are brilliant & I am kicking myself for not having done this before now!!! Guess that's why you make the big bucks ;)
Anyhoo, I completely agree with the Kraft Greek Dressing thing except I also add some Epicure Greek Herbs to my Greek Salad ... best. greek. salad. ever & super easy!!
Hi Karen! I am obsessed with making my own dressings as well! Most all of my dressings are 4 ingredients, flavored oil, flavored vinegar, salt and pepper! BUT... I my obsession started only because of Fustini's Oil and Vinegars. They are the most amazing oils and balsamics I have ever had. I don't work for them, I just love them. My favorite combo: the Sage Mushroom Olive Oil with the Espresso Bean Balsamic... sounds weird, but it is life changing. I just had to share. :o) http://fustinis.com/
I'll be trying your mix as well! We eat lots of salad too!