Muffuletta Pasta Salad

It's Mardi Gras Time and Fat Tuesday!!

Next to a Ruben sandwich, the classic Muffuletta is by far my husband's favorite.

Since today is Fat Tuesday and the Muffuletta is the signature sandwich of Mardi Gras, I researched and found the history of this famous delicacy.

"The muffuletta sandwich has its origins at the Central Grocery in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  According to Marie Lupo Tusa, daughter of the Central Grocery's founder, it was born when Sicilian farmers selling their produce at the nearby Farmers' Market would come into her father's grocery for lunch and order some salami, ham, cheese, olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or a round muffuletta loaf. In typical Sicilian fashion they ate everything separately sitting on crates or barrels while precariously balancing their meals on their knees. Her father suggested cutting the bread and putting everything on it like a sandwich, even if it was not typical Sicilian fashion. The thicker braided Italian bread proved too hard to bite and the softer round muffuletta loaf won out. Shortly thereafter, farmers that came for lunch began merely asking for "muffulettas."

To change it up this week, I decided to make a Muffuletta Pasta Salad with all the great ingredients and flavors that you would enjoy in the classic sandwich.

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

(1) 16-ounce box tri-color rotini
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1 cup green olives, sliced

1 cup black olives, sliced

2 cups, grape tomatoes, sliced
1/4 pound ham, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound Genoa salami, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound mortadella, cut into thin strips
1 cup diced provolone cheese

1 cup Newman's Family Italian Salad Dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Rinse under cold water, drain and set aside.  

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, red onions, green olives, black olives, grape tomatoes, ham, salami, mortadella and provolone.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss with salad dressing.  (If possible, chill in refrigerator for 4 hours) to let the flavors fuse together.  Spoon pasta salad onto plates.  Makes 8 servings.

One Year Ago:  Chocolate Layered Pudding

Cheesy French Dippy - All American

Today at Augusta was the first official play day at The Masters, so I will be watching my boyfriend Phil Mickelson the next few days and cheering him on, along with his adorable wife Amy and their precious family.

Meanwhile, back in Colorado, we have been experiencing some really beautiful evenings.  We live near a wonderful lake with parks and walking/biking paths that go all around it and love to take our dogs for a quick swim in their private cove before dinner.

Other than golf (and baseball of course), I cannot think of a more American symbol, than the bald eagle (or in our case eagles)

During our walk and swim this week, there were several people around our cove looking up at the sky.  As my husband was throwing the ball for the dogs to retrieve in the water, I looked up and saw the most spectacular sight...two breathtaking bald eagles right above my head.

I have never been so close to one of these amazing birds...my husband and I were in awe - so much that we had to run home and grab my camera for the photos.  Luckily the wind had picked up, so they were just hanging out, letting everyone that crossed their path admire them, and wait for the wind to subside.

Cheesy French Dippy

Inspired by The Pioneer Woman

One 4-pound chuck roast

Salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
One 16-ounce jar pepperoncini, juice and all
2 yellow onions, sliced
10 to 12 toasted, buttered deli rolls

12 slices provolone cheese

au jus dip (your favorite brand)

Sprinkle the chuck roast with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and the canola oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Sear both sides of the chuck roast until very browned, about 5 minutes in all.

Transfer the browned meat into a crock pot.  Pour in the beef broth and 1 cup water. Add the rosemary, and then pour in the pepperoncini with their juices. Now cover the crock pot and cook at low setting for 6-8 hours.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add the onions and saute until light golden brown. Set aside.

Remove the roast from the crock pot and shred the meat completely using two forks. Return the meat to the cooking liquid and keep warm.

To serve, slice wedges out of the tops of the deli rolls. Heap a generous portion of meat on each roll. Top with a few peppers from the pot and plenty of caramelized onions.  Then, top with a slice of provolone cheese and put prepped sandwiches on a cookie sheet, under broiler on low setting for a minute (just until it starts to bubble and turn light, golden brown)

Top the sandwiches with the wedges of roll and serve with your favorite au jus dipping sauce.