oil and vinegar

Possibly not the most beautiful subject for a photo. These are dipping sauces/salad dressings. I was sick of making them crazy-style during the dinner chaos, so thought at the Sunday bean soaking party I have with myself, I'd also make big batches of sauces and dressings.

I used these pretty mundane jars. I really wanted to make these in wonderful jars for this photo, but had none on hand, and really, I am taking a photo of my salad dressings here (only on a blog) so why pretend that they are in nice jars? But they taste really good! We have a super basic group here, nothing unusual, but good to always have on hand:

a dipping sauce

1 part soy sauce
1 part rice wine vinegar
a bit of sugar
a bit of toasted sesame oil

honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette

2 parts olive oil
1 part balsamic vinegar
a bit of honey
a bit of Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

raspberry vinaigrette

2 parts olive oil
1 part raspberry vinegar
a bit of sugar
juice of a lemon
salt and pepper

I taste as I go and often add different things each time. I am in love with walnut oil—so I try to use that when I have it. I usually add herbs and chopped shallots too. Especially to the raspberry dressing. I heart shallots. I am never without them. Even though I have made these dressings/sauces for a long time, there was something thrilling about taking out all my oils, vinegars, mustards, etc. and making these all at once. Like a big stinky science lab. There are a ton of recipes here in the condiments section of MSLO. Very inspiring. I was going to look at Epicurios too, but had to join up, so I did and then realized I already had joined god knows when, can't find my password. . . I hate this, and it happens to me all the time. So I haven't looked there yet.

I am itching to do a big kitchen spring cleaning. I did go through my baking cupboard last weekend, god, what an uncomfortable thing to do—I was on the floor covered in old pans, stuff was everywhere, (of course this was on a lovely Saturday morning, disrupting breakfast, and taking over our very small kitchen) but it was worth it—I found not one, but two bunny shaped pans squirreled away! Who knew?

Comments

[Elizabeth]

I do a variation of the honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette pretty much whenever we have salad - super easy and very tasty. I like the sound of the dipping sauce too - I'll have to give that one a try.

[emily]

i do the same - mix up a bunch all at once, (i make a simple balsamic vinaigrette) and keep it in pretty jars in the fridge (bonne mama jars are my favorite - i hoard them). but i usually forget to take the dressing out before dinner, and then i'm standing at the sink, running the jar under warm water to bring the whole thing back to a liquid state. annoying. but still better than making a new batch every time.

[Amanda D.]

Wow!! Those look so good!! Thanks!

[Suzanne - The Farmer's Wife]

Oh I love vinegar and oil sauces and dressings, but not the standard Italian kind. Got sick of that when I was a kid.

It takes so little time to whip up these delicious blends, I'm surprised more people don't do it.

= Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

[Dana]

What is a bean soaking party? This is intriguing.

[sam]

I think I'll make a batch of raspberry vinaigrette this afternoon. Thanks for the inspiration.

I am also intrigued by the bean soaking party...

[Pam]

I love using the Bon Maman jam jars with their cute little gingham caps...I have several of them in my fridge. The problem is if you don't label them you forget what is what!

[nan]

I ADORE VINEGAR!!!

[hazeljoy]

whadda ya mean not pretty?! they're lovely pictures. my mum used to make a dressing similarly -
1/3 oil, 2/3 vinegar, dollop of honey, chopped fresh thyme or mint. all shaken up in a jam jar, just like yours. goes really well over boiled new potatoes. yum. now, what shall i have for dinner?...

[water works]

I am so laughing at you because I did the "on the floor with pans and pots everywhere" dance just a few months ago. I found snowman tins and a heart cake pan! We had seasonally shaped gingerbreads around here.

[Nancy Cook]

I heart shallots too.
Oh and I love those jars Pam mentioned with the gingham tops. I've been meaning to start a collection.

[Sharon]

Found your site awhile ago. You always make me smile! I was on the kitchen floor last Friday, right before dinner!... finding about 3 bags of chocolate chips and throwing away all out-of-date items. Had a bag of confectioners sugar spill all over the floor! Yuck! I can relate to your spur-of-the-moment urgencies. I chuckled reading the popcorn-making at bed/bath time entry. Love your recycled jars! Thanks for not putting them in pretty jars.

[Megan]

Good idea... dressing-making at dinner chaos for one silly salad has gotta go. And speaking of beans, I had a bean soaking party myself yesterday. I then made Baja Baked Black Beans from the Rebar cookbook. Have you heard of this book? Probably. It is very yummy, vegetarian, and, I suppose, sort of local for Portland (from Victoria, BC). Bye!

[Charmaine]

I began keeping all my passwords in a small phone book that is used only for the computer. I find it helpful since the password I want is always taken and I can never remember which variation I have picked. <3 your site

[Mymsie]

One of my faves is olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, salt & pepper - it's simple but delicious and Greek-y! :)

[Laura]

"I heart shallots." You are funny!

