I went to Sam’s Club the other day and that was a mistake. I was in a snacking mood, so I had to leave before I bought out the store. But I did get another container of Hidden Valley dry ranch mix. I, like every other American, like ranch dressing. I put ranch dry seasoning on my chicken when I bake it. I dip my pizza in Ranch. I even eat it on my salads.
The history of ranch dressing is interesting and goes back farther than you would think. According to Jacksonchips.com, around 1950, Steve Henson made history when he whipped up a mix of dry herbs and buttermilk. Originally a plumber, Steve made up this mix while working in Anchorage, Alaska. In 1954, Steve and his wife bought land in Santa Barbara, California and opened a dude ranch called Hidden Valley. He started serving the dressing for his guests on everything from salads to steaks. The locals took home the dressing in jars. Henson started packaging up the dry mix in envelopes that he could mail to customers. He moved to New Mexico and sold his recipe to the Clorox Company in the 1970’s. It was not until 1983 that people could buy a bottle of premixed ranch at the grocery store. The turning point for ranch from a local simple salad dressing to a nationwide love happened in 1986 with the invention of Cool Ranch Doritos. This taste hooked many Americans on ranch dressing as a condiment for French fries, chicken wings, pizza, and more. Forty percent of Americans name it as their favorite salad dressing. Ranch dressing is customizable by adding different herbs and sauces to it, such as chipotle sauce for a smoky, spicy kick. Ranch dressing is made in gluten free, vegan, and dairy free versions. My millennial goddaughter was shocked to find out that ranch dressing did not always exist since she grew up with it.
Since I was feeling snacky, I thought about making some popcorn, but I did not want plain popcorn. I use an air popper to cut down on the oil and calories, but it is a little dry. I saw the dressing mix on the counter because I had not put the groceries away yet and thought why not. It actually turned out pretty good. I made this popcorn and took some to the office and it got some good comments.
Cool ranch popcorn
2 Tbsps. dry ranch dressing mix
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ cup popcorn kernels
Spray olive oil
Mix ranch seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a bowl. Pop the popcorn in an air popper to avoid the need for additional oil. Spread popcorn in a single layer on a baking sheet or waxed paper. Lightly spray the popped corn with olive oil- very lightly- do not over saturate! Sprinkle the popped corn with the seasoning. Lightly move/mix the popcorn. Continue to spray and sprinkle until you have finished coating all the popcorn. Enjoy! Tip: You can use microwave popcorn or oil popped corn- just adjust/ lessen the amount of seasoning and oil you add to the popcorn. Small batches do best.
