BREAD WINNER

I drove up our tree-lined street yesterday under the crisp, blue sky and thought about how lucky I am to live in such an incredibly beautiful part of the country. As my gas-guzzling SUV crawled to a stop in our driveway, my lovely day dream came to an abrupt end when NPR announced the dive on Wall Street. Now, let's be honest. My portfolio consists of a Dukes of Hazzard Trapper-Keeper from the third grade, an old Swatch watch and a dusty collection of National Geographic magazines from the 1970's. In other words, I didn't lose a thing yesterday but my dignity when I walked out our front door before washing the toothpaste off of my face (a beauty tip I learned years ago. Apply a dab of toothpaste on pores at night before heading to bed to dry them up!). It did remind me, however, that we aren't out of the woods yet, times are still tough and those belts need to stay tight for awhile longer. So, as I prepare from my bread party tonight I'm trying to think of cheap, delicious dips for my homemade bread. An incredibly easy, almost free recipe that will leave your guests singing your praises, is to put 1/3 cup of olive oil in a small serving bowl. Mince one clove of garlic and sprinkle salt on top. Mash combination with the back of a spoon and pour into olive oil. Add a bit of pepper and whip up with a fork. YUM! Another winning combination with fresh bread is tapenade. Even if wall street is down, be the top chef on your street tonight!

TOP AND NOD:

This is a true winner when it comes to a quick, easy totally inexpensive appetizer. Make it, dip it and love it!

1.) 2 cups pitted brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata

2.) 3 garlic cloves
3.) 1 tablespoon small capers, drained

4.) 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

combine olives, garlic, and capers in a food processor and blend until smooth, about three minutes. With motor running, add olive oil in a steady stream and pulse until well combined. If refrigerated, tapenade will stay up to two weeks!

TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes

COST: under $5

STRESS LEVEL: If your guests are happy, LOW