In a small apartment setting in Manhattan with a kitchen that was somehow still bigger than mine, Hidden Valley Ranch hosted a tiny restaurant experience featuring delicious appetizers and entrees all made with Hidden Valley dressings and seasonings.
For the pop-up, Chef Kersti Bowser curated a menu with bright, zesty dishes like crispy chicken wings tossed in ranch seasoning and slow-cooked roast beef with baby potatoes. The dessert was a heavenly baked Bosc pear with raspberries, blackberries, honey, Gorgonzola with ranch seasoning, and vanilla ice cream. It was divine!
Bringing it Home
My favorite part of the experience was listening to Chef Bowser explain how she took Hidden Valley Ranch products and kicked them up a notch to create a variety of tasty dips and snacks. For at-home chefs with small kitchens and limited time (Sound familiar?), this is an easy solution when hosting your own intimate gathering or contributing a dish to someone else’s spread. And, if you happen to be that guest who always volunteers to bring potato chips—not naming any names—this is your time to shine!
Many of Hidden Valley’s condiments can be taken to new heights with simple additions. For example, by adding some pickle juice, chopped pickles, or even Kirby cucumbers to Pickle Flavored Ranch, you get a dip that has that made-at-home appeal. For a chunkier version, there’s a recipe that calls for cream cheese and sour cream. Another easy idea for an appetizer I took from the event is rolling marinated olives in Ranch Seasoning Dressing & Dip Mix. The possibilities are endless.
Hidden Valley has plenty of recipes readily available, but a little trip to the farmer’s market might just provide a creative spark to fuel your own culinary creations!
