Having company in your home for dinner can be a fun and entertaining idea, as well as a daunting task if not prepared. I decided this time to have as much prepared as possible ahead of time, so that joining my guests instead of spending all of my time in the kitchen would be the priority.
A few prepared dips and snacks were enjoyed with cocktails while my main course stayed warm in the oven waiting to be served. Nothing is always perfect and there can always be a few glitches along the way, but doing your best to be as prepared as possible takes away a lot of undue stress and makes dealing with last minute trials easier. One of the glitches I ran into this time was a differing opinion on what the salad should be, causing a last minute menu change to the salad course, ugh...resulting in chopping vegetables while guests chatted in the other room.
To compliment a Greek inspired dinner, I decided on combining two separate recipes I found and was very proud of the result. Very easy to make and beautiful to look at, try this lovely appetizer next time you're having company.
Creamy Feta Spread on Crostini topped with an Olive Tapenade
Creamy Feta Spread
Mix 3oz cream cheese with 3oz crumbled feta cheese. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon into the cheese mixture and blend together until almost smooth.
Olive Tapenade
2 cups black olives, pitted
3 anchovy fillets, rinse and pat dry
3 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and Pepper to taste
I used salt at a minimum, as the anchovy itself is salty. Blend until mixture is a coarse puree.
Crostini
Slice 1/4 inch slices from a french baguette, lightly brush olive oil on both sides, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes, only until they are a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. For slightly longer pieces you can slice on an angle/diagonal, I sliced them into rounds, it is just personal preference : )
 |
| The longer you toast your bread, the more crisp it becomes, I like them both ways...soft and crisp : ) It's just personal preference, just don't cook them until they are rock hard or they will break making them difficult to eat : D |
Putting it all together...
Smear a thin layer of feta spread on crostini, place a teaspoon of tapenade on top and sprinkle with chives.
Plate and serve...delicious!
Feta Spread, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications-Holiday Recipes, Dec 2011 Pg 7
Olive Tapenade, Joy of Cooking-75th Anniversary Edition Pg 75
