Ranch Saltines

After making a sleeve of Fire-Eater saltines the other day, I had to keep trying other flavors. I mean, there’s good and then there’s crazy good. These Ranch saltines are definitely crazy good. Great Ranch flavor on a crunchy yummy cracker. That’s all you’ll need, trust me. Yes, you could slather a bit of cream cheese on them too, but I found them addicting enough just as they are. It’s the easiest snack cracker you could ever make.

Ranch Saltines

Buy It Or Make It

Buy Ranch seasoning in bulk or if you prefer you can make it at home. Check out my homemade version. And add more if you want. I’m a Ranch addict, so I put extra on my Ranch saltines.

I use the same base recipe any time that I make flavored saltine crackers: a sleeve of crackers, 1/3 cup of oil, and whatever flavoring I am using. It’s just that simple.

Ranch Saltines
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5 from 1 vote

Ranch Saltines

These Ranch saltines are definitely crazy good. Great Ranch flavor on a crunchy yummy cracker. That’s all you’ll need, trust me.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword crackers, Ranch
Prep Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours
Servings 8 servings
Calories 84kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place crackers in a large resealable bag or container.
  • Pour in the oil.
  • Sprinkle with the seasoning.
  • Seal and gently toss to coat.
  • Let sit (on the counter) for 12 hours to get ‘happy’, tossing gently every once-in-a-while.
  • Serve as-is or with cream cheese for topping.

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Ranch Sourdough Pretzel Bites

You can sit down and eat pretzel bites out of the bag and think, “Hey, these are pretty good”. Or with just a few more ingredients, you can sit down with a bowl of these Ranch sourdough pretzel bites and know that you’ve just had something truly incredible. Each bite has a hint of butter. A hint of herby Ranch dressing, and a really awesome citrusy pepper flavor that’s just barely there, but oh does it make a difference.

Ranch Sourdough Pretzel Bites

Popcorn Oil Adds Great Flavor

I often make appetizers like these Ranch sourdough pretzel bites using just oil, or melted butter. I recently came across the idea of using popcorn oil, which of course combines both oil and butter. The flavor is more fantastic, and it doesn’t get any easier than just measuring the oil out of a bottle. I’ll definitely make all my snacks this way from here on.

I couldn’t find my lemon pepper seasoning (I am reminded that someday, maybe, I’ll arrange the spices in my pantry in alphabetical or at least some sensible order). I substituted lime pepper seasoning I have to say it was fantastic. The citrus flavor in either case isn’t going to scream out at it, it just adds that special something.

Looking for something else to much on during the big game? Make a batch of my baseball opening day cashews. They won’t last long!

Also check out my balsamicpizza,and spicy garlic Ranch, deluxe cheddar, soft pretzel and Buffalo Ranch sourdough pretzel bites! They are all out of this world good too!

Ranch Sourdough Pretzel Bites
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5 from 1 vote

Ranch Sourdough Pretzel Bites

Sit down with a bowl of these Ranch sourdough pretzel bites and know that you’ve just had something truly incredible. Each bite has a hint of butter. A hint of herby Ranch dressing, and a really awesome citrusy pepper flavor that’s just barely there, but oh does it make a difference.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword pretzel bites, Ranch
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Calories 85kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 200 F.
  • Place pretzel bites in large bowl.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the oil, Ranch dressing mix, lemon pepper, garlic powder and dill weed.
  • Pour the oil mixture over the pretzels and toss to coat well.
  • Pour pretzels bites out onto a large baking pan and spread out evenly.
  • Bake for 1 hour, tossing every 20 minutes.
  • Let cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1702mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Herby Ranch Dressing

We’ve been enjoying a week of grilling marinated chicken breasts, sliced thin, served on top of fresh greens with homemade salad dressings, like this herby Ranch dressing. I also mix up the salad toppings to keep things new and exciting. In no time we have a great salad for dinner.

Herby Ranch Dressing

A Twist On The Classic Dressing

This herby Ranch dressing has the flavors of a traditional Ranch, with an extra herb kick. Fresh herbs make it the best, but you can substitute dried, like I did. Just make sure you crumble the dried herbs first. You don’t want to bite into a big ole chunk of oregano, ya know!

