Appetizers

SALSA
8 c. coarsely chopped tomatoes
2 large onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chopped
2-3 tsp. crushed red pepper
2-3 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. garlic salt
1 6-oz. can tomato paste

Cook all ingredients over medium heat. When mix starts to bubble, simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and store in freezer containers until ready to use. You can add jalapeno or other hot peppers if you want, rather than the crushed red pepper flakes. These can be as mild or as hot as you like.


LAYERED BEAN DIP
2 cans 16-oz. refried beans
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 jar salsa (divided usage)
1 1/2 c. sour cream
3 c. shredded lettuce
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced black olives
Chopped tomatoes
Tortilla chips

Mix together beans, chilies and taco seasoning. Spread on 12” round platter. Blend avocado, lemon juice and 1/2 cup salsa until smooth. Spread bean mixture. Spread sour cream on top of avocado mix. Top with shredded lettuce, cheese, olives, tomatoes and remaining salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.


HAM ROLL-UPS
1 8-oz. pkg. sliced ham or turkey
Asparagus spears
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
Lemon juice
1 bunch green onion
Dill and/or sweet pickles

Trim green onions to length of meat slices. Blanch asparagus spears and cool in ice water, trim to length of meat slices. Quarter dill pickles lengthwise and trim to length of meat. Mix softened cream cheese with lemon juice until spreadable. Spread cream cheese on meat slices and roll pickle, asparagus or onion in meat slice. Chill. Cut into rounds.


LUNCH MEAT STACKS
1 pkg. sliced ham or turkey
1 8-oz. pkg cream cheese (divided)
Finely chopped pickle
Finely chopped olives
Lemon juice

Divide cream cheese into 3 parts. Mix one part each to pickle, olives and lemon juice. Spread mix on 3 slices of meat. Stack prepared meat on top of each other. Top with another slice of meat. Repeat until all meat is gone. Refrigerate and then cut into squares. Serve.

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