Parmesan Garlic Buttermilk Dressing and Dip

This creamy fresh homemade dressing/dip was one of the favorites in my family restaurant. It is also the base  for a sandwich that was a 'best seller' which I will be sharing soon. 

Tonight I drizzled it over a slice of  Heart of Romaine, fresh baby spinach, white corn and a freshly picked English cucumber. I also had some Alfalfa sprouts which I always enjoy garnishing with due to its airy, grass-like appearance....it also tastes divine.

This is also a fabulous dip !! I add some extra Parmesan Cheese when I use it this way.

Parmesan Garlic Buttermilk Dressing/Dip

This makes approx 4 cups of dressing 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Buttermilk

2 cups Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese [not the powdered concoction sold for spaghetti please !]

1 tbsp Minced Fresh Garlic

Directions

How easy is this....Mix all ingredients in a bowl using a whisk to combine !!

Refrigerate for at least one hour, longer is preferred, to allow all the flavours to infuse.

I hope you enjoy using this dressing in all sorts of ways....on salads, sandwiches, as a dip !

Rustic Garlic, Romano and Pepper Bread

Thought I would try adding some different flavours to my Homemade Crusty Bread. I love garlic bread, the kind that comes sliced, warm and dripping with butter, so garlic as an ingredient was a must ! Looking in the fridge, I spied some Romano cheese which had no other plans and not enough to do anything else with, so out it came. To add a little 'kick', and keep my husband happy, I took a couple of shakes of his favourite addition to just about everything he eats....red pepper flakes !

Ta da !! 

Turned out 'rustic' alright ! Very crisp crust, with a much denser texture than the original bread. But all the flavours were there, and the aroma while baking was heavenly ! The cheese certainly had a role in changing the texture, but that should be expected, and the fact that the dough held up to the added oil content was a testament to the recipe.  

And so to the tasting.....a scrumptious brunch was in order !

I love throwing together impromptu meals with what I have on hand, especially using leftovers. So, I thinly sliced a piece of Sirloin steak which I had cooked the night before...my daughter stayed over at a friend's house and missed dinner, 'snooze you lose' ! I shaved some Sharp Cheddar Cheese, added some fresh green pepper, Artichoke Hearts and thickly sliced, just from the Farmer's Market, beefy, juicy tomatoes. A small piece of cabbage was begging to be transformed into a creamy coleslaw...I had to oblige [recipe to follow]. And so, with some piping hot lemon tea, my husband and I sat down to an explosion of flavours, the bread of-course being the highlight of the meal !

Oh, and the red pepper flakes...I thought I might be biting into little hot pockets, which would not thrill me, but no, to my pleasure the heat dissipated throughout the loaf with just a gentle hint of spice !

So to the original Crusty Bread Recipe I added [approximately] :

 3 tablespoons Grated Romano Cheese

1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder

I will certainly be trying more combinations of flavours. I'm sure you all have your own favourites and I would love to hear what they are and how they turn out ! 

Oh the Possibilities !!