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

These little sauce dipping cups are great for serving salad dressings. They keep me from over-dressing my salads, which is something I’m prone to do since I’m a dressing-aholic (and in particular, a Ranch-aholic). They’re easy to clean up, too. And they’re also great for dipping nuggets, tenders or even chicken wings.

Also try my dill ranch dressing and my amped-up Thai sweet chili dressing.

Herby Ranch Dressing
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4 from 1 vote

Herby Ranch Dressing

This dressing has the flavors of a traditional Ranch, with an extra herb kick. Fresh herbs make it the best, but you can substitute dried, like I did. 
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword homemade salad dressing
Prep Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 2 cups
Calories 941kcal

Ingredients

If using fresh herbs

  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
  • ¼ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped

If using dried herbs

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste.
  • Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
  • Add more buttermilk if the dressing is too thick.

Nutrition

Calories: 941kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 98g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 887mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1611IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 312mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix BBQ Ranch Dressing

A lot of restaurant signature sauces start with simple, off-the-shelf ingredients. A restaurant near us starts with BBQ sauce and Ranch, just like with this quick fix BBQ Ranch dressing, and then adds a few other ingredients (such as crumbled cooked bacon) to make it different for different dishes, such as for dipping onion rings or chicken wings. They also use it as a spicy version of their house Ranch salad dressing for well, you guessed it, salads.

Quick Fix BBQ Ranch Dressing

Great For Fries, Burgers And Wings Too!

This quick fix BBQ Ranch dressing isn’t just for salads, though. That’s for sure. I squirted it on a big plate of French fries. Then I dipped grilled chicken wings in it. I slathered it on hot-off-the-grill hamburgers. Heck, it’s great on wraps too!

Just make sure you start with good, quality BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing. And don’t hesitate to use a spicy BBQ sauce, or one with a bit of smoky flavor to it.

This dressing will last a while in the fridge, if there happens to be any leftover. Just make sure to give it a good shake or stir before serving.

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

Also try my dill Ranch dressing. Oh, and this dressing is fantastic on my Santa Fe chicken salad.

Quick Fix Bloody Mary Potato Chips
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5 from 1 vote

Easy BBQ Ranch Dressing

A lot of restaurant signature sauces start with simple, off-the-shelf ingredients. A restaurant near us starts with BBQ sauce and Ranch, just like with this quick fix BBQ Ranch dressing, and then adds a few other ingredients.
Course Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword BBQ, Ranch, salad dressing
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 827kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk together the two ingredients.
  • Add any embellishments and stir to combine.

Nutrition

Calories: 827kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 2781mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Avocado Ranch Dressing

I love when avocados are in season here. They’re perfect on a salad, be it sliced, chopped or in the dressing itself. This avocado Ranch dressing is quite easy to make. It packs a nice subtle avocado flavor, with the wonderful creamy herb flavor of Ranch. It has a very mild spiciness to it too. You can make it spicier if you like, or leave out the hot sauce entirely. I like my dressing pretty thick, so that’s how I made it. But if you prefer yours a little thinner, just add some more milk.

Avocado Ranch Dressing

Thick Enough For A Dip

Avocado Ranch dressing isn’t just for salads either. It’s perfect as a dip, or use it as a substitute for sour cream on tacos or nachos. It’s also great as a sandwich spread. Just make it a little thicker then spread on bread. Add your favorite sandwich meat and boom, excellent!

Feel free to use different kinds of hot sauce besides the ‘usual’. Go smoky, or super hot, or lime-infused… whatever works for you!

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

For a little more kick, try my jalapeno ranch dressing.

