Ranch Dressing

Ranch salad dressing has gone astray from its original tangy buttermilk-herb recipe first created for guests at a real place called the Hidden Valley Ranch near Santa Barbara, California. Hidden Valley sold out for the big bucks, turning its recipe into a bottled, mass-produced, sludgy mess that Americans love. But just because lots of people douse the white goop on everything from pizza to french fries is no reason you should. Throw away your preservative-laden bottled dressing and start shaking up your own.

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup buttermilk
¾-1 tsp. dried dill weed
½ tsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. dried chives
¼ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1-3 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Whisk together the mayo, sour cream and milk until smooth. Add the spices and whisk until combined. Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This dressing will keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Makes 1½ cups.

Cook's Notes: I frequently swap plain white vinegar for the fresh lemon juice in this recipe. Both acids work beautifully to provide the perfect amount of tang in the dressing.