TWO WINNING ENTRIES FAVORED BY NEWMAN : BUTCH'S WILD WEST TEX-MEX SALAD (1996 GRAND PRIZE WINNER - CINDY KOVAR, COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS).

For the second straight year, Paul Newman made another split decision and declared a tie in Newman's Own and Good Housekeeping Recipe Contest. Both Mark Maki's Blaze's Shrimp and Sausage Creole and Cindy Kovar's Butch's Wild West Tex-Mex Salad sparked Newman's taste buds in the sixth annual competition.

They shared top honors, with each receiving a $50,000 donation from Newman to their favorite designated charity.

Maki of Los Osos enjoys cooking and finds experimenting with different cuisine a great therapy for stress. This was his first recipe contest, and he won using Newman's Own Bombolina Sauce. The father of three children, Maki is donating his award to the Covenant Christian School in Los Osos.

Kovar was thrilled to share her winning moment with her mother, who taught her to cook. Her prize-winning recipe showcases the flavors of the Southwest. To add big flavor - Texas style - to her colorful salad, she mixes chipotle chiles with Newman's Own Salad Dressing. Since Kovar is a student at Texas A&M studying for her second degree, a B.A. in sociology with teacher certification, she has designated her $50,000 charity award to the SPJST 100 Pennies Drive, a scholarship program to help individuals achieve their dream of attending college.

In addition to the two $50,000 grand prizes, Newman presented five remaining finalists with $10,000 each to donate to a charity of their choice.

DRESSING:

1 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped

Juice of 1 large lime (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon ground cumin 

2 teaspoons salt

SALAD:

3 cans (15.5 to 19 ounces EACH) black beans, rinsed and drained

4 cans (15.5 to 16 ounces EACH) whole kernel corn, drained

3 cups cooked white rice

3/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions, including tops

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes

For Dressing, mix all dressing ingredients together well. Set aside.

For Salad, in a large bowl, mix together all salad ingredients, except tomatoes. Add dressing mixture to salad. Toss.

Let salad marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Before serving, add chopped tomatoes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Makes 6 main-dish or 12 accompaniment servings.

BLAZE'S SHRIMPAND SAUSAGE CREOLE(1996 Grand Prize Winner -Mark Maki,Los Osos, Calif.)

2 tablespoons butter OR margarine

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3/4 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cups clam juice

Spice Mixture

1 cup Newman's Own Bombolina Sauce

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and rinsed

3 cups hot, cooked rice (prepared according to package directions)

In a 12-inch skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat until hot. Add celery and pepper; saute 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Remove mixture from skillet and set aside.

To same skillet add onion and kielbasa and saute 10 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds.

Add Spice Mixture, clam juice and Bombolina Sauce. Simmer covered 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until shrimp turn opaque throughout. Add celery mixture; heat through. Discard bay leaf.

Serve over rice in a large shallow soup bowl. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

SPICE MIXTURE: Combine 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper OR cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves.