Food: Odds and Ends

This weekend, my husband and I both had cravings for a decent chef's salad.  In my opinion, there are a few key ingredients necessary for a decent chef's salad.  They are:

1.  Hard boiled eggs
2.  French or Russian salad dressing (the red kind, not the creamy kind)
3.  Cheese
4.  And of course, tomatoes and decent greens.

The day before yesterday, I would have said that you also needed ham or chicken, but I've found that as long as you put tomatoes in it and crumble up a slice of bacon on top, you don't miss them.  Or it could have been this amazing homemade french dressing I made to put on top.  I was out, and Ranch wasn't going to make the grade.  So I improvised.  I'm writing it down here in case I ever want to make it again.

1/4 C white vinegar
1/2 C light oil (I used a canola blend.  Don't use one that solidifies in the fridge)
1/2 C Ketchup
2 Tbs. Sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper


Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl, or place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake the heck out of it.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Refrigerate. 

This should keep at least one month in the fridge, and possibly longer with the sugar and salt in it, as those are hygroscopic ingredients that bacteria seem to dislike.  The high-acid content should help also.

I have this cute little cruet with a built-in whisk in the lid that I use for my salad dressings.  I bought it three years ago, and I've used it so much I've worn the dressing recipes off the sides.