Make your own . . . Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

We were out of dry Ranch Dressing Mix so I went online and found several versions of copycat recipes. I combined a couple of them and this is what I came up with. Our spice cupboard is always full so I just used the ingredients we had on hand.

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

¼ cup dry buttermilk powder

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried chives

¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried celery flakes

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon dried dill weed

1.  Whisk the buttermilk powder, dried onion, parsley, chives, salt, garlic powder, dried celery flakes, white pepper, paprika, and dill together.

2.  For a finer texture, place ingredients in a blender and pulse several times.

3.  Date and store in a cool, dry place. Note: 1 oz. pkg. of Ranch Dressing Mix = 3 tablespoons of homemade mix.

Use dry Ranch Dressing Mix in these recipes on our blog

·   Seasoned Oyster Crackers

·   Spicy Saltine Crackers

·   Savory O’sl

·   Ranch-Salsa Dip

·   Beer Dip 

·   Susan’s Cornbread Salad

·   Extra Special Ranch Potatoes

Recipe without the photos . . .

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

¼ cup dry buttermilk powder

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried chives

¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried celery flakes

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon dried dill weed

1.  Whisk the buttermilk powder, dried onion, parsley, chives, salt, garlic powder, dried celery flakes, white pepper, paprika, and dill together.

2.  For a finer texture, place ingredients in a blender and pulse several times.

3.  Date and store in a cool, dry place.  Note: 1 oz. pkg. of Ranch Dressing Mix = 3 tablespoons of homemade mix.

Meat Delight Pasta Pot

     

     One of my Aunt Waunita’s signature dishes for entertaining was something called Meat Delight. I used the flavors recently as an inspiration for Individual Lasagna Packages.

     When I started on this dish, I actually planned to follow her recipe to the letter, recreating her layered casserole dish she set in a fancy silver casserole stand for company.

     It started with my inability to make this dish without adding diced and sautéed onion, and went downhill from there. It was just so much simpler to turn it into a one-pot dish that I cooked on top of the stove (versus layering and baking it in a casserole dish). However, it was reminiscent of Aunt Waunita’s recipe in that it was very good. Someday I may actually make it like she did but until then, this is a great alternative!

What are fluffy dumplets? That was my question when Aunt Waunita shared this recipe. They are small curly noodles and you can actually fine them listed as "Fluffy Dumplets" in the noodle section. But, any kind of small curly noodle will work.

Meat Delight Pasta Pot

1 lb. lean (80/20%) ground beef
1 small to medium yellow onion, diced

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

About 1 cup chopped tomatoes (if using canned be sure to drain)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup prepared white sauce (or use canned condensed soup or sour cream)

4 oz. cream cheese

4 to 6 oz. fluffy dumplets (small curly noodles), cooked in salted water until tender

About ½ to ¾ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1.  Brown meat and onions.

2.  Add salt, sugar, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and garlic salt. 

3.  Add white sauce and cream cheese; stir until smooth. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to meld flavors.

4.  Add cooked noodles, sprinkle with cheese.

Recipe without photos . . .

Meat Delight Pasta Pot

1 lb. lean (80/20%) ground beef1 small to medium yellow onion, diced

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

About 1 cup chopped tomatoes (if using canned be sure to drain)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup prepared white sauce (or use canned condensed soup or sour cream)

4 oz. cream cheese

4 to 6 oz. fluffy dumplets (small curly noodles), cooked in salted water until tender

About ½ to ¾ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1.  Brown meat and onions.

2.  Add salt, sugar, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and garlic salt. 

3.  Add white sauce and cream cheese; stir until smooth. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to meld flavors.

4.  Add cooked noodles, sprinkle with cheese.

Baked Rice Pudding -- Yummy!

   Janet Allen shared this recipe when I interviewed her for my February 25, 2014 cooking column (Home-Cooking—Dickinson County Style “Capturing the Present and Remembering the Past”© -- A Blending of Cultures) that appeared in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle. Always a fan of rice pudding, I was glad to find one that omitted the usual condensed milk and that relied on everyday ingredients.

     In the article Janet said, “What inspires me is trying to come up with something different. I often take someone else’s recipe and experiment with it. And, I would certainly encourage others to do that with mine.” So I did! I substituted brown sugar for granulated, used dried cranberries in place of the raisins, and added about a half cup of chopped pecans. Yum, it was exactly what I think rice pudding should taste like!

Baked Rice Pudding     Makes one 11x7-inch dessert

Janet learned to make this as a child and has been preparing it ever since, but without a written recipe. In the process of putting in on paper, she asked her mom, Evelyn McNeil, for assistance.“I wrote down what she said and then tested it. She had it right down to the last detail. And, she even reminded me to mention that if you’re not using leftover rice, be sure to add salt and butter [for added flavor] to the rice as it cooks,”

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup granulated sugar (I substituted brown sugar)

1 ¾ teaspoons vanilla

1 ⅓ cups cooked white rice

½ cup raisins (I used dried cranberries)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecans (my addition)

1.  Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together.

2.  Add rice (dried cranberries and raisins (and chopped pecans).

3.  Pour into 11x7-inch baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.

4.  Set filled baking dish into a slightly larger pan, then pour water into larger pan to depth of 1” to create a water bath*. 

5.  Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until set.  After 20 minutes stir slightly.

Janet's Variation: When making this at home, Janet often uses brown rice, fat-free milk and replaces the sugar with Splenda®. 

* Function of a Water Bath is to assure and maintain an even or stable temperature.

Recipe without photos . . .

Baked Rice Pudding     Makes one 11x7-inch dessert

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup granulated sugar (I substituted brown sugar)

1 ¾ teaspoons vanilla

1 ⅓ cups cooked white rice

½ cup raisins (I used dried cranberries)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecans (my addition)

1.  Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together.

2.  Add rice (dried cranberries and raisins (and chopped pecans).

3.  Pour into 11x7-inch baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.

4.  Set filled baking dish into a slightly larger pan, then pour water into larger pan to depth of 1” to create a water bath*. 

5.  Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until set.  After 20 minutes stir slightly.

Janet's Variation: When making this at home, Janet often uses brown rice, fat-free milk and replaces the sugar with Splenda®. 

* Function of a Water Bath is to assure and maintain an even or stable temperature