Creamy Salad Dressing

(Preparation – 5 minutes; Serves - if you like a generous amount of dressing this will serve two individual salads)

3 teaspoons mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s)

2 teaspoons Greek yogurt (plain yogurt or buttermilk will work too)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (any kind of mustard will do)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (champagne vinegar will be great too, or lemon juice)

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper (any kind of pepper – peppercorns add a richness, I like)

¼ teaspoon maple syrup (honey can be used, or another sweetener)

Whisk all ingredients together, until smooth. Pour over salad and toss.

Variation ideas:

Poppy seeds

Chopped onion

Garlic – raw or roasted

Fresh or dry herbs

Jalapeno

Parmesan cheese

Feta cheese

Tahini

Hummus

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Recently I visited a small rural country town with only a few small stores. The grocery supply in the stores was limited. The basics were well stocked, but those more delectable items were not. I could not find salad dressing. However, they did have mayonnaise. They had plain, unsweetened yogurt too. Of course, salad dressings would be readily available an hour or two’s drive away, but that is not a practical distance for a bottle of salad cream. Either we need to go without, or be creative with what we have, and with what can be found in the local shops.

Small town living can be enjoyable, but it can be frustrating too, especially when you are not used to trekking around looking for supplies. I found some salad dressings in an old magazine and used them for a basis to make my own. Hope you like them. Tweak the ingredients, as I did, to suit your taste. Homemade dressings are not just for visits in the country, they are far better than store-bought. So much better!

#dressing #salad