Hostess With The Mostess | 20something cupcakes

Archives For hostess with the mostess

spring {wine pairing} dinner party.

April 6, 2012 — 6 Comments

It had just been too long since my last dinner party. Yes, I’ve been crazy-busy – but that doesn’t mean my love for entertaining has to suffer. We’d been meaning to see a couple of friends of ours for an eternity, so what better way to reunite than over fabulous food and vino?

Spring {Wine Pairing} Dinner Party Menu

As I’ve been getting more and more into wine, I figured this was a perfect opportunity to host my first wine pairing dinner. Gone are the days when I used to be able to drink anything as long as it was under $10 a bottle. Don’t get me wrong – there are still plenty of inexpensive bottles out there that I’m more than happy to drink. But as I’m not learning, all are not created equally. Let me know if you guys are interested in learning more about wine here. Your wish is my demand! Plus, I really love to ~~drink~~ talk about the stuff. I’m certainly not an expert – but we can learn together, right? When you think about it, it’s the closest thing I may get to having an actual drink with many of you, so cheers to that!

In Complete Menus, Dinner Party Worthy hostess with the mostess, spring recipes, wine pairing

annual summer brunch menu.

September 8, 2011 — 3 Comments

Two years ago, I hosted a brunch. It was right around the time that I started seriously getting into cooking, and it was probably the first time I entertained for a group of more than 4. I remember making Paula’s French Toast Casserole and Ina’s Smoked Salmon Spread. I also did a beautiful tomato and mozzarella salad, an egg white frittata with mushrooms and spinach, and chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. But what made my brunch so infamous was the mimosa bar. I got all sorts of mixers, like peach nectar, orange juice, and pink lemonade – and each guest brought a bottle of champagne. Seven hours later… We were still going, to say the least.

{2nd annual summer brunch crew}

I think that brunch impacted me in a big way – I learned that not only did I love entertaining, I *loved* the process of putting together a great menu. I’m proud to say that my cooking has come a long way, and I’ve really come into my own in terms of what I like and what I’m about in the kitchen. And what I’m about is creating a truly special experience for my friends and loved ones – and even though the food must be nothing-short-of-fabulous, I like for everything else about the day or evening to be super-relaxed.

The following year, I let life get in the way as it has a habit of doing and I missed my opportunity to host a second annual brunch. This year, the end of August rolled around and I was determined not to let that happen again. And so, I hosted my second annual brunch a year late…

In Complete Menus, Weekend Brunch champagne, entertaining, girly time, hostess with the mostess, summer recipes

vanilla milkshake bar.

July 2, 2011 — 2 Comments

Looking for a totally easy dessert to serve at your next dinner party that’s guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face?

Look no further. This milkshake bar is the answer.

It takes about two minutes to whip up a batch of super-creamy and luxurious vanilla milkshakes. Offer a few liquors to your guests to top them off – I’ve included ideas below, but feel free to offer one or two of those or whatever you prefer – and I guarantee everyone will be happy.

When I served these milkshakes, everyone was stuffed. I mean, almost to the point of discomfort. Have you ever served your guests so much food that they didn’t have room for dessert? I thought that may have been the case that evening. I thought after cupcakes, there was no way they’d have room for milkshakes. I offered anyway, of course. And can you guess what the answer was?

Hell, yes.

Maybe my friends are gluttonous. Maybe a vanilla milkshake bar with assorted spikers is just too good to pass up. You be the judge.

Vanilla Milkshake Bar

For the Milkshakes:

4 cups good vanilla ice cream {I like either Haagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s}
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Assorted Spikers:

Grand Marnier
Jim Beam, or other Bourbon whiskey
Kahlua
Bailey’s Irish Cream

In a blender, combine all milkshake ingredients until smooth. I think milkshakes need to be thick – but feel free to add more milk if you prefer them thinner. Serve immediately, in tall glasses – and leave some room at the top for spiking.

Offer guests the option to add a pour of liquor to their milkshakes. Enjoy.

In Fabulously Simple, Sweets + Treats bourbon, grand marnier, hostess with the mostess, ice cream, milkshakes, vanilla

foodbuzz 24×24: childhood, reinvented.

May 29, 2011 — 9 Comments

It’s no secret that I love to throw a good dinner party. So, when Foodbuzz reached out to all of their featured publishers asking us to pitch an over-the-top dinner party idea (and get paid for it!), I was in.

OVER.THE.TOP.

Hi. Have we met? That’s what I do.

Immediately, my mind began conjuring up a theme of childhood classics, reinterpreted – gourmet-style.

Who doesn’t love to reminisce about what they loved as a kid? Whether it be TV shows we watched, foods we ate, songs we loved, or games we played – one of my personal favorites, if you’ve never engaged in passionate conversation regarding Chutes and Ladders or Mouse Trap, then we’re probably not friends – everyone loves to indulge in nostalgia.

