The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is both my favorite and most stressful time of year wrapped up into one shiny overstuffed package. You have the parties, the shopping, the family gatherings, the ugly sweaters (okay these are actually pretty fun) all of which I both love…but after a month or so start to wear you down.
With one week to go before Christmas I am already exhausted. I have braved the malls three times, despite my pledge last year to do all my Christmas shopping online and at least a month in advance this year (I can hear you laughing…don’t laugh at me). I have also already been to 5 holiday gatherings, with two more this week. While I love a good party, as much as the next person, I did run into a bit of a snag last week when I was asked to bring an appetizer to share. Now, I always overthink these things. I realize my life would be easier if I just brought some cocktail shrimp or a nice dip like everyone else…but where would the fun be in that? So instead of being smart and taking the safe easy route, I decided to turn to Pinterest. Oh Pinterest, you are a fickle beast. While I love your pretty pictures and fabulous “why didn’t I think of that” ideas you also tend to steal hours of my life on end and convince me that I can make anything…even those mini reindeer cupcakes. I won’t go into details…but the reindeer cupcakes didn’t work out…there may have been a smoke alarm going off but you didn’t hear that from me. So I had to come up with a plan B. I had some olives in my pantry and a big crusty loaf of French bread. Don’t ask my why but I thought I would make a simple tapenade and use it to top off a Bruschetta. I added some goat cheese for good measure…goat cheese never steers me wrong…and viola my new favorite appetizer was born.
For this dish I used some Mezzetta Kalamata Olives. I like the flavor Kalamata olives brings to a tapenade and the color is really nice to, especially against the white goat cheese.
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Ingredients
1 cup kalamata olives, drained
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp capers
4 oz chevre goat cheese
1 french baguette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice the bread into 1 inch thick slices and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of each slice.
- Bake them in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until they begin to brown.
- While the bread is baking put the olives, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic cloves and capers in a food processor. Pulse until olives take on a spread like consistency. Be careful not to over pulse or a paste will form.
- To assemble the bruschetta take one slice of toasted bread. Spread about 1 tbsp of goat cheese on top. Spread 1 tbsp of tapenade on top of the goat cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients are used.
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