Avocado Ranch Dressing
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5 from 1 vote

Avocado Ranch Dressing

This avocado Ranch dressing is quite easy to make. It packs a nice subtle avocado flavor, with the wonderful creamy herb flavor of Ranch.
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword homemade salad dressing
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 cups
Calories 531kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Scoop out the avocado and place into a blender or food processor.
  • Add remaining ingredients except salt and process until smooth.
  • Taste, add salt as needed, and pulse a few more times to mix.
  • Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
  • Note: If the dressing gets too thick, stir in a bit more milk before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cheddar Ranch Grits

As much as I love making and devouring mashed potatoes with pot roast and gravy, I love grits even more. The creamy ground corn has more texture and more flavor. At least, in my opinion. Add some cheese (and a little bit of Ranch dressing mix) and well, these cheddar Ranch grits are the perfect tasting side dish and very, very easy to make.

Cheddar Ranch Grits

Try Other Cheeses, Too

You can substitute any good melting cheese you want to these cheddar Ranch grits. I like a nice sharp cheddar because I think it goes perfectly with the corn flavors and the Ranch dressing. I think Monterey jack would also work well in this dish. For some kick, go with pepperjack and add a few chopped roasted jalapenos. Or chile peppers. You can also add drained copped pimentos.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

Also try my roasted sweet corn grits. I always keep grits on hand. They’re the perfect side dish for just about any meal.

Cheddar Ranch Grits
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5 from 1 vote

Cheddar Ranch Grits

As much as I love making and devouring mashed potatoes with pot roast and gravy, I love grits even more. The creamy ground corn has more texture and more flavor. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, grits
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 224kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup grits not instant or quick cook
  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded (or more, if you want )
  • 1 tablespoon Ranch dressing mix the dry stuff, not the dressing in a bottle!

Instructions

  • Bring broth and salt to a boil in a medium pan over high heat.
  • Slowly stir in the grits.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. To prevent the grits from splattering you can place a lid over the top of the pan but do not cover it completely.
  • Add the butter and stir to melt.
  • Add the cheese and Ranch dressing mix and stir until the cheese is melted.
  • Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1311mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops

Cold weather can sometimes make me ‘cooking lazy’. That’s when I just want to toss a few out-of-the-pantry and out-of-the-fridge ingredients into a slow cooker, turn it on, and come back half a day later to a done dish. Doesn’t mean it has to be all out of a can, but it doesn’t have to all be from scratch either. But it does still have to be good. And spicy. Gotta have spicy and these slow cooker bold ranch pork chops deliver on that. And they deliver on tasty too. Not too bad for ‘cooking lazy’ if I do say so myself!

Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops

The Perfect Meat-And-Potatoes Dinner

I served these slow cooker bold ranch pork chops with warmed leftover mashed potatoes. The gravy from the slow cooker is great over mashed potatoes, but I think it’d be even better over grits, so I’ll give that a whirl next time. They’ll be instant grits, though, to keep with my ‘cooking lazy’ mood.

These chops are also great served over a long-time boxed favorite, Rice-a-Roni. Believe it or not, I make a crazy good copycat of it too. It’s really not that hard to make and box, is it ever delicious!

Also try my slow cooker balsamic pork sliders.

Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops
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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Bold Ranch Pork Chops

Gotta have spicy and these slow cooker bold ranch pork chops deliver on that.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword crockpot, pork chops, slow cooker
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 232kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Note: Between the soup and Cajun seasonings, this dish can be salty. I recommend a low-salt soup and making your own Cajun seasoning, cutting the amount of salt in half.
  • Turn your slow cooker on low.
  • Whisk together the soup, Ranch dressing mix, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl.
  • Place the pork chops in the slower cooker.
  • Add the soup mix.
  • Cover and cook for 6 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 540mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 868IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Italian Ranch BBQ Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

I made some fantastic flashback old school BBQ chicken on my Char-Broil Big Easy the other day. It put me in the mood for more BBQ chicken, so I up and made this fantastic Italian Ranch BBQ chicken. It’s like my old school BBQ chicken kicked up big time. You still get that great BBQ sauce flavor, but as a bonus, you get ultra-tender juicy chicken that has marinated in Italian and Ranch dressings. My goodness, it was good!

Italian Ranch BBQ Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Apply The Sauce At The End

The original recipe for Italian Ranch BBQ chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy called for marinating the chicken in the BBQ sauce and the dressings. I was using a BBQ sauce made with molasses. I knew that if it spent a long time over high heat it would start to burn. So, I marinated the chicken overnight in the dressings and then placed it into the Big Easy until almost done. That’s when I brushed the chicken with the BBQ sauce. And it was good.

