I still remember my first experience with olive tapenade. It was in Phoenix, AZ, at a little restaurant called Mamma Mia’s near my office. They brought out some fresh bread with olive oil… with stuff in it.

I had no idea what it was… but it was sooo good.

And now I know that it is so easy to make. All it takes is a food processor and a small container of ingredients – all of which can be found in your nearest olive bar.

Our local Safeway has made a fabulous addition to their deli. An olive bar. Every few weeks I head down there, pick up a small container, and fill it with an assortment of olives, garlic and peppers. The usual suspects are pitted Kalamata olives, some yummy-looking garlic-stuffed green olives, and either hot peppers or sweet peppers – or both. But you can use whatever you prefer. It’s easy that way.

Bring these home, toss them into a food processor and grind them up.

Scoop the ground-up olives into a dish, drizzle with some olive oil, and voila! You have just made a delicious, nutritious snack in about 1 minute.

We keep our tapenade in a glass jar in the refrigerator and use it on just about everything – sandwiches, in eggs and stir-fry, with pita and veggies, in wraps, we have even been known to eat a spoonful by itself!