Powdered Ranch Dressing Mix Can Work Magic!
I was reading a Food Network article by Layla Khoury-Hanold on all the things you can do with powdered ranch dressing mix and thought I need to share this fascinating information with you. Layla first explained what exactly this stuff is, and then shared some tasty ways to use it.
Layla said, “Ranch dressing was invented by a Nebraska cowboy-turned-entrepreneur named Steve Henson. When he and his wife, Gayle, founded Hidden Valley Ranch, a dude ranch just outside of Santa Barbara, they served Steve’s trademark buttermilk-and-herb dressing to their guests. Before long, customers began requesting the recipe and asking for jars of the tangy dressing to bring home with them.
“To satisfy demand, Henson started mailing packets of spices and dried herbs — his ranch mix — to devoted fans. Hidden Valley Ranch ultimately became a mail-order business, then was acquired, leading to the launch of bottled dressings in the 1980’s and later seasoning shakers.
“Though many companies make ranch mix, the Hidden Valley Ranch (HVR) name remains synonymous with ranch dressing, which probably explains why its Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix remains the number-one selling ranch mix. Clorox, which owns HVR, divulges only that the dry mix includes a blend of herbs, spices and buttermilk; all you need to add is milk and mayo to get a taste of the original ranch dressing.
“Based on some of the homemade ranch seasoning recipes (see below), it’s safe to say that the herbs likely include dried parsley, dill and chives. Other ingredients listed on the packet’s label include maltodextrin (a food additive that’s often used to extend shelf-life), salt, monosodium glutamate (aka MSG, which no doubt imparts a dose of umami) and dried onion and garlic. There are a few more ingredients on the label, though most mysteriously are “natural flavor” and “artificial flavor,” of which each packet contains less than one percent.”
Most of us can’t get enough of it. It’s amazing on all things potatoes. For instance, I always mix it into mashed potatoes, sprinkle it over my baked potato and French fries, and mix it into my broccoli and potato soup recipe.
It’s because I use this so often that I went hunting for a healthier version of what we buy in the store. Maltodextrin, MSG, and those mysterious “natural” and artificial flavors are just unnecessary, so why pay money for that junk? If you feel the same, then you’ll appreciate this DIY recipe I found on SPEND WITH PENNIES (www.spendwithpennies.com) by the site’s author, Holly. It’s a good substitute and I can see why it earned 67 5-star reviews. See what you think:
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
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Layla said, “Ranch dressing was invented by a Nebraska cowboy-turned-entrepreneur named Steve Henson. When he and his wife, Gayle, founded Hidden Valley Ranch, a dude ranch just outside of Santa Barbara, they served Steve’s trademark buttermilk-and-herb dressing to their guests. Before long, customers began requesting the recipe and asking for jars of the tangy dressing to bring home with them.
“To satisfy demand, Henson started mailing packets of spices and dried herbs — his ranch mix — to devoted fans. Hidden Valley Ranch ultimately became a mail-order business, then was acquired, leading to the launch of bottled dressings in the 1980’s and later seasoning shakers.
“Though many companies make ranch mix, the Hidden Valley Ranch (HVR) name remains synonymous with ranch dressing, which probably explains why its Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix remains the number-one selling ranch mix. Clorox, which owns HVR, divulges only that the dry mix includes a blend of herbs, spices and buttermilk; all you need to add is milk and mayo to get a taste of the original ranch dressing.
“Based on some of the homemade ranch seasoning recipes (see below), it’s safe to say that the herbs likely include dried parsley, dill and chives. Other ingredients listed on the packet’s label include maltodextrin (a food additive that’s often used to extend shelf-life), salt, monosodium glutamate (aka MSG, which no doubt imparts a dose of umami) and dried onion and garlic. There are a few more ingredients on the label, though most mysteriously are “natural flavor” and “artificial flavor,” of which each packet contains less than one percent.”
Most of us can’t get enough of it. It’s amazing on all things potatoes. For instance, I always mix it into mashed potatoes, sprinkle it over my baked potato and French fries, and mix it into my broccoli and potato soup recipe.
It’s because I use this so often that I went hunting for a healthier version of what we buy in the store. Maltodextrin, MSG, and those mysterious “natural” and artificial flavors are just unnecessary, so why pay money for that junk? If you feel the same, then you’ll appreciate this DIY recipe I found on SPEND WITH PENNIES (www.spendwithpennies.com) by the site’s author, Holly. It’s a good substitute and I can see why it earned 67 5-star reviews. See what you think:
Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix
Yield: 1/2 cup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Place in an airtight container and store up to 6 months.
FOR DRESSING
Add 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, and ¾ cup milk. Stir until well combined and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
FOR DIP
Combine 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, with ½ cup mayonnaise & ½ cup sour cream. Add up to ½ cup milk to reach desired consistency. Stir well and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
TO REPLACE ONE ENVELOP RANCH DRESSING MIX
Use 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix in place of 1 packet of ranch mix.
FOR DRESSING
Add 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, and ¾ cup milk. Stir until well combined and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
FOR DIP
Combine 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, with ½ cup mayonnaise & ½ cup sour cream. Add up to ½ cup milk to reach desired consistency. Stir well and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
TO REPLACE ONE ENVELOP RANCH DRESSING MIX
Use 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix in place of 1 packet of ranch mix.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
- Sprinkle it over buttered corn on the cob
- Mix it into your taco soup
- Coat chicken for baking or frying in it
- Add it to your breading for baking or frying zucchini rounds
- Sprinkle it atop your homemade mac ‘n cheese before baking
- Mix it into your refried beans when making 7-Layer Dip
- Sprinkle it over veggies before roasting
- Season burgers with it before grilling
- Add it into your white bean and chicken chili recipe
- Make a chicken bacon ranch lettuce wrap with it
- Use it to season homemade zucchini or kale chips
- Use it to season your pasta salad recipe
- Season your next Shepherd’s Pie with it
- Season your next pot of brown rice with it
Sources:
- www.davessupermarket.com
- www.amazon.com
- www.thecookierookie.com
- www.spendwithpennies.com
- www.recipeteacher.com
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
