NEW ORLEANS MUFFALETTA

This recipe is from the 8/4/1998 issue of Family Circle.

1 jar (4 3/4 ounces) pimiento-stuffed olives, drained & chopped

1 large tomato, seeded & chopped

1 rib celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

1 medium-size round Italian bread (about 9 inches in diameter, 1 1/4 pounds), cut horizontally in half

1/4 pound each sliced Genoa salami, sliced provolone cheese, sliced spicey Italian ham, sliced mozzarella

1. Mix olives, tomato, celery and garlic in bowl. Whisk vinegar, seasoning, salt, pepper and oil in another bowl. Add to olive mixture. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.


2. Spoon 1 cup olive mixture over bottom half of bread. Layer on salami, provolone, ham and mozzarella. To with remaining olive mixture. Cover with bread top. Wrap loaf in plastic; place on baking sheet. weight with heavy pot Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cut in 8 wedges.

CHEDDAR PEAR PIE

I saw this recipe in the June/July 1998 issue of Taste of Home magazine and thought "How original" and had to keep the magazine. You can just imagine the collection of magazines I have at home as well as books. The recipe was a Grand Prize to Cynthia LaBree of Elmer, New Jersey.

She wrote this for the magazine:

"I take this pie to lots of different gatherings, and I make sure to have copies of the recipe with me since people always ask for it. It's amusing to see some folks puzzling over what's in the filling- they expect apples but love the subtle sweetness of the pears".

4 large ripe pears, peeled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

TOPPING:

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, combine pears, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into pastry shell. Combine topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over filling. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 25-35 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.

CHEESE NACHOS, SALSA CRUDA AND HOT SAUCE (3 MORE RECIPES)

I am including 3 quick and easy recipes from my Mexican Cookin' postcard cookbook. Let me know if anyone likes it or has a recipe to add.

CHEESE NACHOS

Tortillas
Cheddar Cheese
Jalapenos
Cooking Oil

Cut toritillas in quarters and cook until crisp in one-half inch of hot cooking oil. On a cookie sheet, arrange crisp tortilla triangles and on each one place a thin slice of cheese. Top with a small slice of jalapeno- and put under broiler until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SALSA CRUDA (uncooked tomato sauce)

2 very ripe large tomatoes, peeled and chopped fine
2 or more canned serrano (Green) chilies, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
Salt & pepper
Pinch of sugar

Mix all ingredients, taste for seasoning and serve cold. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOT SAUCE

4 green chilies (chopped fine)
1 clove garlic (chopped fine)
1 tablespoon cooking oil1 can (14 1/2 oz.) tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Saute chilies & garlic a few minutes in about one tablespoon cooking oil and add cut-up tomatoes. Add salt and simmer about 5 mintues. Serve cold.

GUACAMOLE & NACHOS

How about some Guacamole and Nachos.

GUACAMOLE

3 avocados

1 - 41/2 oz. can Taco Sauce

1 tablespoon onion (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon green chili (peeled & minced)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mash peeled and seeded avocados in Taco Sauce; add remaining ingredients, minced very fine. Mix and serve on lettuce leaves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NACHOS

12 torillas

1 - 10 oz. can jalapeno Peppers

1 - 15 oz. can refried beans

1/2 lb. sliced cheddar cheese

Cut tortillas into quarters. Fry in deep fat until crisp. Drain. Spread refried beans on ech tortilla quarter. Cut jalapeno peppers crosswise into circles. Place one round slice of jalapeno pepper on top of beans, cover with a triangle of cheese. Place in oven and heat until cheese is melted. Salt to taste. ( You can actually rearrange these any way you like to)

SAUCE - SALSA (HOT SAUCE) & BEAN AND CHEESE DIP

Good morning. Today I have 3 different recipes, all from the same postcard mailing cook book, Mexican Cookin'. The first one is simply called 'Sauce', then there is 'Salsa (Hot Sauce)' and the last one is 'Bean and Cheese Dip'. The Mexican Cookin' postcard cookbook that I have was illustrated by Pat McCarthy with special consultant Angelita Guerrero. It was printed in the U.S.A. Copyrighted in 1972 in Amarillo, Texas . NO, not going to sell it. I do how ever know that when I die, my daughter says she may pick out about 5 of my favorite recipe books to keep & she says she is not sure where the rest will go. I have some news. I will be giving them away myself, or selling them or something. We will see... :) They won't go in the garbage. I am far from dying right now anyway. I STILL collect recipes and cookbooks. - If you have some YOU don't want, send them to me, I love em all. Just send them to 7961 E. St. Hwy. 97 Waelder, Texas 78959

SAUCE

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup water

Cook onion & garlic until tender. Add flour; blend. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer 10 minutes. 6-8 servings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SALSA (HOT SAUCE)

2 peeled tomatoes
1 onion
1 jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pinch of oregano, crushed

Chop tomatoes, onion and pepper. Mix with salad oil, lemon juice and seasonings. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BEAN AND CHEESE DIP

1 lb. pinto beans, cooked
4 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
Jalapenos

While beans are still hot, pour off liquid, reserving some in the event the dip needs moistening. Mash beans well with potato masher. Set aside.

In large frying pan, saute onion and garlic in about four tablespoons bacon drippings until onion is clear. Add mashed beans and mix well. Cook over low fire for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot. Add grated cheese and some chopped jalapenos, making it as hot as you like it. Serve in chafing dish and have bowl of crips tortilla triangles nearby to dip into the bean dip.