I’ve been thinking alot about my Grandpa and Grandma Renelt this past week. They’ve been on my mind more than usual because my family just returned from a vacation in Florida, the warm and endlessly sunny state where my grandparents used to spend many of their winters. While I was growing up, our family traveled to stay with them several times over the years, and those visits produced loads and loads of happy memories for me. So much of last week’s vacation time felt like I was reliving trips from the past. Except this time I was the parent!
Grandma definitely knows her way around every corner of the kitchen, but I especially loved our Florida breakfasts together where she treated us to fresh squeezed orange juice. And not the “fresh squeezed” kind from the store’s jug like we drank every morning last week on vacation. No, Grandma squeezed those sweet Florida oranges with her own two hands, no electric gizmos involved. I think that must be how you know someone loves you.
Another favorite, and still extremely simple, eat that Grandma introduced me to was her Fresh Ginger Dressing. I’ve always loved it, but it wasn’t until just a few years ago that I asked her for the recipe. She laughed that vivacious laugh of hers and then said, “Recipe?! I don’t have a recipe!” So I proceeded to make her guesstimate the measurements of ingredients.
I like to play around with my grandma’s recipe by experimenting with different vinegars and sweeteners. And the amount of ginger I use completely depends on my mood. Sometimes I want mellow ginger. Other times I want it full throttle, spicy and full of zing. But the recipe I’ve included is how I most commonly make it, and a great place for you to start.
I like to drizzle this fresh ginger dressing over my salads any time of year, but its light body and bright flavor is especially nice during the warmth of spring and summer. Please let me know if you try it!
Grandma Renelt’s Fresh Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ c. your favorite vegetable oil
- ⅔ c. rice vinegar or regular white vinegar
- ⅓ c. honey
- 2 T. grated fresh ginger
- pinch of kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pint jar and shake vigorously. Or if you like a more well-blended dressing, place ingredients in a smallish bowl and give it a few whirls with an immersion blender.
- Then store in a pint jar, shaking vigorously before each use. Serve with your favorite fresh greens. Keeps well in the refrigerator for one week.
I love the fresh taste of ginger. This dressing looks divine, nice and simple to make too. I’ll have to try it. It looks perfect for a crisp green salad.
We enjoyed your dressing at the lake tonight with Mom and Dad! It is always so good!
Anything ginger is a yes for me. I will try this one out. Thanks for sharing..
Aw, appreciate the love in this one. I’ll always keep the recipes my Grandma wrote out for me on index cards in her Palmer Script handwriting. Miss her.
I got to enjoy the ginger dressing at Mom’s this weekend. YUMMY!!!
Yay! It’s just so good. I even got the girls eating it this spring – they love it now, too!
Love this ginger vinaigrette…so delicious and pairs so well with the salad.
Brenda I love the picture of your grandma…she just looks like she is a fun gal! This salad dressing sounds divine, I am definitely adding it to my list of salad dressing! Thanks again for linking up!