Tahini Dip

We've been on a bit of a Mediterranean kick lately, so I thought I could make a tahini dip. Plus, cut veggies and dip = super easy snack! And like most dips or dressings, it's also super easy to make - just throw everything into a food processor or blender and process/blend until desired consistency reached. You can also adjust the thickness using water or olive oil depending on if you're going for a dip or dressing. Don't you just love versatile recipes like this one? :)

How will you enjoy your tahini dip?

Tahini Dip

by CJ Huang

Try this quick, easy, and versatile tahini dip. Full of flavor and works wonderfully as a dressing, spread, or sauce too!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 cups

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
105 grams	3.75 ounces		1	onion, diced
122 grams	4.25 ounces		2 stalks	celery
		2 tablespoons		soy sauce
		2 tablespoons		lemon juice
83 grams	2.875 ounces	1/2 cup		tahini
		4 tablespoons		olive oil
9 grams	1/4 ounce	1 tablespoon		flax seeds

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Pulse all materials together, thinning with water or olive oil to desired consistency.

Basic Asian Dressing

A quick and simple Asian inspired salad dressing with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic mixed with a bit of oil and lime.

Basil Pesto

A simple basil pesto made from fresh basil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

Mayonnaise

Make your own preservative-free and tasty mayo!

Red Wine Vinaigrette

When we ran out of dressing a few years back, I was to lazy to go out and buy some, so I decided to make some instead. I'm not sure if making my own was lazier or going out was lazier, but I think making my own was more efficient, and that's what I did. Fortunately for you, that means I can share another tried and true recipe! Between how easy it is to make a salad dressing and/or customize when you make your own, you won't have much reason to go buy salad dressing anymore! In addition, you don't have to deal with a plethora of partially used salad dressing bottles cluttering your refrigerator since you can make a fresh and customized batch every time!

Do you prefer making or buying your salad dressing? Leave a comment sharing your favorite dressing!

Red Wine Vinaigrette

by CJ Huang

A red wine vinaigrette flavored with black pepper, basil, oregano, and other Italian seasonings.

Prep time:
Cook time: none
Total time: 5 minutes

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		1/2 cup		olive oil
		1/3 cup		red wine vinegar
				black pepper
				basil
				oregano

Methods:

1. Place all materials into a container and whisk or shake together.

Hot Pepper Oil

I have seen this hot oil at a lot of Chinese restaurants, and I found a bag of chili pepper flakes recently, so I thought I would give it a try. At first, I just mixed the oil and pepper flakes, and that did result in hot oil, but it didn't have the same taste or smell as what I was trying for, so I thought about the roasted garlic oil, and I wondered if the results would be better if I roasted the oil. I did that, but the taste and smell were still slightly different from the hot oil I had seen in Chinese restaurants. I'm guessing that the real reason is because I used Korean chili pepper flakes. Even though the smell is a bit different, you can still use the oil in the same way. A little bit goes a long way!

What are some of your favorite ways to add some heat?

Hot Pepper Oil

by CJ Huang

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				chili pepper flakes
				oil

Methods:

1. Mix the chili pepper flakes with oil.
2. Roast the chili pepper flakes in oil.

Roasted Garlic Oil

I’d heard about how much tastier roasted garlic is than regular garlic, but I’d never made it myself. I also thought that maybe the oil used when roasting the garlic would get infused with the garlic flavor. You can use the roasted garlic when cooking and the roasted garlic oil for dipping or infusing some additional flavor without adding actual garlic pieces.

What's your favorite way to use garlic?

Roasted Garlic Oil

by CJ Huang

Fragrant oil infused with the flavor and aroma of roasted garlic.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				garlic
				oil	I used olive.

Methods:

1. Place garlic into an oven-safe container.
2. Pour in enough oil to cover most or all of the garlic.
3. Roast garlic in oil until garlic is soft. I let mine get slightly burnt on the surface since I like that additional flavor, but you could easily take it out before it gets burnt.