I was weaned on bottled dressings poured over iceberg lettuce salads.

There were three basic choices. When my two younger brothers dared to drizzle dressing on their salads — and most of the time they chose (shiver) dry lettuce — they adorned it with something called “Catalina,” a vivid orange, very sweet dressing.

My personal favorite was blue cheese, or as we called it at my house, Roquefort. Our feisty Boston toy terrier, Pepi, loved both kinds of salad dressing, if not the lettuce that frequently fell off my brothers’ forks.

Finally, there was Italian, but that was strictly for grown-ups. Even kids who weren’t weaned on soda pop craved sweet things. Clearly, salad dressings had more hidden sugars than we knew.

During the 1970s, salad bars were all the rage, but despite the addition of imitation bacon crumbles, fried chow mein noodles, broccoli tufts and showers of sunflower seeds, the dressings were less than imaginative and heavy enough to drown even the sturdiest romaine.

In the ’80s, ranch was the rage, and the pickiest (or most weight-conscious) of my college roommates started asking for dressing on the side. I didn’t need to watch my girlish figure back then, so I poured it on, figuring rationing salad dressing was absolutely no way to go through life.

When I started buying my own groceries, I bought fancier jarred dressings in search of better flavors to adorn my boutique salad greens. But my taste buds eventually tired of the gloppy concoctions, which usually went to waste in the back of the fridge.

As a newlywed, I received a copy of a cookbook by the Colorado Junior League titled “Creme de Colorado Cookbook.” After taking my first tentative steps at bringing salads to potlucks, I dutifully began to write down the responses to each salad and its respective dressing in the book.

More recently, I began to realize that it wasn’t the salads per se that were winning raves — it was the dressing. Sure, it helped that the underlying salad had evolved to a sophisticated spring mix of lettuces with richer colors and flavors. Today, I still rely heavily on five go-to dressing recipes from the “Creme” cookbook.

I have found these recipes work on just about any salad I whip up using ingredients I have pulled out of the refrigerator and pantry. If I were banished to a deserted island, I would add an Asian-inspired recipe as well, but otherwise these pretty much have me covered.

I put the dressings into heavy rotation for two weeks at the holidays when we had family visiting from Brazil. At the end of their stay my nephew said the thing he would miss most about the meals I prepared were the nightly salads.

To my taste buds, homemade vinaigrettes taste better than store-bought dressings with lots of emulsifiers and preservatives, sodium and sugar.

Most of these homemade dressings will last three to five days in the refrigerator.

This vinaigrette is robust and works with a lettuce salad garnished with antipasto ingredients such as artichoke hearts, olives, chickpeas, red onion, pepperoncini and slices of pepperoni.

HEARTY ITALIAN VINAIGRETTE—Yield: About 1 cup

6 tablespoons virgin olive oil2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar2 tablespoons chili sauce1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce1 clove garlic, minced1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley1 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning1/2 teaspoon sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:• In blender, mix all ingredients until well combined.

The Kansas City Star

I have no idea why the directions to this recipe are so resolute. Could I add the mustard after the heavy cream? Oh, who am I to argue with chemistry that works. This salad dressing is simply decadent. I once served it on a spinach salad. Main entree was gumbo.

CREAMY MUSTARD DRESSING—Yield: 1 3/4 cups

2 hard-cooked eggs, mashed with a fork while still warm1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teaspoons sugar1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper1 clove garlic, crushed1/2 cup virgin olive oil1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard5 tablespoons heavy cream1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Procedure:1. One at a time and in order, thoroughly blend all other ingredients into mashed eggs. Do not substitute.2. When blended, whisk until smooth.

The Kansas City Star

This curry vinaigrette is wonderful on iceberg lettuce or spinach. The original recipe pairs it with seedless grapes, mandarin oranges and slivered almonds. Also tastes delicious over avocado slices.

CURRY VINAIGRETTE—Yield: 1 cup

1/2 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup white vinegar1 clove garlic, minced2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar2 tablespoons minced fresh chives1 tablespoon curry powder1 teaspoon soy sauce

Procedure:1. Combine ingredients in lidded jar.2. Shake well.

The Kansas City Star

This dressing is excellent on any type of spring lettuce salad starring fruit.

SESAME AND POPPY SEED DRESSING—Yield: About 1 cup

1/3 cup sugar2 tablespoons sesame seeds1 tablespoon poppy seeds1 1/2 teaspoons grated onion1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1/4 teaspoon paprika1/2 cup vegetable oil1/4 cup cider vinegar

Procedure:1. Combine sugar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and oil in blender.2. Gradually add vinegar until dressing is moderately thick.

The Kansas City Star

Since there are so few ingredients, be sure to buy the best raspberry vinegar and jam you can afford.

RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE—Yield: About 3/4 cup

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar2 tablespoons raspberry jam1/3 cup vegetable oil

Procedure:1. Combine vinegar and jam in blender or small bowl.2. Add oil in a thin stream, blending well.

The Kansas City Star

Homemade dressings taste fresher, and better, than their bottled with emulsifiers and preservatives. Photo by MCCLATCHY