{It’s the little things}

From mac ‘n cheese to peanut butter and jelly, childhood elicits some of our strongest food memories. For this menu, I went with some of my all-time favorites that I felt could be improved on with a little…adult guidance.

Specialty cocktails? Check. Trio of miniature appetizers? Done. A variation on the beloved “Happy Meal” – including my interpretation of a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and adult-appropriate toy? Yes, please. I won’t even get started on the spiked milkshake bar – I’ll just let you scroll down and see for yourself.

Because we all deserve to feel like a kid again. Enjoy!

childhood, reinvented.

{cotton candy martinis}

{the capri sun cocktail}

{mini grilled cheese sandwiches}

{homemade pizza rolls}

{mini mac ‘n cheese bites}

{bacon-wrapped sliders}

{oven-roasted tomato confit “ketchup”}

{truffled tater tots}

{vanilla milkshakes with bar of assorted spikers}

{chocolate cupcakes with ganache frosting + marshmallow cream filling}

{homemade twinkies}

{“true happiness” meals stuffed with adult-appropriate goodies}

Without a doubt, this is one of all-time favorite themes for a dinner party. Our friends had a blast reliving many of our favorite food memories through their now-heightened adult palates. And in the process of conceptualizing this menu, I discovered and adapted some ridiculously amazing recipes that I know I’ll be coming back to again and again.

Everyone loved literally everything the menu, but I’d have to say some of the highlights were the Capri Sun cocktails, which tasted just like the real thing; the pizza rolls, which were made with wonton wrappers and a mixture of fresh mozzarella, provolone, and Parmigianno-Reggiano, Boar’s Head pepperoni, baby bella mushrooms, and baby sweet peppers; and the “Hostess” cupcakes. And the milkshake bar. And probably the Twinkies, although they were sent home with our guests in their goodie bags – so I didn’t get to see their reactions.

Stay tuned for the recipes!

In Complete Menus, Dinner Party Worthy childhood classics, foodbuzz, hostess with the mostess

guacamole bar.

May 3, 2011 — 1 Comment

Have you ever met someone who didn’t like guacamole?

I haven’t. Nor do I wish to. That doesn’t sound like the type of person I’d like to be friends with.

And because you are no doubt a guacamole lover, there is no doubt you’re going to love this guacamole bar! You can use this recipe for roasted garlic guacamole or your own favorite, and then create an array of delicious toppings for your guests to add.

You know – the good stuff, like bacon. And cheese.

You can add any garnishes you like. I added two types of onion, and pan-fried corn. There’s nothing I love more than fresh corn, pan-fried in a pat of butter until it’s a lightly crisped golden brown. Except for, that is, adding it to a guacamole bar.

Guacamole Bar

Adapted from Rick Bayless

Roasted Garlic Guacamole:

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
6 ripe medium avocados
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more if desired
1 teaspoons salt

Garnishes:

3/4 cup Mexican queso fresco, crumbled
3/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
1/2 cup crumbled crisp-fried bacon
1/2 cup chopped scallion
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen and thawed, pan-fried
1 bag (16-ounce) large, sturdy tortilla chips

For the guacamole: Place unpeeled garlic in a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the skins; finely chop. Scoop avocado flesh into a large bowl. Add the tomato, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice to taste. Coarsely mash everything together. Season with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 4 cups.

To set up the bar: Scoop garnishes into small serving bowls and put the chips in a large basket or bowl. Encourage guests to spoon a little guacamole on a chip and top with garnishes that appeal.

Serves 6 – 8.

In Obsessed, Starters guacamole, hostess with the mostess, make-your-own food bars, mexican recipes

make-your-own pizza party.

March 3, 2011 — Leave a comment

You’ve already heard me wax poetic on the subject of homemade pizza night.

And while Daniel and I do consider ourselves as the only guests enough to constitute calling it a party, there’s no doubt that the old adage “the more, the merrier” also applies.

We’ve been wanting to host a make-your-own pizza party for some time now, but I never could quite figure out how to do it with just one lonely pizza stone. The solution? This great new pizza dough recipe I recently discovered that makes perfectly thin and crispy crust in a baking sheet. Brilliant! Lord knows I’ve got plenty of those.

I found the pizza dough recipe through this fabulous three-cheese pizza recipe with pancetta and mushrooms, which I’ve adapted below. I doubled it and added more toppings (arugula and Prosciutto – feel free to add your own favorite ingredients) to make 4 pizzas, serving 6-8 people (which for us was more like 4-6 – ha!).

