Home-made Salad Dressing

I know you have heard me say this before, but here I go again. The absolute best way to save money on your grocery bill is to stop wasting food. It takes forethought and planning. It takes time and budgeting. But, in the end it does work. Think about the food you throw out when you clean out your refrigerator or freezer. How much of that could have been used for a quick lunch or dinner. How much money and time would you have saved by not wasting it?
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I'll say something about food to a friend sometimes that will result in a conversation about why I do it a particular way. One of those 'ways' is rinsing jars and containers. I think it comes from being raised by parents and grandparents that lived through the great depression. Everything was used and nothing wasted. I carried those habits into my own household. Take a bottle of ranch dressing for instance. How much dressing is left in the bottle when you think it's empty? Before you throw it out next time, add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and shake the bottle. Chances are you'll not only find enough dressing for another salad or two, but a healthier version. That bottle of ketchup? Add some water, shake it up and add it to your next pot of soup. There's always a little oil left in the bottle. I like to take the olive oil bottle and add some vinegar and spices. You end up with a wonderful oil and vinegar dressing. Try it next time before you throw out that bottle.
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Speaking of grocery bills, have you noticed how expensive salad dressings and steak sauces are these days? You can make your own and save quite a bit of money in addition to being able to control the sodium and sugar. Mom would make her own Thousand Island dressing by combining Kraft Miracle Whip, ketchup, chili sauce, and pickle relish. Here are a few vintage recipes that you can update to suit your own taste and grocery budget. You start with one basic recipe and add other ingredients to make different dressings.
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French Dressing
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Combine in a 1-pint screw-top jar the following:
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3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
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Cover jar tightly and shake vigorously. Store covered in refrigerator. Shake well before using. Makes 1 cup of dressing.
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Garlic French Dressing
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Follow recipe for French Dressing above. Mince 1 clove garlic and add to completed dressing. To season well, chill dressing about 12 hours before using.
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Honey French Dressing
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Follow recipe for French Dressing above. Blend in 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon celery seed.
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Blue Cheese Dressing
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Follow recipe for French Dressing above. Add 1/2 cup of Blue cheese.