The Five Minute Appetizer

How many times has the following scenario played out in your home?:

You're invited to a holiday party, a summer barbecue or just an evening in with the girls, and you, with all your good intentions, offer to bring "something" (at another time, we'll discuss what road is paved with good intentions).  You're the amazing friend who does everything, and you're going to arrive at this party fashionably late, looking fabulous, with a mouth watering dish.  Cut to the day of your party, it's two hours before you're supposed to arrive, you can't account for all of your family members, you haven't showered yet (or if you're anything like me, you can't remember the last time you actually had a shower), and you certainly haven't had time to prepare "something."  Something has got to give, and you're certainly not going to show up with ratty hair, smelling like the litter box, so you decide that you'll just stop on your way, and "pick something up."

We all fall prey to this, and the Tampenade recipe I'm about to share with you, is my take on something I often end up picking up.  I'll admit, if olives aren't your thing, you're going to want to pass on this, but if they are, this recipe whips up in a snap (honestly 5 minutes or less), you can prepare it the night beforehand, and when you receive all those compliements on your dish, you can proudly say, "thanks I made it myself."  Heck, I'll even let you take credit for the recipe.

Mediterranean Tampenade

Ingredients:

1 Can Black Olives

1 Jar Kalmata Olives

1 Can Artichoke Hearts

1/2 Jar Sundried Tomatoes

2-3 Cloves of Garlic

Juice From one Lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Open the black olives, kalmata olives, and artichoke hearts, then drain the brine.  Place the entire contents in your food processor.  Add your sundried tomotoes, garlic and lemon juice.  Pulse until the entire mixture is finely chopped, then drizzle in some olive oil.  The olive oil should act as a binder to keep the ingredients together.  You're mixture should not be oily.

Serve with some fancy crackers. 

If you're feeling ambitious, and you've (1) showered; (2) fixed your hair; (3) dressed in matching, stain free clothing, make some large croutons from a baguette that you purchased from the bakery department in your grocery store.