Hi Guys (and gals)
Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
Thanks in advance,
Bronwyn

Bronwyn Ferrier Ms wrote:

> Hi Guys (and gals)
> Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
> Bought some this week and found it rather bland.


What brand did you buy?... If you can find the little packs of Hidden
Valley Ranch that you mix with Mayo you'll probably find you enjoy it
*much* better... but if not I've always enjoyed "Ken's Steak House"
brand of Ranch Dressing...


> Can you kind North Americans tell me if there is a particular salad
> which is best for this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.


Any salad should do... It also works wonders as a quick veggie dip...

~john!


....and don't forget about Buffalo Wings!



--
Say hello to the rug's topography...It holds quite a lot of interest
with your face down on it...

"Bronwyn Ferrier Ms" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi Guys (and gals)
> Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
> Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
> Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
> this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
> Thanks in advance,
> Bronwyn

Toping a salad is just the start. Try dipping your pizza in it. Or use for
dipping raw, cut-up vegetables. Add a little cayenne pepper, some paprika,
chilli powder and any other herbs/spices you like and use as a marinade/rub
for poultry. The wife has a few casserole dishes that use it, I think. We
always have a bottle on hand but don't use it much for salads.

SCUBApix wrote:

> "Bronwyn Ferrier Ms" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Hi Guys (and gals)
> > Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
> > Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
> > Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
> > this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Bronwyn
>
> Toping a salad is just the start. Try dipping your pizza in it. Or use for
> dipping raw, cut-up vegetables. Add a little cayenne pepper, some paprika,
> chilli powder and any other herbs/spices you like and use as a marinade/rub
> for poultry. The wife has a few casserole dishes that use it, I think. We
> always have a bottle on hand but don't use it much for salads.

I make a bottle or two of pique (peek) every year. Chop up peppers, pour
boiling white wine vinegar over, set in fridge for month or so & thereafter.
I like a splash of this on lots of things, including ranch dressing. Or just
sprinkle on some more black pepper.
Edrena

Steve Calvin > wrote in message ws.com>...
> Bronwyn Ferrier Ms wrote:
> > Hi Guys (and gals)
> > Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
> > Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
> > Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
> > this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Bronwyn
>
>
> You may want to try making your own. This should get you close and
> then you can alter the ingredients to suite your likes.
>
> 3/4 cup mayonnaise
> 1/2 cup buttermilk
> 1 tablespoon minced parsley
> 2 teaspoons minced onion
> 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
> 1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper
> 1/4 teaspoon salt
> Splash of white vinegar, optional
>
> Put in a jar with a lid and shake the hell out of it. Some diced
> peppers added work well for a veggie dip.

aaahhhh, the secret ingredient is buttermilk? It would probably go
well with a potato salad I suspect. Today I had the cold spiced
chicken wings and dunked them in the ranch d. with a splash of
lousiana hot sauce on top. Good. Will try your recipe before I finish
Newman's and see the difference.
Many thanks.
Bron.

>> "Bronwyn Ferrier Ms" > wrote
..
>> > Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
>> > Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
>> > Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
>> > this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.

Not particularly. Like 'French', Thousand Island, or blue cheese, it's
just another common flavor used mostly for green salads. According to
their web site:

http://www.hiddenvalley.com/

the 'original' version was a mix of herbs&spices blended with
mayonnaise and buttermilk. There are copycat recipes all over the
place that you might check and adjust to your taste.

Frogleg wrote:
>
> >> "Bronwyn Ferrier Ms" > wrote
> .
> >> > Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
> >> > Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
> >> > Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
> >> > this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
>
> Not particularly. Like 'French', Thousand Island, or blue cheese, it's
> just another common flavor used mostly for green salads. According to
> their web site:
>
> http://www.hiddenvalley.com/
>
> the 'original' version was a mix of herbs&spices blended with
> mayonnaise and buttermilk. There are copycat recipes all over the
> place that you might check and adjust to your taste.

I do something very unusual with Ranch dressing. I take canned peaches (canned
in juice) and pour some Ranch dressing over them. There is something about the
mix of sweet and sour that I like.

Drain the peaches well so the liquid does not dilute the dressing.

"Bronwyn Ferrier Ms" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi Guys (and gals)
> Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
> Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
> Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
> this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
> Thanks in advance,
> Bronwyn

The Original Ranch Dressing has a great deal of tang.

The dressing comes in packets and is mixed with buttermilk and mayonnaise.

Here is an example of a knock off recipe for the dry mix. You'll see it has
quite a bit of garlic and onion.

Dimitri



15 Square saltines -- (2")
2 c Dry minced parsley flakes
1/2 c Dry minced onions
2 tb Dry dill weed
1/4 c Onion salt
1/4 c Garlic salt
1/4 c Onion powder
1/4 c Garlic powder


SALAD DRESSING
1 tb Mix
1 c Mayo
1 c Buttermilk

Put crackers through blender on high speed until
powdered. Add parsley, minced onions and dill weed.
Blend again until powdered. Dump into bowl. Stir in
onion salt, garlic salt,onion powder and garlic
powder. Put into container with tight-fitting lid.
Store at room temp for 1 year. Makes 42 1 tb servings.

TO USE MIX-Combine mix, mayo and buttermilk. Yield 1
pint.

Dimitri wrote:

> Here is an example of a knock off recipe for the dry mix. You'll see it has
> quite a bit of garlic and onion.


