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After all the chocolate chip cookies we’ve been eating lately, we were inspired to do this salad bar party. Do you remember that post? Then, we thought it would be fun to do a roundup of our favorite homemade salad dressings! Over the next couple of weeks that’s what we’re going to do so that we don’t have to feel so guilty after devouring yummy chocolate.

1.  How to Throw a Salad Bar Party with FREE Printable Labels

2. Basic Creamy Salad Dressing and Simple Balsamic Dressing

3. Green Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

4. Papaya & Avocado Salad with Papaya Seed Dressing

5. Chicken Pesto Caesar Salad

6.  Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

I do love a good salad, but sometimes I will get on a salad kick if I am trying to shed a couple cookie pounds. The problem is that once I find out what’s inside the dressing, I realize I probably should have just eaten a burger. Who doesn’t love a nice creamy salad dressing on top of a bed of crispy lettuce? At any rate, I do feel better after eating a salad, regardless of the ingredients that make the dressing so YUM! The salad dressing recipe I am going to share with you is so basic, but a total go to dressing for us. I try to not buy too many salad dressings because 1. they’re expensive and 2. they usually have a ton of sodium. Every time I have made this dressing I get asked what the brand is. When I tell them it’s homemade their eyes bug out as if making a salad dressing is the hardest thing to do. It’s not though!

For starters, when I am home alone and want an easy salad for lunch, I make a simple balsamic dressing. A friend of mine who went to Culinary School “taught” me how to make this.

Simple Balsamic Dressing

• A little olive oil and balsamic. About 3:1 ratio.
• A quirt of Dijon dressing: this helps bind the ingredients together.
• A little salt and pepper

Seriously, that’s it! All I do is mix in a small bowl and pour on top of my greens. I bet you have these ingredients already! After you read this post, you’ll have 2 simple and basic salad dressings to choose from.

Basic Creamy Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup light mayo
• 1 tsp dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 1-2 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp water
• salt and pepper to taste

To make your creamy salad dressing just combine all the ingredients and mix well. Chill for at least 20 minutes so all the ingredients can meld together. Keep in a sealed container and it lasts for about 3 days.

**Note: I love this OXO Good Grips Salad Shaker as well as this Pampered Chef Mix and Pour Container.**

What’s your favorite salad dressing?

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Basic Creamy Salad Dressing

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Author:Kimber

Print Review Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light mayo
• 1 tsp dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 1-2 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp water
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
• Chill for at least 20 minutes so all the ingredients can meld together.
• Store in a sealed container and it lasts for about 3 days.

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

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