Poppy Seed Dressing

Thanks for all the requests! This recipe is so easy to adapt to ingredients you have on hand. Just taste it and tweak as necessary. For instance, if you change out the red onion for a yellow, or apple cider vinegar instead of regular, you might need to adjust the sugar or salt. I personally like prepared mustard like spicy brown and honey instead of sugar. The oil makes a difference, too. I like a light olive oil but the world won't come crashing to an end if you use canola. And what could be more subjective than 1/2 an onion. Like totally, how long is a piece of string? So here goes!

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

1/2 cup vinegar                                              1/2 onion (quartered)

1 cup sugar (or 3/4 cup honey)                      1 1/2 cups oil

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard                                    1 - 3 Tbsp poppy seed

1/2 tsp salt

Combine vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, salt and onion in blender container. Process until well mixed. Add oil in fine stream, processing constantly. Stir in poppy seed. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. Yield: 3 1/2 cups.

Blenders do make a difference. I have a $400 Vitamix. That might seem a bit snobby but consider how much I use it. In the last 4 years we have canned nearly 3000 bottles of food. We make apricot sauce, pumpkin butter, and spaghetti sauce almost entirely using that blender and a pot. And I know exactly what ingredients are involved.

We use this recipe for salads with greens, fruit, and nuts. One of our favorites is chopped cabbage, mandarin oranges, and cashews. Also try spinach, strawberries, and almonds. Pictured above is romaine lettuce, strawberries, blueberries, and cashews. ENJOY!