Everyone had so much fun getting in the kitchen and playing chef. I loved it because I had everything prepared in advance, and thus had plenty of time to enjoy with our guests.

Get all of your cheese-shredding and sauce-making done earlier in the day, and then bring them out before guests arrive.

Same with the preparation of the toppings.

{Though you may want to let guests know that the pancetta is a topping and not an hors d’oeuvre – note the half-eaten bowl of it in the back!}

Our friends couldn’t believe how easy it was to make homemade pizza – and you won’t either! As long as you give yourself a little time to make the dough in advance and get your prep work done, you’ll be spending minimal time in the kitchen.

{Leaving maximal time for cocktailing}

Happy pizza-making!

Three-Cheese Pizzas with Assorted Toppings

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis via Bon Appétit

Pizza dough {double recipe below to make 4 pizzas}

2 1/2 cups marinara sauce {store-bought or homemade}

2 cups coarsely grated Fontina cheese

2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 (8-ounce?) package sliced baby bella mushrooms

6 ounces thinly-sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), coarsely chopped

2 cups arugula

6 ounces Prosciutto, torn or chopped into large pieces

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

First, prep your ingredients. Get your cheeses grated (I recommend using a food processor) and set aside. (I grate my own Fontina and Parmesan and typically buy the mozzarella pre-shredded – if I use fresh, I will slice it rather than shred it.) If you’re making your marinara, do that ahead of time and set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain, leaving rendered fat in the pan. Add mushrooms to the pan, season with salt, and sauté until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned. Set aside.

When you’re ready to make your pizzas, reheat oven to 475°F. Line 4 large baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Roll each onto a lightly floured surface to form a 13 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch (approximately!) rectangle. Transfer to baking sheets. Spread marinara sauce over each pizza, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cheeses and preferred toppings (except for the arugula, which should be added after baking) on top. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake pizzas until brown on bottom and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Cut each pizza crosswise into rectangles and enjoy!

Pizza Dough

From Giada De Laurentiis via Bon Appétit

3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Roll out dough according to recipe instructions. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before proceeding.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes, Obsessed hostess with the mostess, pizza, pizza dough

flowers for your bubbly.

December 30, 2010 — 1 Comment

Because when it comes to champagne, strawberries get too much play.

And, you know…they’re not really in season right now anyway.

I have something even better for your New Year’s Eve soirée: an adorable little jar of edible flowers. An instant dose of glamour only to improve upon the most glamorous drink ever to exist. I call it sheer brilliance. And the best part? No more wasting precious moments mixing drinks or shaking the cocktail shaker. Just drop into your glasses before pouring, and enjoy.

I think they’re great for any special occasion: a brunch, a dinner party, or perhaps simply an excuse to break open a bottle of bubbly on a Tuesday night.

The flowers are actually edible, and though I didn’t eat one myself, I like the idea that whatever I’m putting inside my drink is totally non-toxic. Though the flowers are flavored with raspberry and rhubarb, I didn’t find that they imparted any of this into the champagne itself. They’re also fairly easy to find; you should be able to get them at your nearest Whole Foods or Williams-Sonoma.

Whether you’re hosting your own party tomorrow night, or heading to another, these darling little flowers are sure to jazz up your midnight champagne toast.

Cheers, dolls! Here’s to a Happy and Healthy New Year for all!

{image via Daily Candy}

In Cocktails celebrate, champagne, hostess with the mostess, special touches

late summer farmstand menu.

September 21, 2010 — 9 Comments

The last day of summer has finally come upon us, and with it comes the start of a new category on 20something cupcakes. Welcome to Complete Menus: my attempt at making stylish dinner party menus more accessible, less stressful, and – hopefully – more fun.

{images via coco + kelley}

Throwing dinner parties can be intimidating – they can appear to be a crazy amount of work, and who wants to be busy in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove, while all of your besties are out mingling and enjoying tasty cocktails without you? You may also be scared away by the idea of trying to get everything out on time and at once – anyone who’s ever cooked a meal before is aware of the great challenge of timing. Maybe you feel like you couldn’t put a menu together to save your life. And how exactly do you know what can be prepared in advance, and what must be done the night of? I may not have all the answers, but my hope is that showing you what I do and how I think about things will help take some of the guesswork out of the equation, and show you that dinner parties shouldn’t be difficult – they should be fun, and they should be fabulous. If you’re not enjoying yourself, what’s the point?

I’m also sure that many of you have your own fabulous ideas and tricks you’ve learned along the way – I’d love to hear them! One of my favorite things about cooking and food is that it’s a constant learning process – no matter what level you’re at, there’s always more to learn.

