When I got home last night I was telling my sis about the truffle recipe I posted yesterday.  She suggested I also post the BLT dip because it was such a hit at our party.  In fact, she liked it so much she made another batch of it yesterday!  Needless to say I had a little with dinner.  It really is tasty and easy to make.  Here's the recipe we used:

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
• 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2-5 green onions
• Assorted crackers

Directions

Combine the sour cream and mayonnaise and mixed well.  While the  bacon cooks,  chop the tomatoes an green onions up into small pieces.  Take the cooked bacon and crumble into the dip.  Mix and chill.  The longer you let it sit the better it tastes!!!

Cranberry, Feta, and Roasted Walnut Salad
 

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (10 oz.) mixed salad greens
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 package (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted California walnuts
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
 

PREPARATION: ready in under 30 min
Layer salad greens, cranberries, cheese and walnuts in shallow salad bowl or on large serving platter. Whisk vinegar, honey, mustard and pepper in small bowl. Slowly add oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. Pour over salad. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Erica’s Game Day Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 pkg. Original Hidden Valley Salad Dressing Mix
1 can pinto beans
1 can red beans
1 can hominy
1 can chopped green chilies (4 oz)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 cups water (I like to substitute half of the water with a dark brown ale, such as Newcastle) 
Grated cheese
Sour cream

Directions:

In a skillet, brown meat with onion, drain grease. In a large pot, mix together meat, taco seasoning, salad dressing mix, all beans, chilies, tomatoes, and water. Let soup cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least 30 more minutes. The longer it simmers, the better the flavor. Serve with grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

1T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion – finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper – finely chopped
1/2c chopped celery
3 cloves of garlic – minced
2T fresh ginger – peeled and minced
1T curry powder
2 large tomatoes – peeled, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf
4c fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (the "low-sodium" is very important, be sure to check the label)
3T creamy or crunchy natural almond butter
1 1/2 c soybeans (edemame)  – cooked and dried
1/4c fresh cilantro – chopped
1/2lb baby spinach leaves torn into bite sized pieces
Salt and Pepper to taste.

1. 1. Heat olive oil in a 4-qt saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onoin, bell pepper and celery and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes
2. 2. Add garlic, ginger and curry powder and saute until fragrant; do not brown the garlic.  Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and cook, uncovered intil tomoatoes are slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
3. 3. Ass the brother and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and whick in almond butter until blended.  Add soybeans (edemame) and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Stirin cilantro and spinach.  Season with salt and pepper.

Taken from: The 14-Day Perricone Weight-Loss Diet by Dr. Nicholas Perricone

2 Tablespoons loose leaf green tea or 3 green tea bags
3/4 c lightly packed fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon greated lemon peel
4 c boiling water

Place tea, mint and lemon peel in a pot or small saucepan and add the boiling water.  Cover and allow it to steep for 8 minutes.  Using a strainer, pour the tea into your favorite mug.

Taken from: The 14-Day Perricone Weight-Loss Diet

White Death has been a favorite in the Majanvinos house for years.  Fabianna, our Practice Coordinator, contributed this recipe for a holiday bake off and it was the success of the party.  CandiQuick white chocolate, usually found around the holidays, holds all the ingredients together and shapes them into perfectly dropped mounds just right for tossing into your mouth.  Don’t let the name fool you, this delectable confection has all the makings of a heavenly treat. 

8 oz stick pretzels broken into pieces
1 cup salted peanuts
2 cups captain crunch breakfast cereal
2 cups rice krispies breakfast cereal
2 pounds Candiquick white chocolate
Waxed paper, about 8ft

Mix all dry ingredients in big bowl. Lay out wax paper on counter. Melt the Candiquick chocolate in the microwave for about 2 ½ minutes making sure to stir every 30 seconds to avoid burning the chocolate.
When it is melted, pour into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix it up. Drop by teaspoons onto the wax paper and let set for about 30 minutes to cool and firm.
 

Famous?  Is it really famous?  It sure is!  Especially if you have ever been in attendance at a party and this salad is on the menu.  The bowl literally gets rubbed clean by crackers which makes clean up a breeze.  I can even attest to the multiple requests for this salad whenever we have an upcoming gathering in the office or with friends.  The drooling begins as soon as Jeanee agrees to bring this unconventional “salad”. 

So what makes this salad so good?  I know I have asked myself that same question over and over looking through cookbooks for that perfect dish to bring to an event but never really knowing if the dish is as good as it reads.  Add in a little laziness for making a “test dish” of the recipe and the end result is some pretty interesting food faire.

Jeanee’s  Famous chicken and grape salad may sound a bit unappetizing but it is the pairing of unsuspecting ingredients that makes it so delicious.  The chicken gives the salad body and the grapes lend a tender sweetness that is just right.  Add a hint of garlic and some crunchy celery all slapped on a buttery cracker and you have a winning combination for yumminess.  Be sure to make it the night before so everything can love on each other and get even tastier.  Try it at your next potluck, we promise you will be praised and begged for the recipe. 

Serves 40

12lbs chicken breast – whole
3 cloves garlic – smashed and peeled
1 large bunch celery with leaves – diced or sliced small
5 ½ lbs seedless green grapes cut in half length wise – can substitute red if in season
2-3 large bunches green onions sliced
½ gallon mayo
1 ½ T white pepper
Salt to taste
Handful of sugar

1.    Boil chicken breasts whole with garlic cloves.  When done remove and dice or shred chicken breasts into bite sized pieces
2.    While chicken is cooking mix rest of ingredients in a large bowl – can thin sauce with chicken broth if it is too thick
3.    Add chicken and refrigerate overnight – salt and sugar more to taste in the morning.
4.    Serve cold with butter crackers