It seems the majority of bottled dressings use the McDonald’s approach. (I.e., add sugar to everything.)
Our new favorite restaurant has a shallot vinaigrette that’s just divine. (do you mean bottled mustard or mustard powder? Inquiring minds wish to know! :p)
I just throw in a little canola oil, red wine vinegar, Penzey’s Italian dressing mix and a little sugar in a little container and shake-shake-shake it up.
I’ve been splurging occasionally on different oils, and they are delicious in salad dressings. My current favorite is hazelnut oil. I also like the walnut oil, but the almond oil was a bit too bland. Two outta three ain’t bad. The next time I see it, I want to pick up some avocado oil, but it’s really scarce. I use it with balsamic or red wine vinegar.
I love the idea of whisking it in the salad bowl and adding the salad. But it won’t work for a salad that I’m taking to work the next day. I wish it were easier to find small containers to transport dressing.
Depending on how much dressing you use, a plastic film canister may do the trick.
Penzey’s has a french dressing that’s fantastic. It’s not the orange opaque stuff, it’s vinaigrette, but it’s fantastic. I like it much, much more than the Italian stuff from Penzeys.
I suspect he means prepared mustard. Vinaigrettes often have prepared mustard in them not only for flavor, but also to help keep the emulsion stable for longer.
I like these cups for that, with matching lid. And apparently you can get them in a bunch of different volumes, not just 1.5 oz.
Try some red wine vinegar for a more tart, vinegary flavor. With a squeeze of lemon.
Yeh, every few years I forget that bottled salad dressings suck, and I hopefully buy some new, trumped up brand. As posted above, it’s always too sugary, and if it has garlic, it’s that rancid-tasting stuff that you can taste for days afterward.
It only takes a few seconds to whisk up some mustard, olive oil, vinegar, salt and whatever other additions you like; I like a little squeeze of anchovy paste and a teeny bit of raw garlic. And anything you make always tastes a thousand times better than the bottled kind.
I usually buy portion cups at GFS…Gordon Food Service, but the other day I saw them at WalMart by the plastic cups. Smaller quantity, with lids.
I (I’m a she) mean prepared mustard, yes. Primarily as an emulsifier, as I don’t even like mustard! I whisk everything together except the oil, then keep whisking while drizzling the oil to help with the emulsification.
Dijon, yellow, or a certain brand in particular? 
I shall have to try that! Luckily I even need to go soon; I need crushed red pepper flakes.
:smack: Dammit, and I was going to edit that post, too, to say “s/he.”
lindsay - Dijon is what is usually used, but it shouldn’t make too much a difference.
I’ll have to try that - I detest mustard, so if you don’t like it but use it, I should be OK. By “prepared” mustard, you mean like Dijon, yes?
And thanks for the container advice!
Have you tried their Aleppo pepper flakes? They’re a little wimpier than the red pepper flakes but they’ve got this fantastic complex smoky flavor–they’re incredible in anything, but stand out in Italian food (and they’re killer on pizza!! 
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I started making salad dressings when my daughter became gluten intolerant. Seems like a ridiculous thing to put into bottled salad dressing (wheat, that is), but a whole lot of them are not gluten free.
I keep a recycled Parmesan cheese container full of this mix in the fridge (reduces clumping of the buttermilk powder), and making Ranch dressing is now as quick as making a vinaigrette. The original recipe called for making it with all mayo, but I’ve found half mayo and half lowfat plain yogurt is even tastier - and I’m slowly increasing the proportion of yogurt so my family doesn’t notice. 
1/2 cup buttermilk powder (available in the baking supply aisle)
1 T dried parsley
2 t dried dillweed
1 t onion powder
1 t dried onion flakes
1/2 t salt
1/2 t seasoned salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground pepper
Mix with mayo and/or yogurt to taste (Start with 2 Tablespoons of the mix to 1 cup of goop, but I don’t measure it anymore, so I’m not sure how much I use), adding a little milk to thin it to the consistency you like. It will thicken a bit as it stands and the buttermilk powder rehydrates. I find it’s best made and chilled at least an hour before dinner. It’s also great in the breading for baked “fried” chicken or chicken fingers, or sprinkled on garlic bread before baking!