What's an "Italian dressing"? one with red wine vinegar? Without garlic? One with oregano? One with Balsamic vinegar>
I'll post the recipe I use for marinated veggies and pasta salad etc...but unless you put some onion in it to take the place of the garlic it won't taste much like any good dressing at all.

SALAD DRESSING
1T dijon mustard
1clove of garlic, crushed (or chopped very fine)
1T honey
1/3 cup cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
Mix together, I use a wire whisk
1/2 cup olive oil...whisk the oil in a slow stream, whisking all the while
Then I like to add some dried or fresh herbs....most of the time I use oregano.

My sister makes this copycat Olive Garden Italian recipe. I have not eaten at Olive Garden for quite a few years, but I loved their dressing and I LOVED this one too.

The dry pectin is a thickening agent as is the egg.

This is from Group Recipes website.

Teresa

Here is a link that might be useful: OG Copycat Italian Dressing.

Apologies Tami - I googled "OG CC Italian Dressing". The link I sent is not the one that contains dry pectin. And I'm having a hard time find the one that does. But I would think the little bit of mayo in the recipe would take the place of the egg and pectin in the one my sister makes. I'm sure you could leave out the garlic powder - although there is so little of it.

Teresa

Okay - I called my sister and she said the recipe she uses came from Cooks.com

OLIVE GARDEN ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING

1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar (more or less, to taste)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons dry pectin (used to thicken jelly)
2 tablespoons beaten egg or egg substitue
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
pinch of oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Combine all of the ingredients with a mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds -Or- in a blender on low speed for 30 seconds -Or- use a wand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Chill at least 1 hour.
Serve over mixed greens or use as a marinade. I like to add the hot peppers in the salad that the restaurant uses. It tastes closer to the original that way.

this Pasta Salad recipe of Woodies is delicious. Her dressing for it is at the bottom and could be used on any pasta salad.

Pasta Salad - Woodie

1 lb small shell macaroni,cooke and drained
1/2 lb provolone cheese,diced
1/2 lb salami,diced
1/2 lb pepperoni,cut in half lengthwise then slice into cubes
3 lb tomatoes,seeded and diced
3 ribs celery,diced
1 green or red pepper,diced
1 can black olives
1 jar pimento stuffed green olives
1 red onion,diced
DRESSING
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp basil
celery salt to taste

Mix dressing and pour over pasta, refrigerate until serving.

Thank you! I don't keep garlic of any kind in the house/rv, because I am allergic to it, but I can do onion. I have everything on hand for Woodie's recipe. Is that cider or white vinegar? I have both.

DH loves trains, and we watch a lot of them. There is a rail park in Deshler, OH, near IN, that we went to the weekend of July 4. There was an impromptu pot luck, and I only had ingredients for a small maccaroni salad, a whole 4 eggs! I always have pasta and frozen veggies in the rv. This is something I can make quick for such occasions!

Tami

tami, it's cider, red or white vinegar...you choose! I generally use cider or red.

Tami too bad you are so far from me; my husband collects trains and sets up a display at xmas time for people to come see. It's really quite impressive;takes up most of our 3 car garage. Lionel Trains. I'll take pix when he puts them up again.