½ teaspoon parsley flakes

¼ teaspoon celery salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard (MUST be the dry kind)

Mix thoroughly and then fill the yolk cavity, mounding the mixture a bit in the center. Place on a small platter. If you want to garnish the eggs, sprinkle them with a bit of paprika or parsley. You can also garnish them with a slice of ripe or stuffed olive.

FIESTA DIP PLATTER

Sally Laughlin serves this out at the Lake Eden Inn when her customers watch football games in the bar.

16-ounce can spicy refried beans (I used Rosarita Spicy)

3 large ripe mashed avocados

1/3 cup salsa ranchero (I used La Victoria Salsa Ranchero labeled “hot”)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 can (4 ¼ ounces) chopped black olives, drained

1 cup cheddar cheese, finely grated

1 cup lettuce, finely chopped

1 cup tomatoes, finely chopped

You can layer this in a 9 x 13 inch glass cake pan, or on a round platter.

Spread the beans on the bottom of the dish you’ve chosen.

Peel and mash the avocados. Blend in the hot salsa ranchero and layer it over the beans.

Sprinkle the chopped onion over the avocado mixture.

Mix the black olives with the sour cream and spread it over the chopped onions.

Sprinkle on the grated cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle the chopped lettuce on top of the cheese.

Sprinkle the tomatoes on the very top.

Press everything down with a metal spatula, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours so the flavors will marry.

Serve with a basket of tortilla chips and let everyone scoop up the dip.

HERRING APPETIZER

** THIS DISH MUST BE MADE 3 DAYS IN ADAVANCE ***

Priscilla Knudson, Reverend Knudson’s grandmother, brings this herring appetizer to every potluck dinner. The one time she decided to bring something else, twenty-six people, including her grandson, made her promise never to do it again.

2 (12 ounces each) jars marinated herring fillets

¾ cup crinkle-cut frozen carrots

2 small red onions

2 teaspoons whole allspice

2 teaspoons whole yellow mustard seeds

6-9 small sprigs of fresh dill

Pickling Liquid:

¾ cup white vinegar

½ cup water

½ cup white (granulated) sugar

Bring the vinegar, water, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Take the saucepan off the heat and set the liquid aside to cool to room temperature.

Open the jars of herring and drain them in a strainer. Pick out the herring fillets, rinse them in cold water, and throw everything else away.

Cook the carrots according to the package instruction, but make sure they’re still firm and not soft.

Peel the red onions and cut them into thin slices.

Arrange a quarter of the onions in a thin layer in the bottom of a one-quart glass jar. Top them with a third of the herring. Top the herring with a third of the carrots. Place 2 or 3 dill sprigs on the top and scatter on a third of the allspice and a third of the mustard seeds. Repeat this sequence until all the ingredients have been used, ending with a top layer of onions.