Olive Salad Three Ways

It’s human nature to want what you can’t have, and today I really wanted one of those authentic New Orleans muffaletta sandwiches. As I was rummaging through my pathetically overstuffed fridge, I thought, why not make my own? I think the biggest secret to making one that is super delicious is to have good, fresh olive salad, the tangier, the better. So I made some olive salad (using up more of those wonderful olives that I bought sometime back), and the results were phenomenal.

This is something you need to try, not just for the sandwich, but also for the versatility. The next morning, while I was toasting a bagel, I decided I wanted a tasty topping, so I made my own muffaletta cream cheese by adding ¼ cup of olive salad to 8 ounces of cream cheese and beat it together. Wonderful!

The next day, I wanted an easy pasta dish, so I added a half-cup of the muffaletta salad to cooked pasta, added a bit of pasta water to make it creamy, squeezed in a little fresh lemon juice, and it was superb.

Make this easy recipe, and it will serve you in a variety of ways. Having this on hand makes future meals easy, and doesn’t that sound pretty good right now?

Olive Salad Three Ways

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 (6 oz.) can black olives, drained

1 (5 oz.) jar pitted green olives, rinsed and drained

1 (6.5 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained

1 small red onion, chopped

¼ c. red wine vinegar

½ c. olive oil

1 t. dried minced garlic

½ t. celery seed

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried basil

¾ t. freshly ground black pepper

Place the black olives, green olives, artichoke hearts with their juice, and onion into a food processor. Pour in the vinegar and olive oil, and season with garlic, celery seed, oregano, basil and black pepper. Cover, and process until finely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Buy Olive Oil from a source you can trust. The good old U.S.A.!

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

It's no secret that I love roasted red peppers. One or more jars of these are always in my pantry, and this is one staple that I never want to be without. I don't know of any other item in my kitchen that is more versatile than these. With the possible exception of sweets (and the jury is still out on this), roasted sweet red peppers can be used successfully in almost any type of recipe from appetizers to salads and soups to side and main dishes.

Over the weekend I decided to try my hand at making a roasted red pepper cheese spread. I love keeping Homemade Boursin in the fridge, as well as one or two varieties of hummus, basil being my favorite. It is so convenient to be able to grab one or more of these things, and make up an impromptu snack tray when an unexpected guest drops by. It's also nice to have things on hand when you've worked like a dog all day and the very thought of cooking overwhelms.

This spread is easy and absolutely delicious. The addition of the mayonnaise makes it wonderfully spreadable right from the fridge so you don't have to worry about waiting for it to soften up or suffering from broken crackers, if not. The lovely fall color of the spread makes it perfect for this time of the year, and, in addition to being well suited for crackers and crudités, it is wonderful for breakfast when slathered onto a fresh bagel.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup diced Melissa's Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (more to taste)
Pinch of garlic powder (more to taste)

Blend all ingredients together using a hand mixer. Store in the fridge, covered, for 3 hours to allow flavors to meld. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables, or substitute for your favorite sandwich spread.

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This post is linked to: Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, The DIY Collective, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else