The candy bowl overflows and the decorations surprise. A cauldron of soup waits on the stove and a pile of ready-to-heat sandwiches sits near the oven. Let the Halloween festivities begin.

Between treating the tricksters at the doorbell, we offer hot food to take the chill off guests. To accompany our traditional pumpkin soup offering, this year, we’re serving small sandwiches layered with lots of sliced, cured meats, cheese and a thick smear of basil mayonnaise. A hefty spoonful of spicy olive salad proves reminiscent of the beloved New Orleans muffuletta sandwiches.

For casual entertaining, and to allow guests to eat on their own time schedule, the sandwiches are assembled ahead and wrapped in foil for quick heating in a hot oven. The bread will crisp nicely while the cheese melts enough to hold everything together.

In New Orleans, a muffuletta is typically layered on a large round sesame loaf. Then, wedges are sliced for individual portions. Here, individual hard rolls the size of a burger bun, such as ciabatta rolls, work well for individual sandwiches. Alternatively, use 4-inch sections of French bread. Pretzel rolls taste great, too, but since they are denser, remove more of the soft interior to have a ratio of more meat than bread in the final sandwich.

For the meats, use a combination of mild roast turkey with smoky ham and rich, flavorful salami and spicy capicola. Just about any combination works; you’ll need about 3 ounces of thinly sliced meats per serving. Add an ounce of cheese that melts nicely to each sandwich, such as provolone or white cheddar.

The olive salad can be made several days in advance. Make it as spicy as you wish depending on the guests. The olive mixture is a fantastic relish to have on hand for all kinds of usage, not just the sandwiches. Use it as a salad topping, over grilled chicken, fish or sausages, stirred into cooked pasta or folded into tuna or potato salad.

For an easy pumpkin soup, put canned pumpkin into a saucepan and stir in enough chicken broth to achieve a thick, creamy consistency. Season with salt and curry powder. Add a swirl of heavy cream if desired. Serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Leftover sandwiches can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature.

Individual Muffuletta Sandwiches with Turkey and Basil Mayonnaise

Makes 8 servings

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or refrigerated

8 ciabatta rolls or hard rolls, each about 4 ounces

16 thin slices (about 8 ounces) thinly sliced provolone or white cheddar cheese

16 thin slices (about 6 ounces) smoked turkey breast

16 thin slices (about 6 ounces) smoked ham

16 thin slices (about 6 ounces) hard salami

16 thin slices (about 6 ounces) soppressata, capicola or prosciutto

2 bottled roasted red bell peppers, drained, quartered

Spicy olive salad (see recipe)

1. Mix the mayonnaise and the basil pesto in a small bowl. Makes about 3/4 cup.

2. Split rolls crosswise in half. Use fingertips to remove some of the bread from the inside of the tops of the rolls. (Save breadcrumbs for other use.) Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the cut side of the rolls.

3. Layer a piece of cheese on the bottoms of each roll. Then layer the turkey and other meats, alternating the flavors, over the bottoms of the rolls. Top each with another cheese slice. Top each with a piece of roasted pepper.

4. Spoon the olive mixture over the insides of the tops of the rolls, being sure to moisten the inside well. Put the tops of the rolls in place. Wrap each sandwich well in a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

5. Heat oven to 400 degrees. To serve, put sandwiches (still wrapped in foil) in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until nicely heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with plenty of napkins.

Spicy Olive Salad

Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 cup bottled olive salad or muffuletta mix

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper, from 1/2 a bell pepper

1/4 cup diced celery, red onion (well rinsed)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Mix olives, olive salad, bell pepper, celery and onion in a small bowl. Stir in oil, vinegar, seasoning and peppers. Refrigerate covered up to several days.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2024 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.