By ERIN TURNER
Since the end of the growing season, I have been freezing, canning and drying most of our harvest. One of my favorite jobs is to fill up my Ranch Dip Mix jar with my homemade version of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. With an abundance of herbs in my “Kitchen Garden”, I simply pick and dry these herbs to add to my Ranch Dip Mix. I also make packets to sell and to use as Christmas gifts because it is that good!
If you have kids, then you know that Ranch Dip has far surpassed ketchup in the world of condiments. I’ve discovered anything with Ranch is much more likely to be consumed by a child than anything plain. And I have to admit, I kinda feel the same way. Ranch fixes almost all culinary failures.
The makers of Hidden Valley know how well loved their product is by the American population, so they don’t hesitate in asking a premium price for a small, one-serving envelope of the mix. If you go through as much Ranch as I do, those envelopes add up to a lot of out-of-pocket expense….even if you purchase the generic brand and coupons for Ranch are usually far and few between. So, my next best solution always is to make it. And honestly, I prefer the homemade version ten times more than the store bought one.
First of all, I know that all the herbs are organically grown and fresh. Other than powdered buttermilk and sea salt, everything else comes from my garden. So I can actually pronounce everything on my ingredient list and with just a few teaspoons of sea salt, I’m keeping sodium levels very low compared to the commercial brands. Plus NO MSG!
I can make a huge batch which will last us most of the winter for literally pennies vs. $2.12/package at the store. Really folks, this is one of those items which takes such little time but will give you and your family so much edible pleasure! You really should try it.
I’m going to share my recipe with you but I’ll preface it with this: you can adapt this recipe to your liking. I add dill weed because we love the flavor of fresh dill, but you don’t have to add it! If you want to add some black pepper, please do so. Play with the recipe and find the exact flavor combo that your family likes. Also, you can add some cayenne pepper or habenaro powder to kick it up a notch.
Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe:
1/3 cup of powdered buttermilk (find in baking aisle of grocery store)- 5 Tbsp dried, minced onions
- 7 tsp dried parsley flakes
- 4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder (sometimes I add more because we love garlic!)
- 2 tsp dried dill weed
Measure and mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container. To make Ranch dip, I add 3 heaping Tbsps of mix to 1 pint of sour cream or plain greek yogurt and stir well. To make a dressing, I add about a 1/3 cup of milk and stir well.
See, it really is simple and SO worth it! I love the amount of money I save each time I make a batch AND I love that I’m creating something which is healthy for my family and I feel good about putting it on the table each night. I also love having it on hand for unexpected parties and/or snacks. If you have Ranch, then you can usually find something to dip into it!
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Erin Eisenman-Turner is proud to be a native Missoulian. Along with her husband and three sons, they raise chickens, pigs, rabbits, and vegetables at Turner Family Farms in the Orchard Homes area. When the farm chores are done, the coupons clipped, and the blog written, you can find Erin exploring Montana, collecting antiques, and trying to maintain a well-run, happy, and organized home for her family.
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