Increase hot seasonings for hot, spicy enchiladas

My husband loves spicy food, and this week's recipe for enchiladas served with enchilada sauce calls for spicy hot seasonings.

I really enjoy south-of-the-border foods. But my Swedish taste buds cannot tolerate the degree of hotness that Gary's can, so I've decreased the hot seasonings a bit.

If you like hot and spicy, just add a bit more Tabasco sauce and chili powder.

Enchiladas

Serving size: 12

Vegetable oil

12 tortillas

1 pound ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup ripe olives, chopped

3/4 pound mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Enchilada sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped

15 ounces tomato sauce

1 cup water

1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

For the sauce, saute onion in butter until clear. Add green pepper; saute about one minute longer. Stir in tomato sauce, water, Tabasco and chili powder.

Simmer over low heat about 30 minutes. Makes about 3 cups sauce.

For enchiladas, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet. Brown tortillas lightly on both sides, allowing about 30 seconds per side. Do not allow them to become crisp, as they need to be rolled. Remove tortillas to absorbent paper to drain. Brown ground beef with garlic, salt and pepper in a small amount of oil. Keep beef hot. On each tortilla place two tablespoons browned ground beef, one tablespoon chopped onion, two teaspoons chopped ripe olives and 1 1/2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Roll up tortillas.

Spread one cup enchilada sauce over bottom of a greased 10x15x1-inch jelllyroll pan. Place tortillas, folded side down, in sauce. Spoon 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce over each tortilla and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) about 20 minutes, or until sauce starts to bubble. Serve at once.

You can double this recipe and freeze the filled and rolled tortillas. Add the sauce and shredded cheese topping when you bake them.

Almond Bars

Serving size: 20

Crust:

1 cup butter

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Filling:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

For crust, mix flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut in butter. Pat in a 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For filling, beat cream cheese, eggs, sugar and almond extract until smooth and thickened. Pour over hot crust. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool.

For frosting, beat frosting ingredients. Spread over cooled bars.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serving size: 12

Crust:

1 1/2 cans graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:

24 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 15-ounce can pumpkin

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 ounces evaporated milk

2 eggs

Topping:

2 cups sour cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Additional ground cinnamon

For crust, in a bowl, combine crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes.

For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Add the pumpkin, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Gradually beat in milk and eggs just until blended. Pour into crust. Place pan on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set.

For topping, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over filling. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool for one hour longer. Chill overnight. Remove sides of pan; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Refrigerate leftovers.

GARY'S TIP: To remove musty smells from a trunk, place a coffee can filled with kitty litter deodorizer inside the trunk overnight.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: If most folks practiced what they preached, they'd be too busy to preach.