These are some of the go-to ideas for dandelions with my commentary. Some are quite labor-intensive but you may have to try them once anyway.
Starting with the easiest and, in my opinion, most satisfying use of dandelions is dandelion vinegar and the resulting pickles you will produce. Carol wrote about dandelion vinegar right here on Fresh Bites Daily back in March and I whipped some up for the photo. Little did I know it would become a staple in my kitchen. I am using the third batch of it since those early spring days.
At the time I was just making it for the vinegar but did not appreciate at all what a great by-product this vinegar creates: dandelions pickled in vinegar. I asked Carol for more ideas and she offered a post on pickled dandelions (here).
I made the recipe pictured in the photo with red onions and various dandelion parts. The combination is exquisite. I use white wine vinegar which gives the mixture a hint of sweet-tanginess. I have been adding the onions and dandelions to various salads, particularly tuna and salmon salad and potato salad. I shudder to think of running out of it. I need to harvest a bit more here on the tail end of our season.
We have used dandelions in a salve (here) for extra-dry hands and arms as well as in a lip balm for dry lips (here). The process is very simple and the product satisfying. I am almost as excited about these as I am about the pickles. You may also want to check out the “Whipped dandelion moisturizer” from The Nerdy Farm Wife (here).
These products are the most labor-intensive because they require the dandelion petals only. You actually need to pick the petals off the flower and use those to make the tea that you use for both the jelly and syrup. Read more about it here.
They are good but they very likely fall in the category of “Ain’t nobody got time for that.”
Also requiring petals only are many wine recipes. Of course, it is wine and, just maybe, we have a little time for that. Read more from Laurie at Common Sense Homesteading here.