Super Easy Organic Ranch

When we started our organic food journey, I thought it was going to be pretty simple...avoid junk foods, processed foods,  high fructose corn syrup, etc....but that was only the tip of the iceberg! I knew that there would be more salads and veggies involved but never realized how processed and chemical ridden the dressings and dips I was putting on them were!

 Take for example the lengthy ingredient list for Kraft Ranch Dressing.... can you pronounce or identify all of the ingredients? And I am totally not knocking Kraft - they don't profess to be organic and many other ranch dressings have the same ingredient list. I just wonder why you would even bother with the salad and veggies!

KRAFT SALAD DRESSING - SALAD DRESSING - RANCH CLASSIC

 
Ingredients: WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, VINEGAR, SUGAR, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF EGG YOLKS, WHEY (FROM MILK), MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, GARLIC JUICE, BUTTERMILK, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, XANTHAN GUM, PHOSPHORIC ACID, POLYSORBATE 60, SPICE, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, TARTARIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SORBIC ACID AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR). CONTAINS: EGG, MILK.
Size: 16 FL OZ
Upc: 2100064361

I mean c'mon, I am no "conspiracy theorist" but my body is real...why would I load it with ingredients that are modified and labeled as artificial?


So I went on a quest to find an amazing ranch dressing! Here is what I came up with!  It has only a few ingredients and is so versatile.....You can make  this dip/dressing SUPER healthy by making it with greek yogurt or you can make it non dairy with some Tofutti and soy milk! The choice is yours but no matter which way you make it...you will love the results!

Ingredients:

• 1 16 ounce tub of your favorite sour cream, plain greek dressing, or even cream cheese (for a stiff dip or spread)
• 1 Tablespoon of Dill
• 1 Tablespoon of Chives or Green Onions
• 1 Clove of Crushed Garlic (you can use garlic powder if you like)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A teaspoon of lemon to brighten the flavors
• Add your choice of milk to thin it out  for a dressing

How is that for an ingredient list? Looks WAY better than the bottled dressing label and tastes so much better too!

Directions:
Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir! That's it!

You can use this one recipe to create so many different dips and dressing!
 Toss in a diced jalapeno for a spicy kick, tomatoes and peppers for a southwest punch of flavor, or creamy avocado for a rich and creamy treat!


Even if you are not eating "clean" or "organic" it is still an awesome dip to serve to friends and family at get togethers and it is certainly a better option than the ones in a bottle!

It is now safe to resume dipping your broccoli and dressing your salads! Enjoy

10 Crusty Recipes

I have no clue why, but my children will NOT eat the crust of bread! I hear this from other moms as well so I am assuming that it isn't just me who throws away the crust from each sandwich I make for my little ones. I am all about stretching my money. Especially when I am feeding my family only organic and splurge a little on the organic bread at the grocery. In the beginning...when there was 1 child, it didn't seem  so wasteful. Now, with 5 kids, we use a whole loaf of bread at each meal and this leaves A LOT of left over crust. It seemed so wasteful to throw it away so I got creative and used my restaurant management brain to find some fun and exciting ways to use them!

 Simply cut the crust off BEFORE you make the sandwich and the possibilities are endless!

Here are 10 ways to use that crusty goodness!

1 Bag of Crusts!

1. Croutons - okay....not the most inventive but great garlic croutons are always a great thing to have around the house!  Dice up your crusts and toss them with melted butter and garlic salt. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

YUMMY PANZANELLA!

2. Panzanella - Toss your homemade croutons in some olive oil, vinegar, and veggies and you have a fantastic summer salad (I used fresh basil from my garden..YUM). To your croutons, add things like sliced onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and olives ---actually whatever you like to build your base. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings and let it sit for an hour or so in the fridge before serving! It is FANTASTIC! I actually made my "dressing" in advance including the veggies then tossed everything while preparing for my daughter's party! It was a great way to pre-make an awesome side dish! And no judgement...I didn't dice my bread up as well as I should have...I was in a hurry!

3. Bread Pudding - who doesn't love a great warm bread pudding!

4. Stuffing/Dressing - call it what you want to....it is always an awesome addition to dinner! Everyone has their favorite version so I will leave that to you!

Warm berries and greek yogurt!!

5. French Toast Bake - This is a favorite at our house! It is just like a bread pudding only a bit more bread-y! Chop your crust into small cubes. Fill a large greased baking dish with the cubes and top with a mixture of 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cup of milk, a bit of butter, and your favorite seasonings (i.e. almond, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar) then press the bread until it is all good and coated. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and toss it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. This is an extremely versatile recipe and can be made the night before and placed in the fridge over night! Add fresh fruit and a dollop of yogurt for a real treat!

Pic of the Johnsonville Bake

6. Breakfast Casserole - Everyone has a favorite version of this one! 1 calls for cut up English muffins, another french bread.....no matter which variation you like, you can use your diced crusts! Basically, take the diced egg crusts and add 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of milk, cheese, and your favorite savory seasonings & veggies (peppers, onions, tomatoes) , and cooked meats. This is a GREAT way to use up leftovers!! Ham, sausage, bacon, and even chicken all work well in this dish! Here is a recipe from Johnsonville....I make mine with all organic items and it is still super tasty!

7. Breadcrumbs! Why buy them when you already are throwing enough bread away to keep you in crumbs for life?!? Toss your crust pieces in some butter and garlic and then bake in the oven at 150 degrees until they are extremely crunchy. Run these guys through a food processor or blender and wah-bam...you have homemade breadcrumbs! Store in a sealed container!

Ina Garten's recipe! MMMMM!

8.Ribollita - I haven't made this personally but think it is about time! It is basically a soup were the bread acts like dumplings! This is a picture of Ina Garten's recipe found HERE. I would need to alter it a bit for myself but it gives me so many ideas of ways to use up other leftovers!



 9. Meatloaf & Meatballs - Instead of using fresh bread...use something you were going to pitch! Try dicing your crusts and using them instead. Using your homemade seasoned breadcrumbs here is also a great trick!

10.  Feed the Birds - Okay, so this isn't a recipe for food but it is a recipe for FUN! I am sure someone will argue that this is a bad idea to feed the birds...if so, sorry. It is always a great family experience to sit at the park and feed the ducks. It is FREE to do and the kids LOVE it. The ducks are already being fed so it isn't like we are ruining their natural hunting instincts...right?

So....maybe I have taken this frugal thing too far.....well, maybe not! Look at all of the amazing things I can do with the "wasted" crusts from my children's sandwiches! If you have other ideas, I would LOVE to hear them and try them!  Please share any tips, recipes, and tricks you may have for saving money using bread crusts!!