Elvie's Homemade Salad Dressing and Veggie Dip

Yes, that says Elvie (not Elvis. It's not a type-o). My grandmother's name is Elva and it seems that once one has grown up, it is customary in my family, for everyone (child, grandchild and all) to call grandmother Elvie.

Everyone except me.

I just won't can't change such a deep rooted habit. I will always call my mom, mom...never Lynn. Dad will forever be dad...not Pat. Nana is nana And grandmother will remain grandmother....and so on and so forth.

It just sounds weird coming out of my mouth any other way. There's a special meaning and feeling that accompanies those "titles"....and to one day start calling your parents and grandparents by their first names...just seems....I dunno....how do you explain it? It removes a certain sentiment. (I'm real big on keepsakes and sentimental things).

While my mom was here visiting a few weeks back, we shared recipes (one of my favorite things to do). Mom gave me grandmother's recipe for salad dressing. Which also makes a wonderful condiment on a crispy chicken wrap....veggie dip....secret sauce. What ever you can think of that is socially acceptable to use as a vehicle for transporting this dressing from the jar into your mouth. (a finger dip works nicely when no one's around to see)

I love it when I get recipes from the older generation in the family. It's like capturing a piece of your heritage.

You know what else? I didn't even know that grandmother had a special dressing. And now I have it. And now you can have it too.

Elvie's Homemade Salad Dressing
Printable Version

2 carrots, peeled
2 sticks of celery
1/2 white onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
Squirt of ketchup (for color)
1 quart of mayonnaise
A few shakes of Mrs. Dashes if  you have some

With your food processor, shred / grate the carrots, celery and onion. Then puree. Add the remaining ingredients and puree some more. There will be some texture still...and that's ok. It just adds to that "fresh" flavor thing.

Allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight, allowing the flavors to marry. You know....get all familiar with each other and mesh.

Kinda like a food honeymoon.

Then you can do what eeeeeever you want with it

I can't wait until we grill some cheeseburgers. McDonald's secret sauce has nothing on this stuff!