DIY Dressing Must-Haves

Tired of the same old oil and vinegar?  Toss the store-bought dressing in favor of your own concoction with these three gadgets.

  1. Microplane Gourmet Series Fine Grater, $16.95
    Grate ginger, zest citrus, and give garlic cloves a melt-in-your-mouth texture with this handheld wonder tool.  Mind your fingernails, as the Microplane will grate those, too, if you’re not paying attention.
     
  2. Joie Lemon Juicer, $7 at amazon.com
    Lemon juice is the foundation to many of my favorite dressings and marinades.  The Joie pulls double duty with its built-in measuring cup, and disassembles easily to make clean-up a breeze. 
     
  3. Empty Jam Jar, free!
    Do I own a Blender Bottle?  Yes.  Am I too lazy to dig it up out of my cabinet since I stopped drinking protein shakes?  Again, yes.  An empty jar with a tight-fitting lid is all you need to shake up some serious dressing.  This method even works with thicker ingredients (think peanut butter) with a little extra effort.  Warning: may result in sexy, toned shoulders.