Easy Homemade Vinaigrette

Making your own homemade vinaigrette is really quite easy, and it tastes so much better than the bottled stuff.  Not to mention, it is so much better for you!  No preservatives or hard-to-pronounce ingredients here!

I like to make my dressings right in a glass jar, as you can easily shake them up and store them in the same container.  We all like easy cleanup, right?

First, add the acidic ingredients.  For this one I used a mix of lemon juice, balsamic, and red wine vinegar.  I typically don't measure, because vinaigrette is all about ratio.  More on that later.

Then add whatever flavorings strike your fancy, like minced garlic, Dijon mustard, minced shallots, fresh or dried herbs...Here I used some minced shallot, Dijon, and of course salt and pepper.

Now it's time to add your oil.  If you don't have a jar to shake it in, use a bowl and a whisk.  I used olive oil.  A classic vinaigrette ratio is three parts oil to one part vinegar, but I prefer my dressing a little on the vinegary side, so my ratio is usually more like 2:1.

Now the fun part: shake, shake, shake it up (but make sure you close it tightly first!)  Now taste it to make sure your seasonings are correct.  If it's too tangy, add more oil.  If you want it tangier, add more vinegar.  

And there you have it.  Easy homemade dressing to dress your fresh salads.  Store it in the fridge for about a week (if you didn't add any fresh elements like garlic or shallots, it will keep longer.)  Enjoy!