You're missing one of the three most essential ingredients... MSG...
it's just not as savory without it...

~john!


--
Say hello to the rug's topography...It holds quite a lot of interest
with your face down on it...

Bronwyn Ferrier Ms wrote:
> Steve Calvin > wrote in message ws.com>...
>
>>Bronwyn Ferrier Ms wrote:
>>
>>>Hi Guys (and gals)
>>>Ranch dressing has been on our supermarket shelves for a long time.
>>>Bought some this week and found it rather bland. Can you kind North
>>>Americans tell me if there is a particular salad which is best for
>>>this dressing. I topped a basic green salad.
>>>Thanks in advance,
>>>Bronwyn
>>
>>
>>You may want to try making your own. This should get you close and
>>then you can alter the ingredients to suite your likes.
>>
>>3/4 cup mayonnaise
>>1/2 cup buttermilk
>>1 tablespoon minced parsley
>>2 teaspoons minced onion
>>1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
>>1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper
>>1/4 teaspoon salt
>>Splash of white vinegar, optional
>>
>>Put in a jar with a lid and shake the hell out of it. Some diced
>>peppers added work well for a veggie dip.
>
>
> aaahhhh, the secret ingredient is buttermilk? It would probably go
> well with a potato salad I suspect. Today I had the cold spiced
> chicken wings and dunked them in the ranch d. with a splash of
> lousiana hot sauce on top. Good. Will try your recipe before I finish
> Newman's and see the difference.
> Many thanks.
> Bron.

Good luck. It's different than what you'd typically out of a bottle
but a good starter for customizing to your liking. I add different
herbs and maybe spices depending on mood. Sometimes it works out to be
great, sometimes it doesn't. eh... no biggie if it doesn't. I usually
go with prior things that we've liked if having company though. []

--
Steve

If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

The best use of Ranch dressing is fertilzer. This has done more to
destroy cooking than all dressing combined. Try something better like
a blue cheese, ceasar, or better yet a green goddess.

John

On 19 Nov 2003 23:31:23 -0800, (Bronwyn Ferrier
Ms) wrote:

>Steve Calvin > wrote in message ws.com>...
>> You may want to try making your own. This should get you close and
>> then you can alter the ingredients to suite your likes.
>>
>> 3/4 cup mayonnaise
>> 1/2 cup buttermilk
>> 1 tablespoon minced parsley
>> 2 teaspoons minced onion
>> 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
>> 1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper
>> 1/4 teaspoon salt
>> Splash of white vinegar, optional
>>
>> Put in a jar with a lid and shake the hell out of it. Some diced
>> peppers added work well for a veggie dip.
>
>aaahhhh, the secret ingredient is buttermilk?

Emphatically yes.
Some recipes include dill, although I prefer it like Steve's with
onion/chive the primary flavoring other than the buttermilk.

And most bottled ones are pretty bland, with too many of them overly
sweet on top of that. Yuck. I've never had a bottled ranch worth the
bother.

> It would probably go
>well with a potato salad I suspect.

Mmm. Let some baby potatoes or fingerlings soak up the dressing (while
still warm. YUM!!!

Kim

John wrote:

> The best use of Ranch dressing is fertilzer. This has done more to
> destroy cooking than all dressing combined. Try something better like
> a blue cheese, ceasar, or better yet a green goddess.
>
> John

eh, as far as I'm concerned to each their own. Someone likes scallops,
raw tuna, etc? Eat 'em, not me. You want peanut butter on your filet
mignon? Hey go for it. Not to my taste but if everyones tastes were
equal the world would be an awfully boring place. Lives to short to
take seriously. ;-)

--
Steve

If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

If it tasted bland, something was wrong -- unless you're like my father
and eat jalapenos straight from the jar. <g> My two favorite uses for
ranch dressing:

1. Dip cucumber sticks into it.

2. Following recipe:

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: Savory Salmon
Categories: Seafood, Favorite, Kidscancook
Yield: 3 servings

MMMMM------------------HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH EASY-----------------------

MMMMM------------------------COOKING 1989-----------------------------
3 sm Salmon steaks, 6 oz each
3/8 c Dressing, ranch; prepared
1 ts Dill, fresh; chopped, or
1/8 ts Dill weed
1/2 ts Parsley, chopped
3 sl Lemon
Dill, fresh

Preheat oven to 375 F. Arrange salmon in large buttered baking
dish;spread 2 T of the salad dressing over each steak. Sprinkle with
dill and parsley. Bake until fish flakes easily when tested with
fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Place under broiler 45 to 60 seconds to
brown. Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with dill sprigs if
desired.

Barbara's comments: I sure like the sound of this recipe, but I think
I'll substitute salmon fillets so there won't be the bones to worry
about!

Posted on GEnie Food & Wine RT Apr 10, 1992 by BARBARA

From the recipe files of www.SteigerFamily.com: This is the first
BAKED salmon recipe I've found where the salmon came out moist and
delicious. 15 minutes wasn't enough to bake the 1" steaks I used, 25
minutes was perfect. I didn't bother broiling. If substituting
fillets for steaks, be sure they are of uniform thickness so they can
bake evenly. HIGHLY recommended!

MMMMM



--
Sylvia Steiger RN, homeschooling mom since Nov 1995
http://www.SteigerFamily.com
Cheyenne WY, USDA zone 5a, Sunset zone 1a
Home of the Wyoming Wind Festival, January 1-December 31
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