When I have friends over for dinner, there is usually one thing I can count on. Someone will say, “I love this salad dressing! How did you make it?” It doesn’t matter what else I’m serving. Everyone loves my salad dressing. Figures, doesn’t it? It is the easiest thing I make. There is the “correct” way to make a vinaigrette (whisk together vinegar and seasonings. Slowly whisk in olive oil to emulsify.)  and then there is my way (basically throw everything into a bowl.) My way is easier.

Since I finally invested in a grown-up camera, I thought it would be fun to show you step-by-step how to make a simple lemon vinaigrette. The best part of this recipe is that you can play with it to suit your tastes. Here we go. (Full recipe is below.) Today I am making a lemon vinaigrette. I’ve pulled out olive oil, a lemon, garlic and Penzeys’ Sunny Paris seasoning. I’ll also need sugar and kosher salt. But I forgot to photograph those. Oh well. For this recipe, you’ll need a half a lemon. I am feeling the need to tell you that I love lemons. Love them. A bowl of lemons makes me happier than a vase of flowers.

See this lemon squeezer? It is my favorite. It does a really good job at extracting all the juice from a lemon and it catches the seeds. What more could you ask for? In a small bowl, combine three tablespoons of oil and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Add one teaspoon of mustard. This will keep your vinaigrette emulsified. It also tastes good. By the way, the mustard I am using is not gourmet at all. It is what I had on hand–and that is even better. Use a small whisk and combine all the ingredients until the vinaigrette is smooth and creamy. Isn’t that neat? It is a totally dairy-free dressing but it looks really creamy. I love this. Vinaigrettes make me happy. Now add your seasonings.

I’ve used Penzeys’ Sunny Paris because I *love* it. But any dried herbs and spices that you love work just fine. (In the Sunny Paris is purple shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil and bay leaf.)

Add a pinch of sugar. Trust me on this. A pinch of sugar in your vinaigrette makes it taste good. I promise it won’t make it sweet. The sugar will just mellow the ingredients and take away the sharpness that plagues some vinaigrettes. Now throw in some kosher salt. Again, this is important. Salt enhances the flavor. Add a half clove of garlic. The garlic transforms this vinaigrette from good to “Oh my goodness. I want more.” If you don’t like raw garlic or are planning on kissing someone right after eating this salad (lucky you, by the way!) just leave it out and add more dry herbs. At this point, taste the vinaigrette. Does it need anything? More salt? More seasonings? More lemon juice? Adjust if necessary. Then I put my greens in a bowl, splash some of the vinaigrette over it and toss together. You don’t need to do this but it ensures that every green is coated with vinaigrette. Yum! Throw on whatever else you have around. When I made this salad, I did not have much around. I went simple with just a few grape tomatoes. Now, where is my fork…

• Ingredients
• Directions