Caesar Romero

We've all had our little mishaps in the kitchen: the soufflé that falls, the cake that doesn't rise, the previously made French Onion Soup stored in the freezer that falls to the floor when we go to retrieve it, splitting its storage container in two, wherein it flies out of said container, sliding across the floor like a hockey puck, only to end its journey in front of the dog's bed, the occupant of which, delighted with her luck, enthusiastically licks the onion-flavored Popsicle.  No?  Well, it's happened to me.

My recent setback was to mistake a full two-cup container of Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding) for a similarly stored container of Ranch Dressing, only to become painfully aware of my error as I readied to toss the salad to serve to a table full of waiting guests.  Frantic, I bolted to the refrigerator and pulled out the near empty container of actual Ranch Dressing, a packet of Caesar Salad Dressing leftover from a fast food restaurant, the dregs in a bottle of low-fat Italian dressing, and a spoonful or two of Green Goddess. I dumped it all into a medium mixing bowl, whisked it together with vigor, crossed my fingers, poured it over the salad, plated it, and served.

I held my breath as my guests began to eat. Then, mortified, accepted the compliments on this "delicious dressing."

"What kind is this?" someone asked.

Drawing a blank, the only thing I could think of was the discarded packet from which I'd squeezed the Caesar dressing. "Ummm," I dumbly replied (Think, girl, think!), "It's my own creation. I call it, errr, Caesar, ummm, Caesar Romero."

Thank goodness it was a youngish crowd who wasn't familiar with the late actor, although my youngest son, who was immediately on to me mouthed, "Didn't he play The Joker in Batman?"

Busted!

To make certain this never happened again, I now keep a container of homemade Ranch Dressing seasoning in the pantry.  You might be wise to do the same.

Ranch Style Dressing Mix

8 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

5-1/2 tablespoons instant minced onion

4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Stir ingredients together and store in a cool, dry pace. To prepare, combine 2 tablespoons of the mix with 1cup buttermilk and 1cup mayonnaise. This will keep for six months.

This post is linked to: On the Menu Monday