Crowning Touches

I know, I know.  This category isn’t an event at all. I just had to include here my favorite salad dressings and homemade sauces.

My brother-in-law Aart always made buttermilk ranch dressing when we came to visit. The kids couldn’t get enough.  I wasn’t that much into home cooking when my kids were littles.  I always had the popular brand-name ranch dressing in the house. What a huge difference! I will of course include his recipe.

When I am eating my healthiest, I love making oil-free dressings. It is a wonderful way to cut back on calories.  When I am at my peak performance, I even follow the rules of caloric density. Not every day, but enough to stay feeling my best.

When “Healthy Dana” does the grocery shopping, there are lots of salad ingredients in the refrigerator. If I am on top of my game, I will even take an hour and slice, dice, cut and package them all for quick use. Then, a freshly made salad with homemade dressing is a snap to pull together.

Have you made ketchup?  Well, I have. It is a great way to eliminate the high fructose corn syrup found in most brands.  I add honey if I want a sweeter batch. Once the ketchup is made, it is a breeze to make the BBQ sauce.

If you can buy it in a can or jar at the store, you can make it at home.