To make these Italian ranch BBQ chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy I used a bunk bed basket. It lets me double or even triple the amount of cooking space I have.

Also try my southwest chicken on the Big Easy.

It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Italian Ranch BBQ Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Italian Ranch BBQ Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Welcome to kicked-up old school BBQ chicken. You get that great BBQ sauce flavor, but as a bonus, you get ultra-tender juicy chicken that has marinated in Italian and Ranch dressings. My goodness, it was good!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword BBQ, Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken, Italian, Ranch
Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 673kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the chicken into resealable container or baggie.
  • Whisk together the Italian dressing, Ranch dressing, and 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce.
  • Add the marinade to the container. Seal and shake gently to coat. Let marinate overnight.
  • Fire up your Char-Broil Big Easy.
  • Shake off any excess marinade and add the chicken to the Big Easy basket.
  • Cook until chicken is done or just shy of done, 10-15 minutes per pound.
  • Brush remaining BBQ sauce onto chicken and if desired, return to the Big Easy for 5 minutes to ‘set’ the sauce.

Notes

You’ll need a Big Easy Bunk Bed basket to be able to double this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 1743mg | Potassium: 1026mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Ranch Chicken Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

My wife and I recently spent a few days in lovely Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while attending a conference. I made sure I had my ‘to-eat’ list down before leaving, because one thing you can be sure of finding in Pittsburgh: good food. At the top of my list was dry Ranch chicken wings.

No, not dry like ‘ewww, this meat is dry’. Dry as in the wings aren’t tossed in sauce after being cooked. Instead they are dusted with seasoning. The end result is almost like roasted chicken, but with much more pronounced flavors. Now that we are back home, I had to make some of the favorites that I devoured in Pittsburgh, like these Ranch chicken wings, which I first experienced in our hotel bar.

Ranch Chicken Wings

I went with Ranch dressing for the dipping sauce for these Ranch chicken wings, but seriously, you can eat them dry, as-is, with no sauce. There’s no need to drown them in sauce, the flavor stands on its own.

Also try my red chile BBQ wings.

Ranch Chicken Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Ranch Chicken Wings

I went with Ranch dressing for the dipping sauce for these Ranch chicken wings, but seriously, you can eat them dry, as-is, with no sauce. There’s no need to drown them in sauce, the flavor stands on its own.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword dry, Ranch, wings
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 293kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Ragin’ Cajun Cheddar Ranch Bugles

Bugles snacks don’t need a whole lot of help to be even more addicting than they already are. I decided to kick them up with some spicy Ragin’ Cajun Fixin’s Cajun seasoning, with a hint of cheddar and Ranch. Crazy good. Make a batch of Ragin’ Cajun cheddar ranch Bugles for the next big party at your house. Folks will know you didn’t just put a bowl of bagged snacks. You went the extra mile! You didn’t just call it in, you nailed it!

Ragin' Cajun Cheddar Ranch Bugles

Witching Hour

Remember to always put a few Bugles on the ends of your fingers and make sounds like a witch. You have to. You can’t help it. Then get back to enjoying these Ragin’ Cajun Cheddar Ranch Bugles. Stop playing around. There are some great snacks to be enjoyed!

Also try my Sriracha Bugles.

Ragin' Cajun Cheddar Ranch Bugles
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4 from 1 vote

Ragin’ Cajun Cheddar Ranch Bugles

Make a batch of Ragin’ Cajun cheddar ranch Bugles for the next big party at your house. Folks will know you didn’t just put a bowl of bagged snacks. You went the extra mile!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cheddar, Ranch, snack
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 4kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Combine seasonings in a small bowl.
  • Place chips into a large plastic bowl. Spray lightly with oil, gently stirring to get good coverage.
  • While stirring the chips, slowly pour in the seasoning mix.
  • Spread chip mixture out evenly onto a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 5 minutes.
  • Let cool completely before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 4kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.