Friday, February 3, 2012

Vegetable Board and Restaurant Style Ranch Dressing



Anytime you need to serve fresh veggies and dip
this will put them over the top with just a quick
bit of magic.


I saw this in Martha Stewart Living Magazine
this fall
and saved the picture.  Even my 17 year old son
was wowed by this presentation of veggies and dip!


Purchase a variety of cabbages and greens that 
have great color and texture.  Choose clear glasses
of varying sizes to serve the veggies in.  Wash and
dry the leaves that you have chosen to use.


I decided to wrap the leaves on with twine but felt
the twine was too bulky, so I split it into three pieces
and then wet the pieces to pull out the kinks in the
twine.


Cut the leaves to size, especially cutting the bottoms
off so that they will be flat on the bottom.  Use enough
leaves to encircle the glass.  While holding the leaves
in place, encircle the glass with the twine and tie it
off.  I chose to wrap it twice.

Fill with a variety of vegetable dippers.  I used
asparagus, green beans, carrots, and peppers
but you could use many others.  Serve with 
the dip.  The leaf wrapped containers will
last several hours in the fridge.  I prepared
and filled them earlier in the day.


Have you noticed that the homemade ranch
dressing you make at home isn't quite as good
as the ones you get in the restaurant?  I
decided to put on my sleuth hat and figure
out how to improve on it.  Here is my new
and improved version that I hope you will
love.  I can't keep enough of it at our house!

Ramped Up Ranch Dressing
(for salads or dip)
3/4 C. buttermilk
1 1/4 C. real mayonaise
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (buttermilk variety)
1 T. extra hot horseradish 
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic

Mix everything in a blender.  Place in a covered
container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
If you want a great taste, don't substitute with milk
and low fat mayonaise and be sure to buy the
buttermilk variety on the mix.  You won't taste the
horseradish, it just gives it that extra "umph".


I will be posting this with
Weekend Wrapup
Foodie Friday

27 comments:

  1. Jacqueline, this is such a fun idea!! I may have to use this one for my Super Bowl party, in lieu of a typical veggie tray! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. What a beautiful presentation. I think it would make a lovely veggie buffet at a shower too.

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  3. Jacqueline - you have made veggies look extraordinary!

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  4. What an outstanding way to offer veggies, but I'm most excited about the ranch salad dressing. hehehe Pinning that for later.

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  5. Jacqueline, this is a beautiful presentation. I'm going to share this with my friend who does catering. Fresh veggies are always a perfect item to serve. Thanks for sharing this. ~ Sarah

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  6. very clever idea and would make a great accompaniment to the game day table!! anne

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  7. Ranch dressing and vegetables is a great combination for an appetizer! The presentation is brilliant too!

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  8. I love it..:) Healthy..gorgeous..I can tell you love it too..Thank you..I will try this one day..:)

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  9. I never knew vegetables could look so exciting! You are amazing! I can't wait to try this :-)

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  10. That's a very pretty presentation-love it:@)

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  11. Beautiful! I saved it too, but never did it!
    I saved jars I thought would work too.
    Def will do it for summer! I think Peter Rabbit would like it for Easter too!
    Great job, J,!

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  12. I love this! Everything looks so pretty and appetizing ~ great presentation. Thanks for the hint & recipe for the Ranch dressing too! My family will love it.

    xo
    Pat

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  13. So pretty and a big "Thank You!" for the recipe!

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  14. Love the vegie presentation! Maybe this would get the munchkins to eat them:)

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  15. Let me tell you this. I am not much of a vegetable fan but the way you designed it with the leaves might actually get kids to like vegetables because of the interesting design. thanks! Talley

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  16. what a great way to serve the veggies. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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  17. This really is table art, J. So so pretty no wonder everyone crowds around the table. xx's

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  18. *Knock-your-socks-off-GORGEOUS!" display, Jacqueline! Almost too pretty to eat...I said "almost" LOL

    I'm pinning you!

    Hugs,
    Rett

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  19. I would love to make my own dip! thanks for shairng

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  20. Love your table setting. So fresh and so unique :)

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  21. WOW.

    Jacqueline, your photos are always so vibrant and FULL OF LIFE!!!!!!!! MAGNIFICENT ideas, huh? I must try that soon, because really, our temperatures really feel like SPRING!!! THANK YOU DEAR HEART for visiting me! Anita

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  22. What a great idea and beautiful presentation! Everything looks delicious!

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  23. I absolutely love this idea, which I am promptly saving to use for our summer-hosted gourmet group! Very charming and well done, Jacqueline.

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  24. found you through pinterest and am overjoyed!! I'll be back again and again.

    Your newest follower,

    Jessi from Hopes and Dreams
    http://cherishinghopesanddreams.blogspot.com/

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  25. That looks like it was from a magazine shoot. Its positively gorgeous!

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  26. Love this! I have cut the center out of a whole head of cabbage for dip, or peppers but I've never tried using the leaves like this. Perfect!

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  27. Jackie,
    A fun thing to do for a large group, as in a reception or luncheon, when you want to have individual servings, use plastic drinking glasses, fill 1/3 full of dip and then add cut, about 5"long, celery and carrot sticks, slices of peppers and cucumber wedges and place or tuck a few grape tomatoes on top. A sprig of parsely is also a nice touch. And it is very fun for a summer gathering. You probably already know about this!
    hugs,
    Betsy

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