Restaurant Ranch/Carrabba's Caeser Dressing

I'm picky about my ranch. In addition to my liking for pickles, it's also no secret that I love ranch dressing. However, I do not love Hidden Valley, Kraft, etc. ranch. It's nasty. And too thick. And just doesn't taste like the ranch you get from restaurants!

!!!!!!

So, why not make my own ranch? I found a recipe online, added my own twist to it, and went on my happy way.


Here's how ya make it:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 small bunch of chives
  
• A lil parsley
  
• 1 clove garlic

Put it all in a blender and blend away!

Funny thing about this recipe: it tasted almost like Carrabba's Caeser dressing. My fave yummmm!! I think if you wanted to make it more like Carrabba's, you'd add in 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and probably another clove of gahhh-lic. I'll let you know when/if I decide to make my own version of Carrabba's Caeser.

Enjoy ya'll!

-Megan

Cake Batter Dip

If you say you don't like licking the beaters after making a cake or brownies, you're a big fat liar.

As a kid, getting to lick the beaters was good, if not better, than the actual cake itself. With recent salmonella scares, we're all just terrified to eat raw eggs (yeah right, we still eat the batter anyways) so we skip out on dipping our finger in the batter for just a little taste!

Have no fear, the cake batter dip is here! Salmonella free and all! It's super super simple and you'll probably start craving it. You can thank me later.



Without further ado, my yummy dip:

• 3/4 cup of your favorite batter (I chose Funfetti)
• 6 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons of Cool Whip

Mix, and viola!

I dipped pretzels in mine, but I think it would have been yummier with animal crackers or graham crackers. Refrigerate it; it'll last about a week.

Refrigerator Pickles

It's no secret that I love pickles, especccciiiiallly homeade pickles. Nothin' gets me going more than a delicious canned dill pickle. Any southern woman would agree with me.

Now, I don't know about ya'll, but I'm not too keen on blowing up my kitchen while trying to can some pickles. So I thought I'd improvise. I'm a huge fan of Pintrest and I came across this blog for a Bobbly Flay recipe for fridge pickles. I got excited and tried it.


For this recipe you'll need:

• 1-1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon dill seeds
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 pounds kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick (side note: I used one regular ole cucumber)
  
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Here's whatcha' do with all that:
1) Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and dill seeds in a heatproof bowl. Add hot water and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear. Cool to room temperature.
2) Place cucumbers, garlic and dill in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Pour brine over all and turn to coat cucumbers. Cover them with a plate to weigh them down and keep them covered in brine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to two weeks. Yield: 1 quart.

Now, I divided this recipe in half and it still made a ton of pickles. Also, I didn't have dill seeds (because who the crap has those laying around?!)... I just used a ton of fresh dill.

After it sat all night, I put it in a cutesy Mason jar and ate 'em right up!

Enjoy ya'll!

-Megan

Introductions

Hey there!

I'll start first. My name is Megan and I am a junior at the University of Texas. Hook 'em! I love everything food and have grown up cooking with my mom in the kitchen. In the past few years, we have made THE MOST delicious recipes and I figured a blog would be the best place to share these yummy dishes. I've been asking Mom to document her trademark recipes for years and this is really the only way I can get her to put 'em down on paper.

And I'm Kathy, Megan's mom. I'm a transplanted Texan, originally from Tennessee. I grew up on Southern cousine, watching my mother, grandmothers, and other women in my family cook. From that, I started adding my own twist to recipes. The biggest compliment you can give a cook is to ask for the recipe and make it your own!

Hope ya'll enjoy!