Orange Salad with Onions and Olives

2 large oranges, pared and thinly sliced
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 Greek olives, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground red pepper

Arrange orange slices on lettuce; top with onion and olives. Shake remaining ingredients in tightly covered container; drizzle over salad.

Yields 4 servings.

Fried Italian Ravioli

12 dozen fresh ravioli*
2 large eggs, beaten
Salt and cayenne pepper

* Fresh ravioli is usually available in the chilled section of your grocery.

In a large bowl beat together salt, pepper and eggs. Detach the raviolis one by one. Dip into the egg mixture, then deep fry for about 2 to 4 minutes ? until golden and crispy.

Serve hot with tomato salsa as appetizer.

Serves 4.

Jam Cake

2 cups granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or more
2 cups blackberry jam
1 cup black walnuts (or nuts of choice)
1 cup raisins or more
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons baking soda, dissolved in 1 cup buttermilk
6 eggs or more

Place all ingredients in a large pan and mix thoroughly. Bake in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan at 300 F degrees for about an hour. Pour icing over cake while cake is hot.

Icing
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sweet milk
1/2 cup butter

Cook until about as thick as cream. Have icing cooked and ready to put on cake as soon as cake is done. Pour on while icing and cake are both hot.

Faki Soupa (Greek Lentil Soup)

3/4 cup brown lentils
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (3 ounce) can tomato pur?e
8 ounces fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded
Good pinch of oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 3/4 cups water
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Cover lentils with cold water and bring to boil. Drain lentils and return to the pan with 1 1/2 pints water, garlic, onion, tomato pur?e, fresh tomatoes, oregano and olive oil. Bring to a boil and simmer until the lentils are soft. Remove from heat and blend, but stop blending before the mixture gets too smooth. Season to taste.

Topfenknodel (Cottage Cheese Dumplings ? Austria)

1/4 cup butter (NOT margarine)
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups dry curd cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
Melted butter

Melt the 1/4 cup butter and stir into egg yolks until creamy. Scoop the dry curd cottage cheese into your blender or food processor and make into a pur?e. Blend into egg yolk mixture with salt. Beat egg whites until they will hold a peak and fold gently into the cheese mixture. Add enough flour to make stiff batter. Bring a deep pan of water to a gentle boil and add 1 teaspoon salt. Drop dumplings into boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface. Drain and serve with melted butter.

NOTE: These can also be served with fruit for brunch or dessert.