Blue Cheese Dressing with Crushed Pecans

This low-cal salad dressing is perfect for all seasons ~ simply marvelous.

Spring done passed us by... that's what everyone is saying around these parts as we have gone from 40 degree nights to a range into the 60's and our days are now running in the mid-80's - some saying it is like a May Day celebration. Yikes! Cannot imagine what the summer will bring...

I grew up eating salads coated with dressings from a jar: A mason jar. You see, Momma on busy days made 'homemade' salad dressings just as easy as she did shake-n-bake pork chops. In fact, that is what happened, toss in a few ingredients, shake and serve. Of course, I hold Chef Robert Kreis of the Brown Derby to blame for the packaged envelopes of mixes (and for shake-n-bake too) in her discovery of salad dressing science. Think back to the early Italian vinaigrette spice pack where all needed is the store-bought Good Seasons calibrated cruet, the store-bought Good Seasons package, and a measured amount of oil and vinegar. It wasn't long after that at our house Momma ventured to the every popular ranch version that many folks still swear by even today.

Gosh, isn't this vintage set from 4 Seasons great? No, it is not in my collection, but I spotted it while researching the history of Good Seasons.

I am not too proud to occasionally purchase a pack or bottle of prepared salad dressing when in a hurry but when I have the time, I do prefer to make my own.  Who needs all those additives, right? Of course, if you really want to get it homey, churn your own buttermilk, make your own cream and cottage cheese, and the mayo too - well, that one I sometimes really will do myself.

This one folks is a favorite that will go with many things other than vegetable salads. It is especially good when you slip in the likes of dried cranberries, thin slices of sweet strawberries, pears or apples and a mere sprinkle of golden raisins with cured ham will turn heads too.

Shake up a batch today and . . . enjoy!

Blue Cheese Dressing with Crushed Pecans
makes over 2 cups ~ that's 18 servings of 2 tablespoons each

Danish Blue is lower cal.... say what?

4 ounces Philadelphia* creamy cheese fat free
3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
3 tablespoons non fat milk
1/4 cup Hellmans* low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoons granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or hot pepper sauce
2 ounces Traditional Danish blue cheese
1/4 cup toasted pecans
*I listed certain brand names as that is what I used and how calories were counted for this recipe.

Place all ingredients except blue cheese and pecans in a food deep bowl. Mash cream cheese with a fork followed with whisking all together. Transfer to a container or wide-mouth jar.

Add the blue cheese. Crush the pecans using the flat side of a chefs knife followed with a light chop. Add pecans to dressing and stir or shake to incorporate.

Allow to meld refrigerated for a couple of hours before serving. (The pecans will become soft after a day, so only add to the dressing that which you plan on using at serving time.) Hold dressing up to 7 days in the refrigerator sealed in a container.

Note: Sometimes I use Greek yogurt instead of the cottage cheese which gives the dressing a tangy edge.

Find the Nutritional Facts here