If you’re like me, you probably enjoyed a classic taco salad more than once in your childhood. It’s a staple for many family and potluck events and has been for years. And if you ate taco salad in the 70s, 80s, or 90s, it was likely made with Catalina salad dressing.

Ranch dressing may have taken over in popularity for many salad lovers (and pizza lovers, vegetable lovers, chip lovers, you get my point), but Catalina still has a place in the fridge for many of us. That said, the homemade Catalina dressing I love today is a far cry from the grocery store versions I recall.

Catalina Dressing

Catalina is fresh, bold, tangy, and sweet, (though a lot less sweet than commercial versions!) with plenty of zesty flavors to keep things interesting. At this point in my life, I could write an ode to homemade salad dressings.

I love how easy they are to make, and the fact you can adjust the flavors so easily to your tastes transforms every day dishes into something extra special. Want a little heat? Add a pinch of cayenne. Or for a bit of smoky flavor, try a dash of smoked paprika instead of the plain variety.

There’s nothing at all complicated about making most salad dressings, nothing at all. You just combine everything in a jar, seal it tightly with a lid, and give it a shake. For dressings (like this one and classic balsamic vinaigrette), I like to use the blender to emulsify the dressing. That way, it won’t separate as quickly and doesn’t require as much shaking when you’re ready to use it.

I used this batch of Catalina dressing in an old-school taco salad, and wow, was this ever nostalgic. Crunchy crisp lettuce, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and crunchy tortilla chips, all tossed with this zesty red dressing. There’s just something about Catalina dressing that ties all those flavors together perfectly.

The taco salads I recall from childhood were usually made with plain tortilla chips, tossed whole

Peach syrup is fragrant, fruity, and perfect for adding a burst of summer sweetness to just about anything.

It should come as no surprise to anyone when I tell you that I love peaches. For me, peaches and watermelon are two of the best things in summer. When peaches are at their best, juicy, super fragrant, and so sweet you just can’t stop eating them, you’re likely to find me standing over the sink taking a bite out of one with juices running down my arm. I can never resist them.

After I finished making the 6th or 8th or maybe it was the 10th batch of peach jam, I decided to use the last of my peaches to make a simple peach syrup. I had visions of a peach whiskey smash or maybe a fresh peach martini in mind.

Peach Syrup

If you’ve never made a fruit syrup before, don’t worry, it’s beyond easy. All you need are peaches, sugar, and water. That’s it.

Peach simple syrup is perfect for mixing into iced tea, lemonade, cocktails, or even sparkling water. You can reduce the syrup a little further and drizzle it over pancakes or waffles, try stirring it into yogurt, or use it to sweeten a bowl of oatmeal.

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If you enjoy making your own salad dressings (and you already know that I do!), this honey dijon vinaigrette is a great one to keep on hand. It’s made with simple ingredients from the pantry and fridge, it’s quick to make, full of terrific flavor, and works with just about anything—from simple side salads to grilled chicken or roasted vegetables.

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

All you need are a few basic ingredients: olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Everything gets added to a jar and shaken until it comes together. That really is it. There’s no whisking, no blender, and no mess.

The flavor is tangy from the vinegar, a little sweet from the honey, and just bold enough thanks to the mustard. You can adjust the honey if you want it to be a bit sweeter or use a little more Dijon for a stronger kick. I usually use white balsamic vinegar because it’s smooth and a little sweet, but apple cider vinegar works great too.

You already know that a homemade honey mustard vinaigrette is going to taste so much better than anything you can grab off the shelf at the store. However, I honestly can’t think of a single homemade salad dressing for which that isn’t the truth.

You’re certain to find several homemade dressings in my fridge at any given time. From classic ranch dressing (with almost 2,000 comments and 5-star reviews!) to this smoky, slightly spicy blackened ranch, dill pickle ranch dressing, or this spicy green chile ranch (just like Dion’s – for those of us who live too far away to keep it on hand) there isn’t a ranch dressing or dip that my family doesn’t love.

Whatever you’re craving, th

Ranch dressing meets my undying love for dill pickles in this recipe for dill pickle ranch dressing. Drizzled over a salad or served as a dip for just about anything, this disappears within a few days of making it every time I stir a batch together.

Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing

Creamy, tangy, homemade ranch dressing is packed with plenty of garlic, dill, parsley, and chives, making it a hit at every meal. When you add the bold flavor of pickles to ranch, though? It takes the flavors straight over the top.

Just thin enough to pour smoothly, without becoming too liquid or watered down: the creaminess of the dressing is well balanced by the tang of those pickles.

Dill Pickle Ranch Dip

But wait, this isn’t just for salads. I often reduce the milk (or skip it entirely by adding equal parts additional sour cream or mayo) and make this thicker for a ranch dip that my kids can’t get enough of when snacking.

We dunk chicken tenders and potato chips into it. It also makes a zesty pickle-lover’s burger sauce or sandwich spread. Odds are good that you’re going to want to put this on just about everything.

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Sweet berries, spicy jalapenos, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime combine to make this strawberry salsa. This comes together in about 15 minutes and the salsa disappears almost faster than that every single time I make it.

Strawberry Salsa

You may be wondering what you serve this with. The truth is that we usually descend on a bowl of this and it never gets eaten with anything other than a handful of tortilla chips.

Each time I make it, I think that strawberry salsa would be awesome on chicken or fish. However, it has never lasted long enough for me to actually test that. Somebody let me know if you try it.

Between this salsa and my pineapple salsa, I just can’t stop making fruit salsas this summer! They’re hard to resist and there’s no good reason to resist them, anyway; they’re great for you!

Strawberry Jalapeno Salsa

To whip up this fantastic fruit salsa, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• strawberries
• jalapenos
• green onions
• cilantro
• limes
• salt
• pepper

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