Friday, October 23, 2009

Thousand Island Dressing

Who else likes to make their own salad dressing? When all of the kids are home, I don't make all that they want, because then I could spend my life with the blender and never get to eat. Well, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing, especially at the end of the Grand Celebratory Season, which is rapidly approaching....anyway....

Who thought up Thousand Island Dressing, anyway? I've been to the Thousand Islands, located in the St. Lawrence Seaway between New York and Ontario. Rich people used to build giant vacation houses there. Does that seem like the kind of people who would suddenly holler at each other, "Dude! Let's put ketchup on our salads!" Ah, yes, I suffer such strange contemplations.


THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp sweet relish
1/2 tsp very finely minced onion
1/2 tsp horseradish
1 tsp water (if desired, to thin the dressing a little)

Mix the ingredients together (I use one of those Good Seasons cruets) and chill at least 30 minutes. Pour over your salad, and ignore people who poke fun at you for putting ketchup on your salad. It even adds flavor to the relatively bland Iceberg lettuce.

Katie and Michelle in the Southern Hemisphere, I know you're starting your kitchen gardens. Hope this is inspiration to you!

14 comments:

SissySees said...

My FIL would drink this stuff, I believe... Me? I'm with you. Who thought to put ketchup and relish on a salad!?

Mickle in NZ said...

I have some little wee lettuce seedlings - buttercrunch, cos and hopefully iceberg. I love these varieties cos my innards can cope with them (and Zebbycat doesn't eat lettuce).

I also love a real thousand island dressing - and I have some raw yet frozen king prawns in the freezer, ready whenever I want to cook them up.

Marjie - you are so treating and/or spoiling me!

Paula said...

My husband likes to drown his lettuce with thousand island dressing. Actually, his favorite lettuce is iceberg and his favorite dressing is thousand island, so this is right up his alley. I do make my own salad dressings, but I've not made thousand island. Your lettuce wedge with dressing looks so refreshing and makes me homesick. Lettuce wedges with dressing are very popular where I come from! :-) PS: I, too, have been known to ponder many a thing. :-)

Tobi said...

My fave dressing - thanks for the recipe Marjie!

The Blonde Duck said...

I just saw Thor's new lobster! How precious!

Do you have any oil and vinegar, Italian dressing type ideas? I'm trying to get Ben to eat salads!

Anonymous said...

I always make my own dressings except the Bossman likes his Kraft Bacon Ranch and I don't make it to suit him:(

Tatersmama said...

Lol... you know me well, girl! I cleared enough garden area yesterday to start getting some new veggie plants in, and lettuce is at the top of the "wish-list"!
The Old Guy had never tried Thousand Island dressing before our visit to the States, and he doesn't like what passes for T.I. here, so here's hoping that this will tickle his taste buds!
Me? I'm a Ranch dressing kind of girl, but he hates the stuff... *sigh*

pam said...

I haven't had thousand island dressing in ages. And I've definitely never had homemade!

tavolini said...

This is one of the best "homemade" vs "store-bought" dressings. This and ranch; but you need thousand island for the always awesome Reuben.

Bravo!

buffalodick said...

I had a customer that would mix Thousand Island with Blue cheese dressing.. It wasn't bad!

Sue said...

How strange, yesterday Rob ordered Thousand Island dressing on a salad and we discussed how it must have gotten started and gotten it's name.

I've been to the Thousand Islands many times and like you, can't see how it happened.

~~louise~~ said...

The quintessential dressing in my book. Funny thing though, I must confess, I dislike ketchup alone immensely!!!

I took a quick look into my notes and found this tidbit.
Thousand Island dressing was created by Sophia LaLonde in Clayton, NY

Now, you know I will be investigating this further!!! Another one for the Girls!!!

~~louise~~ said...

Okay, I don't want to get this wrong. So I'll try to be cryptic:)

Happy Birthday!!!

Robynn's Ravings said...

I only like Thousand Island on burgers but it's great there. :) I grew up on Thousand and Green Goddess. Don't ASK! lol