Friday Friend Recipe #98 - Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread and Olive Tapenade

 

 

 

Recipe number 98

Come with me as I continue to countdown my Friday Friend Cookbook
What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell...
About 15 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.
I decided to count those down!
Why?
Because the one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog"
The Handyman--who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said,  "you'll never EVER do that."
Well,  maybe I will!  Maybe I'll show him!

Which brings me to recipe #98Meghan's Crostini with Blue Cheese and Olive Tapenade

 

 

Before I go much further, let me say, I was probably supposed to  blend/mix/smash the pine nuts in the tapenade much finer that I did.  Because it looks like I did it not at all.

BUT---it tasted SOOOO  GOOD!!

 

 

Straight from the cookbook itself!!

( because I'm too lazy to type it all out today)

 

 

 

I made these for a small dinner party I was having, As I said above, they were so, so, SO good!  We kept eating it and eating it and pretty much ruined our appetite for dinner.

Even tho we (Friday Friends) put together this cookbook 15 years ago, I had never made this recipe before---and if  I  hadn't have made  this challenge with my husband, I most likely would have never made 90% of these recipes.  I would have just shelved this cookbook with my others and 'loved' it from afar, but now I am finding hidden gems and this---this tapenade is one of them! 

And now for my FF Story!!

I'm lucky to have such great sisters-in-law, Meghan is one of my favorites--you can see all her recipes here.

It's getting harder  and harder to tell a story about my family and friends without compromising their integrity --I know them so well, but when  put on the spot it's getting tough.  I guess I only remember the reckless behavior, but then how interesting a story would it be if I wrote: she made a good chicken picatta and listened to jazz music? 

While  this is only Meghan's 5th recipe, so far, in the countdown, there is only so much I can tell without taking the 5th amendment.  

She must live a reckless life! At least 5% of it anyway---she really does make a mean chicken picatta!

 

Here is her story:

 

It takes place on my 25th wedding anniversary.

Almost 13 years ago.

 

Meghan and her husband Mike, the Handyman's babiest of baby brothers ( The Handyman then lots of sisters and then 3 boys at the end)

 

Below in the photo are Meghan and LeAnne, one of the many sisters in the middle.

I envision Meghan telling LeAnne, "I am the best cook in the family"

I envision this, because--well, it's the truth. I can vouch for that.

She has her own small dinner at home catering business, and I envy that so much.  ( not enough to do anything about it of course--although,  it might be fun for me to cook for your dinner party!!)

Anyway...Meghan is a good cook.

 

Because this was my 25th wedding anniversary, and we live in a small Nevada town (Nevada's bars are open 24hours), and only my family was there until the wee small hours, Meghan ended up dancing on the bar.

 

Okay,  so all of my family danced on the bar!!

Wait!  It's the Handyman's family.

His brother, his sister, etc etc etc

 

except for Willie. Willie is in the middle in the blue shirt... Willie just loves the bar and rarely leaves.

We (the Handyman and I) see him around town sometimes, and he'll still tell us, even 12 years later, that was one of the best nights of his life.

Willie WAS having a great time!!

 

I just couldn't get the picture to fit, so I had to cut myself out of this one!!

And Meghan is hidden by Leslie, my other sister-in-law, but you get the picture, right? 

 

Meghan:

mom

wife

bar dancer

book reader

and Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread and Olive Tapenade maker extraordinaire!

 

That's the Friday Friend story of the week!

(or month as the case may be, because I'm slow at this)

 

I'm going to link up  with Weekend Cooking  at Beth Fish Reads.