All those Easter Eggs - Now What?

I hope everyone enjoyed the Easter holiday. Now, it's time to find interesting ways to use all those lovely hard boiled eggs that you had such a great time decorating with the wee ones. Here are two easy and delicious ways to get the family to eat them up!

Quick and Easy Deviled Eggs

6 peeled hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup bottled Thousand Island Dressing
sliced black olives
julienned pimento strips

Cut each egg in half vertically, and remove yolk, using a teaspoon. Place yolks in medium bowl and mash, arrange whites on platter. Add Thousand Island Dressing to yolks, and mix well. Spoon egg yolk mixture into center of whites, mounding well. Place one pimento strip and one sliced olive on top. Makes 12.
**You may increase or decrease the amount of Thousand Island dressing, for a drier, or moister filling.


Egg and Olive Salad

6 peeled hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup roasted red peepers (drain all juices if using canned or bottled peppers)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp coasely ground fresh black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp celery seed

Combine all ingredients in bowl, and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld. Spread on bread of your choice as a sandwich, or serve with herbed crackers.

Broiled Tomatoes With Black Olives And Romano Cheese

These tasty, cheesy tomatoes make a wonderful side dish with dinner, and can even be served as a light summertime lunch!




* 4 medium tomatoes
* 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, pressed
* salt to taste
* black pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and minced
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
* 1 tsp minced parsley


Preheat broiler. Slice tomatoes in half. Arrange cut side up, on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Combine the olive oil and garlic. Dribble over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with black olives and cheese. Place tomatoes under broiler for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown. Remove from broiler, garnish with minced parsley, and serve. Serves 4

Macaroni with Olives (Maccheroni Con Le Olive)

Fusilli (corkscrew) pasta is the best pasta to be served with this dish, although any short pasta may be used.



* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 medium onion, minced
* 1 medium garlic clove, minced
* 1 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 lb drained canned tomatoes, chopped
* 1 cup black olives, or 1/3 cup each black and green olives, halved and pitted
* 2 Tbl capers, drained and rinsed
* 2 tsp red wine vinegar
* 2 Tbl fresh oregano, or 2 tsp dried
* Pinch of sugar
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 lb fusilli pasta or other short macaroni
* 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese


# Heat oil, onion, and garlic in a large skillet and cook over moderately low heat until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes.
# Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, vinegar, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Be careful with the salt since olives and capers are salty.
# Cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and mix with the sauce. Sprinkle on the cheese and serve immediately with additional cheese on the side if desired.

Appetizer Toasts Neopolitan Style

This is a wonderful cocktail party appetizer. If you (or your guests) aren't fond of anchovies, try the roasted pepper variation. Or make both - and everyone will be happy!


1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 slices Italian bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
16 slice mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
32 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry, chopped
1 lb fresh plum tomatoes, cut into 16 thin slices
salt and pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 400F.
Brush oil on one side of bread slices and place oiled side up on flat baking sheet. Cover each slice of bread with a slice of mozzarella, sprinkle with chopped anchovy, and top with a slice of tomato. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes.

Variation: In place of anchovies and plum tomatoes, use 1/4 cup black or green pureed olives, and 2 large roasted red peppers cut in 1/4 inch strips. Spread bread with olive puree, lay on Mozzarella cheese, and cover with two crossed strips of red pepper. Bake as above.

Grande Antipasto All'Italiana

Antipasto is probably the most well-known of all Italian appetizers. This recipe is the 'grandaddy' of all antipastos!



* 12 thin slices of Proscuitto
* 12 thin slices of Genoa Salami
* 12 thin slices of baked or boiled ham
* 12 thin slices of Mortadella
* 24 slice Mozzarella, about 3 lbs.
* 1 (6 oz) jar of marinated artichoke hearts
* black pepper, to taste
* 1 (3 and 1/4 oz) can rolled anchovies, drained
* 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into thin rounds
* 1/2 lb mixed Italian cured green and back olives
* ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, about 15-20
* Fresh Italian flat-leaved parsley, for garnish



1. Alternate the different meats, arranging them in a decorative pattern (I usually use a wagonwheel pattern) on a large round platter, leaving space in the center for the Mozzarella and artichokes. The meats may be rolled, or folded into quarters, creating a triangle shape, whichever you prefer.
2. Alternate the Mozzarella and artichoke hearts in a circular pattern in the center of the platter.
3. Place the eggs at various spots around the edge of the platter. Place the anchovies in the very center of the platter, and scatter the olives over all. Garnish with parsley.

Eggplant and Olive Pasta Sauce

This sauce is perfect for those times when you are in hurry, but still want to serve a tasty meal. Goes especially well when served over Penne or Ziti pastas.



* 6 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
* 1 small eggplant (about 1 lb) trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 1 small (6 oz) can tomato paste
* 1/4 cup chopped green olives
* 1 Tbl capers, rinsed and drained
* 1 Tbl fresh basil, chopped
* 1 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped
* 2 tsp red wine vinegar
* 1/2 tsp salt
* black pepper to taste
* pinch of sugar


Directions

1. Heat 4 Tbl olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat, add eggplant. Saute, stirring constantly, until eggplant is tender and browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
2. Add remaining 2 Tbl oil to skillet. Stir in eggplant, tomato paste, olives, capers, basil, parsley, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cover and summer 5 minutes. Toss hot pasta with sauce and serve immediately.