Do you need a quick, easy, but delicious appetizer recipe for your holiday parties?  This Greek salad dip is high in flavor, has a wonderful texture, and works well with your relish tray. When shopping for items for this recipe make sure you choose all quality ingredients to compliment the wonderful high quality flavor of the Mezzetta Pitted Greek Olives– which are also great for snacking on right out of the jar!  They are packed in Cabernet Sauvignon wine and a distinctive blend of Mediterranean herbs- creating an amazing marinade that infuses the olives with flavor. Besides the delicious variety of products Mezzetta offers you can feel great about choosing them because they are also:

• Gluten-Free
• All Natural
• Vegan
• Cholesterol Free

Family owned since 1935, the fourth generation of Mezzetta family is continuing the commitment to bring our customers the highest quality foods available. We source the finest fresh produce from the sun-drenched soils of California, Italy, Spain, France, and Greece and prepare them according to our Italian family recipes in the Napa Valley.

• Thanks to Mezzetta for sponsoring today’s discussion

Inspiration is just a twist away!

Why Mezzetta?  My family has a holiday tradition of an olive tray, from a simple serving dish my Grama B had even before I was born. She always had a tray of olives (with some celery sticks filled with cream cheese) at any holiday.  My sister has the tray, we all carry on the tradition.  That’s where the inspiration for this Greek Salad Dip came from.

 

You may want to make a double batch because once you try it this dip is addicting!

Greek Salad Dip

Ingredients:

1- 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1- 4 oz. package Feta cheese

3 tsp. Mezzetta Pitted Greek Kalamata Olive juice

1 Tbsp. Greek dressing

1 tsp. dried Oregano

Mezzetta Greek Kalamata Olives for topping.

( You may also wish to reserve a bit of the feta to top dip to dress it a bit)

Directions:

Combine cream cheese, feta, olive juice, greek dressing, and oregano into a hand or stand mixer and mix until smooth and creamy- there may still be a bit of texture from the feta, that is okay and keeps the flavors separate so you get more taste in every bite.

Scoop into a pretty bowl and put in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow all flavors to combine.

Slice Mezzetta Pitted Greek Kalamata Olives into 1/3’s and use for an additional garnish.

 

Sprinkle a few sliced olives and some feta on top and serve.

 

You can either pre make your crackers, top with dip, spread them out on a nice tray, and drizzle with Greek dressing or put your dip in a pretty bowl and surround with hearty crackers, fresh vegetables, or toasted pita wedges, and a dish of Mezzetta Greek Kalamata Olives.

Do you just LOVE Mezzetta? Mezzetta is offering a downloadable $.50 off coupon on any of their products print them soon, they are only available until 12/31/14!

 

Check out the Daily Holiday Gift Basket Giveaway! The giveaway will run from December 1st through December 31st. That means there are 31 daily prizes!

To enter,visit Mezzetta and enter your name, email, address and favorite holiday memory. Each day a winner will be selected at random. Prizes will be shipped within 2 weeks.

Mezzetta Favorites Holiday Gift Basket (31 Winners – Daily) includes:
• 100% Italian Estate Grown Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Golden Greek Peperoncini
• Garlic Stuffed Olives
• Castelvetrano Olives
• Pitted Greek Kalamata Olives
• Roasted Marinated Red & Yellow Sweet Bell Peppers
• Cocktail Onions
• 1 Apron (from House Party contents)
• 1 Metal Olive Spoon (from House Party contents)
• 1 Tote Bag (from House Party contents)
• 1 Ceramic Bowl