[dana]

these look great . . . but I'm really just waiting to hear more about your breads. I'm considering buying the book but thought I'd wait for more result info from you. :)

[Moonbeam]

Oh I think those jars are lovely - very homey and mismatched. I have two jars like the one on the right that I use for drinking glasses. By the way - I made a "charming handbag" last night - I love that pattern! Have a look if you have a minute: http://www.major-moonbeam.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the awesome pattern!!

[kat nicholas]

don't know if you're interested, but thought you might be if you're loving walnut oil (which i do too!) - a really simple and yummy dressing that we use alot is an orange/walnut dressing. to every tablespoon of orange juice (fresh squeezed or out of the carton), add a teaspoon of walnut oil. then add salt and cayenne to taste. it's really delicious on what we call our "winter salad" - mixed greens, orange slices, and toasted walnuts. throw in some goat cheese for some extra goodness.
thanks for the recipes!

[stickchick]

I'm thinking that Balsamic Mustard sauce sounds like it could be terrific marinade for chicken!! I think I know what we are having for dinner tonight!

Loving the jars. Your photos are always lovely and inspiring. You make mismatched jars look wonderful. :)

Your blog is always an inspiration. I don't post as much as I read (I read daily) cause... it would look creepy and stalkerish. ;-)

Thank you!!

[Stephanie]

have you heard of the Flylady? http://flylady.net/pages/WhyFly.asp

I thought of her when you said you started cleaning your kitchen in the middle of breakfast. Sounds like me! She says "never take out (to clean/go through) more than can be dealt with in an hour or less". She also says you "can do anything for 15 minutes"

Wow two bunny pans-it's going to be a great Easter!

[Therisa]

Didn't have time to read everyones comments, so if my suggestion is a repeat, then sorry.

Anyway, change olive oil to walnut oil in the raspberry vinegrette recipe. Yummmy!

[Dawn]

You are always making me hungary. Are you going to do a side bar link, so when I want to make something I can just click? I lose everything, so it's just a suggestion. Keep the recipes coming! Yum!

[Melissa]

BUNNY shaped pans SQUIRRELED away? Did you do that on purpose? I too am a daily reader/but never commenter -- wonderful blog -- thank you!
Melissa

[Kristin]

That's so great! Making salad dressing is always on my list to do, but rarely do I get around to it. I have made a raspberry dressing similar to yours and make a yummy ceasar. You've inspired to try some more.

[Tracey]

I want to dip the brownies in the raspberry vinaigrette. Is that so wrong?

[Ellen]

I love stuff like this - we eat a lot of salads so these are great to add to our repertoire. Isn't it silly however, that though these are easy to do and make, I hardly get around to doing any?

[Stacy A]

Amy, Every time you post there is a new goody for me to try. I adore your blog, and your tiny kitchen. That bread you showed almost makes me want to have 10 kids just so I could feed them. I did say Almost, lol.
There is nothing a good balsamic vinegar wont make better, except maybe cake. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas. Love Stacy

[kate]

You are so *normal* - thank goodness! What with the book and the great blog and all that talent, it is easy to think of you as some kind of super-woman. You are. And still, you're also so normal.

Great timing on the bunny pans.

You rock!

[Steph]

Thanks for the great idea and inspiration. I think I have a Saturday of making dressing ahead of me. :]

[Amanda]

Eeeep! This is the first time that I've happened across your blog and I'm in love... hungry... but in love!!

[Fer]

The walnut oil is great for dukkah. Ever tried it?

http://www.screamingseeds.com.au/spl_articles/dukkah/10/1

[Muriel]

What are you going to dip in that dipping sauce?

[Rebecca]

I think the pictures are lovely. I second the comment about dukkah, great stuff.

Have you found a good ginger dressing like at sushi resturants? I want to find a good recipe for that.

[Violetsrose]

Watch out with the ones with sugar in - they tend to ferment and go mouldy - they are best made just before use and not kept for long periods

[Lasso the Moon]

Sounds yummy~!
Anna

[Marisa]

Oh yum! I love dipping sauces and those look fabulous! I love your blog!

[Michele C]

Sauces are good, but the brownies look way better!

[Alice]

Thanks so much for the wonderfully delicious recipes...I love making my own sauces and dressings. Things just taste better and fresher when you made them from scratch. Delicious!

[thevintagemagpie]

Hey I'm printing those out. They all sound wonderful. I shall spend my weekend testing them out! Thank you from across the pond!

[Mary]

Yum! My dad made all our dressing growing up, so now commercial stuff makes me gag. I think his was similar to your raspberry vinaigrette except he used rice vinegar. Homemade dressing is so delicious.

[Tiffani]

I'm so glad you took the picture in those jars! It is so REAL life. Perfect. And isn't it funny what we take pictures of now in our "blogging world?" It is very cool though, because I often wonder about things like this from my mother's/grandmother's/great-grandmother's lives, and our kids/grandkids will hopefully be able to look back at these and know!

[Andrea]

Incredible! I'll be making all of them...and probably putting them in equally fabulous jars. ;) How long will they keep? I'm always paranoid about shelf life. My poor husband is always wondering why his lunch meat is missing even before its opened.