Tapenade

 Tapenade is a spread or dip that is made from olives, typically Kalamata olives and anchovies with capers and olive oil. 

I will be the first to say, it did not look that appetizing to me. When I had someone request it for catering last year I thought....ewww, this stuff sounds GROSS!! What is worse than anchovies with olives and olive oil. My dear friend showed me the light though. It is amazing and really, really good. You have to get over the look of it though. Also, don't go in for a big bite. A little goes a long way. 

With that being said, it is really one the greatest spreads I have ever had. I really enjoy the saltiness of it, especially on a crunchy baguette or on a slice of pita bread. 

Now, as with most of my recipes that I have been given over the years, I substitute things and add things and  take things out. I can not leave well enough alone. I just can't. I don't think it's in my DNA. 

Typically, you only use the Kalamata olives, but I like to use black olives as well. You can put them in the food processor at the same time, but I don't like to. I like to be a little difficult, what can I say. Without further ado, here is my recipe for Tapenade.

Tapenade

1 tbsp. capers

2 anchovy fillets

1 garlic clove, minced

2 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1 tsp. rubbed thyme

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

*Now here is a tip. Try to find the olives already pitted. I don't worry if they are chopped or anything since we are going to be putting them in a food processor. It will just save time and your poor hand if you find them already pitted. I didn't, and was cursing myself the entire time I was taking the pits out.

Pulse the capers, anchovies and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses or so.

Add the olives, thyme, vinegar, and red pepper flakes.

Chop a little, then slowly add the olive oil while the motor is still going and it forms a smooth paste. 

Season with pepper. 

You are finished! See, that was super easy and it's sooooo good. Especially if you make it the night before. Take from the refrigerator and enjoy with pita bread or crunchy french baguette.

Now, I can't leave well enough alone. I have to add more to it. I repeated the above instructions with black olives. Then, once that was all done I added the original tapenade to the black olive one and pulsed a little longer to mix it all together. Then I was finished. 

Here's to new cameras and new beginnings

I gave my sweet husband some not so subtle hints that I would like a new camera for Christmas. Not so subtle as in, I sent him my Christmas list via text message the day he and my step son went Christmas shopping. On it? A 15 carat diamond tennis bracelet, a new BIGGER house, a Mercedes SUV and a dSLR camera. It was kind of a no brainier for him from that point on. Now, had he bought me anything else on that list I would of probably fallen over and had a heart attack. The tennis bracelet would of had to go back to the store. What in the world would a stay at home mom that volunteers to be the popcorn chair at her 5 year olds elementary school that sometimes caters do with that kind of bracelet anyway? The house and the car?? It's next on my list :0)

 Maybe anniversary and birthday? 

Anywho, we can talk about that another time. 

So, the new camera is a dream. I love it. I love the look, the feel, the pictures, well just about everything  I wish it came idiot proof and had me taking amazing professional style pictures right out of the gate, but it doesn't. That is why my husband also gave me a book to help me learn the camera, the proper way. I have glanced over it a few times, thinking I could just pick it up with the little knowledge I have gotten from the passing glance of the book, but now I am having to go back through it a little better. It will come to me, I know it will. I love to learn anything new. 

My new beginnings is something I have been tossing back and fourth with for some time. I have wanted to start this blog back up properly, with pictures, get my catering a fire under it's butt and just start cooking really, really good foods again. 

A lot of the foods will be healthy, but a few not-so-healthy ones will make an appearance every so often (I'm a baker at heart, I can't help it). 

My goal is this....a new recipe and blog entry every day. HA HA, just kidding. Not every day, but hopefully twice a week.

I have some awesome things in the works for my business and just for you lovely people in general. Some great recipes that maybe would scare you in the past, but that really aren't that hard. I want to show you some really neat ways of making some amazing dishes, whether you are a beginner cook or even a professional (although, if you are a professional there is no way you should be here. I'm barely a novice myself that gets lucky).