Homemade Ranch Dressing

I really wanted to be a waitress until I really didnt want to be a waitress.

When I was a kid, my family would go to the same Italian restaurant every month. I was so smitten by the young waiter who always seemed more than eager to bring me a straw with my water, and offer a hearty thumbs-up when my dad ordered an extra side of meatballs. He made his button up shirt look flawless and comfortable. and he just had one of those faces that you wanted to see every time you were hungry.

I was super stoked when I got my first waitressing job. Just so excited.

I was just as happy as I could be until I realized that the restaurant I was working in served ranch dressing. The ranch wasnt the problem. The problem is that people want to put ranch on absolutely everything: french fries, potatoes, toast, burritos. Everything! I was a vertiable ranch dispenser. It was so far from the ultra-smiley impression of serving tables that I had gotten as a youth mostly because I wasnt ultra-smiley I was a bringer.

Thank heavens this was a good while ago. The restaurant? Well, it started with The and ended in Factory. It was a little dose of real life. It helped me realize that Id rather be the girl making the ranch in the back not the girl faking a smile in the front. This is how we learn.

Good ranch dressing starts with fresh herbs and smashed garlic.

I start with a base of sour cream and mayonaise. Add herbs, salt, pepper, and a good squeeze of lemon.

Add buttermilk until the dressing finds a good consistency.

Have some carrot sticks on hand. Youll have a lot of tasting to do as you make the ranch.

There are lots of bonus extras to add: Tabasco, fresh dill, garlic powder, or barbecue sauce. Add a dash of this and a pinch of that until youve reached a happy ranch point. Its important to let the dip rest in the fridge before serving. Four hours. Itll give the flavors a chance to marry.

Im satisfied, arent you?

Happy Day!

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Print this Recipe!

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonaise

cold buttermilk

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped chives

1 clove garlic

salt and coarse ground black pepper

additions:

garlic powder

tabasco sauce

worchestershire sauce

chopped dill

barbecue sauce

On a cutting board, smash a whole garlic clove. Sprinkle garlic with about 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt. With a fork, smash the salt into the gar! lic, cre ating a paste.

In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonaise, parsley, chives, and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle in buttermilk until youve reached a desired consistency. I added about 1/2 to 3/4 cup but you may add as much as youd like.

Add any additional ingredients like tabasco sauce, garlic powder, and dill. A touch of barbecue sauce is dang good!

Taste and adjust ingredients to taste.

Place dressing in an airtight container and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. The flavors need to rest and meld before serving. Serve cold, and add more buttermilk if you find that the dressing is too thick.