Food 52 (Adapted)

“The Relatives Came” a story about a family that piles into a red station wagon and travels for hours to visit their out-of-town relatives was one of Annie’s favorite books growing up. A story about families that lived in different states and spent their summer vacation visiting each other. The traveling family would hug their relatives in the kitchen, sleep together on the living room floor, and hang out together all day. In some ways it reminds me of my own family, who scattered to various states, coming for visits. Well sort of….Except, I’m not a hugger, people sprawled out across the living room floor sends my anxiety through the roof, and using words to demonstrate emotions…sheesh…I’m the worst.  When people want to hug me, I think, ‘Oh…ok, we are going to do this thing’. 

This past year, my sister Terry, and her family were the “relatives that came”. I metaphorically wrapped them up in a big hug by making the Ultimate Blue Cheese Dressing. Jorgan, my nephew, liked it so much that he put it on the salad, then a baked potato, and a little onto the steak.  I hope that something as simple as making homemade salad dressing can be way of giving a big hug and cuddling up on the sofa when words escape you and hugs feel awkward.

Ingredients

• 4 oz. Blue cheese, crumbled into small (but not too small) chunks
• 2/3 C Sour Cream
• 1/3 C Mayonnaise
• 1/3 C Greek yogurt
• ¼ C Buttermilk
• ½ t Garlic powder
• 1 T Fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 T Lemon juice and zest
• 1T Dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Crumble the blue cheese into a medium bowl. Keep some chunks so it has texture but not big bites of blue cheese. 
• Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic powder, parsley, dill, and lemon juice into the bowl with the blue cheese.
• Gently mix to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.