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That title reminds me of someone, but I don’t know who. Oh well, on with my post. Now that summer is on the way, it is especially getting to be the salad season. A salad is only as good as its dressing. I have very many different salads and dressings that I eat on a regular basis. As I am trying to lighten up the diet somewhat I have been having the lighter dressings. My favorite salad fixings are field greens, fresh field greens. They are readily available in most supermarkets and I try to get the organic ones. Even if they say prewashed, I still wash and spin them as I just get images of all these hands on my salad and that basically grosses me out completely. Here are some of my favorite dressings:

Bacon Mustard Dressing

1/4 slice bacon, finely chopped
6 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3  chopped green onions,
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat, stirring, until crisp; remove skillet from heat.
2. Add orange juice to skillet and stir well.
3. In a blender, puree bacon mixture with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate. Keeps for 1 week.

Makes about 1 cup.

Green Chile and Cilantro Salad Dressing

1 (4-ounce) can Diced Green Chiles
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon honey
4 drops hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1. Place chiles, buttermilk, mayonnaise, cilantro, honey, hot pepper sauce and black pepper in food processor of blender; cover. Process until smooth. Serve with your favorite prepared salad.

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Creamy Tomato, Onion &  Garlic Dressing

large tomato
large onion
4 cloves of garlic
2 cup mayonnaise
Several drops of hot sauce (more to make it spicier/hotter)

1. Puree the first three ingredients using a food processor or hand blender.
2. Pour pureed mixture into a bowl and whisk in the mayonnaise until well blended and creamy.

Makes about 3 to 4 cups.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 small green onions, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup oil

1. Whisk together first 7 ingredients until blended. Gradually whisk in oil.

Makes 1 2/3 cups.

Basic Italian Salad Dressing

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of dried oregano

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Raspberry Walnut Dressing

1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a saucepan heat raspberry jam over low heat about 3 to 5 minutes, or until thinned. Blend in oil and white wine vinegar. Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour over fruit.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Raspberry and Walnut Vinaigrette

1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons walnut oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

1. In a bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar and salt; add the oils in a small stream, while whisking, until vinaigrette is emulsified.
2. Stir in the tarragon.

Makes about 1/2 cup.