Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

As far as I'm concerned, ranch dressing is one of the wonders of the world. It is a wonderful, magical substance that comes out of a bottle and that taste cannot be replicated outside of the processed food world. However, it turns out may not be the case...

I had some buttermilk I needed to use up, and figured I would bake something (scones, most likely), when I stumbled upon this recipe for buttermilk ranch dressing. Hm... could it be? I knew I had to give it a chance.

 Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is OK)
1/2 cup sour cream (non-fat is OK)
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 small bunch chives, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped (I used minced jar garlic)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dill (optional)

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor starting and blend for 10 seconds. Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

It was so fresh and absolutely delicious!! I ended up adding about a teaspoon of dill. While I don't think the dill is a traditional "ranch" flavor, it definitely worked and added a bit of complexity. And I am definitely going to make this again with some fresh, finely diced bacon bits, or finely diced cucumber as well.