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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Veggie Tray with Homemade Ranch Dip


Corban loves vegetables, so I wanted to definitely have some at his birthday party.  This was a super easy and economical side dish to put together and I love that the dressing is free of preservatives and other nasty chemicals.   The only hard part was finding decent buttermilk (ie, not fat-free), but even that was overcome fairly easily.  I like this dip....it's tasty, the kids all enjoyed it, and if it helps you eat more veggies, it's gotta be good.  

Recipe: (from Good Cheap Eats)

1/2 c. reduced fat mayonnaise
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 T. dried parsley
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
pinch cayenne

Desired veggies for serving; I chose carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers.

Mix together all dressing ingredients.  Add a little salt if you want.  Refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors get to know each other.  Add a little more buttermilk if you want a thinner dip or salad dressing.

Wash veggies with vinegar and water.  Peel the carrots completely and the cucumbers intermittently.
Leaving a little of the green skin makes them prettier as well as helps them hold their texture longer.

Slice carrots on an angle. If they're thin, you'll need to slice at an extreme angle to get enough surface area to make a good sized dipper.
Slice cucumbers on an angle or straight, whichever you prefer.
Cut broccoli into florets.

Arrange veggies on a pretty plate or platter.  Divide the different colored vegetables into sections, surrounding your dish of ranch dressing.  Chill until serving.

Dressing keeps in the fridge for about a week. 

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