If there are botulism spores in your salad dressing that need to be killed by heat, they will still be there to give you botulism even if you don't "bottle" it. \ Botulism spores grow into toxins. It is the toxin that kills you. Botulism grows in the absence of air, thus a sealed jar. That, or the oil in it cuts off the oxygen and it can grow that way, too. Killing it by heat won't do it. The oil still coats the particles and allows them to survive even pressure canning.

Here are a few: Green godess: 2 cups mayonnaise 4 anchovy fillets, minced 1 green onion, chopped 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon taragon vinegar 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon Directions 1 Mix together mayonnaise, anchovy, green onion, parsley, chives, vinegar and tarragon. 2 Refrigerate until ready to serve and pour over favorite salad or greens. Makes 6 servings Fran Lozano's zesty blue dressing 4 oz Maytag blue cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tsp grated lemon peel juice of ½ a lemon 1 cup sour cream 1 clove minced garlic. Mash cheese with fork and mix in oil until creamy. add remaining ingredients. Donns Delight 4 oz Maytag blue crumbled 1 cup of mayo ( I use Kraft) 3 oz ( about 1/3 cup) milk or cream 2 tsps sugar 2 tsps dried parsley 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice 1 ½ Tablespoons cider vinegar 1 Tablespoon fresh grated onion 1 Tsp Lee and Perrins worchestershire 1 tsp horseradish ½ tspoon garlic powder. Mix gently so as to leave some lumps, and serve over a green salad or on sliced tomatoes or cukes and onions or as a dip for raw veggies. Serves about 6 to 8 Basic vinaigrette 1T dijon mustard 1clove of garlic, crushed (or chopped very fine) 1T honey 1/3 cup cider vinegar Mix together, I use a wire wisk 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...I Dont' add salt because of the salt in the mustard, and I pepper it on the plate or in the bowl....like they do in a restaurant!! Now, if you substitute catsup for the mustard and use brown sugar instead of the Honey, add a bit of cayenne and basil instead of the oregano, you have something Different. If you substitute mayonnaise for the mustard and white sugar for the honey and add some chopped chives or green onion tops...it's different still. Try doing the Mayonnaise thing and using walnut oil instead of olive oil....or substituting raspberry vinegar for the cider vinegar...or balsamic vinegar....or lemon juice....try adding some poppy seed or celery seed...for a fruit salad, leave out the garlic. The variations are endless....once you know the basics! And then there's my famous "dump and toss".. Mix your greens in a wooden bowl which has been rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, drizzle a little OVOO over it all and toss until every leaf is coated, sprinkle very lightly with salt and av ery little bit of sugar (brings out the flavor)...keep tossing...add herbs and seasonings of choice....tarragon, oregano, basil, marjoram, cilantro...whatever floats your boat....keep tossing....finish up with a sprinkling of the vinegar of choice....taste a leaf....perhaps add more vinegar or salt or sugar....and pass the pepper grinder. This works best with 2 people, one tossing and the other adding stuff, it's hard to go wrong and makes you look like such a pro in the kitchen! Linda C

My late husband was with the Maytag Blue cheese company...I collected lots of blue cheese recipes. Here are a few for salad dressing. DonnÂs Delight 4 oz Maytag blue crumbled 1 cup of mayo ( I use Kraft) 3 oz ( about 1/3 cup) milk or cream 2 tsps sugar 2 tsps dried parsley 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice 1 ½ Tablespoons cider vinegar 1 Tablespoon fresh grated onion 1 Tsp Lee and Perrins worchestershire 1 tsp horseradish ½ tspoon garlic powder. Mix gently so as to leave some lumps, and serve over a green salad or on sliced tomatoes or cukes and onions or as a dip for raw veggies. Serves about 6 to 8 Fran's Zesty Blue Cheese Dressing 4 oz Maytag Blue cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tsp grated lemon peel 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 clove of minced garlic 1 cup sour cream. Mash cheese and oil together with a fork until creamy and smooth, add rest of the ingredients and mix well. Makes 2 cups. Rosy Blue Dressing 1 small onion 1 cup mayonaise 1/3 cup olive oil 3/4 cup catsup 2 T cider vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons sugar 3/4 teaspoon paprika 4 oz Maytag blue cheese crumbled Put all but the cheese in a food processor and blend until mixed, add blue cheese and pulse to crumble. Linda C

If I buy salad dressing it would be Renee's Chunky Blue Cheese or the packets of dried Ranch that I mix with mayo. 99 percent of the time I make my own. I love extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice or I make a vinegrette with Dijon mustard, canola oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and a bit of honey. Anne