This particular menu was planned for two very good friends of ours, K + B. They are very frequent guests at our house for dinner, and though B is a very picky eater, I actually enjoy that aspect of the planning. I like the challenge; it’s fun to think of what kind of salad I will serve to the person who doesn’t like vegetables, or what type of dessert will work for the person who doesn’t like chocolate. Yes, that’s right – I enjoy it. I also enjoy spending *far* too much time making sure all of the items on the menu complement one another perfectly, and occasionally even making up names like, “Late Summer Farmstand Menu” that no one will ever see. Well, guess what? My silly little menu names will finally have a home.

Cheers to that.

Blackberry Thyme Margaritas

A signature cocktail is a must for me: It’s the perfect way to welcome your guests and let them know it’s going to be a great night. These particular cocktails may have been what spawned the whole idea for my “late summer” menu. To me, they seemed so perfect with the theme – the blackberries brought the summer-factor, and the thyme gave them the rustic quality that seemed to fit in so well with the approach of autumn.

Timing: I made these the day of in the pitcher. My always-gracious guests brought the tequila, so when they arrived I just poured it right in and poured away.

Spiced Cocktail Nuts

If I’m doing a lot of food as far as everything else goes, I like to keep the appetizers light. Since I decided to do a soup, salad, and corn muffins to start, I only did one appetizer – and a simple one, at that. This is my new favorite go-to recipe for a quick and easy appetizer. Just keep mixed nuts on hand (along with the appropriate spices), and you can pull this out of your back pocket anytime.

Timing: You can do these nuts completely ahead of time. I did them the morning of, but you could do also them the day before. Be warned – they’re highly addicting. Make them too far in advance and you may be in danger of eating them all.

Watermelon Gazpacho

For whatever reason, I felt an urge to make gazpacho. Perhaps because it was the end of the season, and gazpacho feels like a recipe that belongs in the summer. I also wanted to keep my starters light as I knew the chicken and potatoes, and corn muffins, would be a bit heavier. This was the perfect gazpacho recipe because it combined the salty, the sweet, and the spicy. The basil oil on top also make it look glamorous.

Timing: Can be done ahead of time. I made it the morning of – you could also do it the day before.

Corn Muffins

Normally I wouldn’t choose to make corn muffins in addition to all of this food, especially with the heavy potatoes that come with the chicken. This was a special case, as these corn muffins were on my agenda for Project Pastry Queen, and I think they really added to the summer-themed menu. They would also be great with any type of BBQ menu, or better yet – alongside your favorite chili for football season.

Timing: To eliminate having yet another item to make around start-time, I used half the batter in the morning, and saved half for the evening. This way, we could enjoy fresh corn muffins for breakfast and when my guests arrived, I could drop the batter into the muffin tin and they could enjoy fresh, hot muffins out of the oven.

Arugula + Peach Salad with Creamy Chive Vinaigrette

This salad was specially chosen for my favorite picky eater, B. B doesn’t like tomatoes, and he doesn’t like many vegetables, though he will eat a salad. When I found out B loves him some peaches, I was sold on this salad. They loved it so much that K asked for the recipe and made it later that same week!

Timing: You can make the dressing ahead of time, and throw everything together when you’re ready to eat.

Roast Chicken + Bacon Rosemary Potatoes

This roast chicken will change your life. It changed mine, at least. I’ve made it twice in the last month or so since I’ve discovered it, and I can’t wait to make it again. A roast chicken is the perfect thing to serve at a dinner party, as you can let it do it’s thing while you hang with your company. And this roast chicken is even more fabulous thanks to the addition of bacon (which makes everything better – duh), and the most perfect lemon-rosemary potatoes you’ve ever had.

Timing: About 20 minutes before my guests’ arrival, I cooked the potatoes. You can plan on eating about an hour-and-a-half after arrival this way, which I think is the perfect amount of time for plenty of drinks, appetizers, and starters. You will have to put the potatoes in the pan about halfway through, which is no big deal.

Caramelized Shallots

And we can’t forget about the shallots. They are also slightly life-changing, for me at least. I discovered the recipe on my beloved Smitten Kitchen, and I knew they would be perfect. These were an especially great choice to serve to my guest who is very particular about his veggies – as in, he hates most of them! These can’t be hated by anyone, I’m quite sure of it. Everyone loves caramelized onions, and using the same process on shallots just takes it to another level. I will also say that another side at this point is unnecessary – if you wanted to stop with the chicken and potatoes, you would be fine doing so.

Timing: Start these about 30-40 minutes from when you’d like to eat.

Assorted Individual Fruit Crostatas: Peaches, Plums, and Berries

I had planned on serving these lovely individual fruit crostatas, inspired by a recipe from my Pastry Queen cookbook – but our guests somehow managed to pass on dessert, if you can believe it! In their defense, there was *a lot* of food, as I’m sure you can tell from this menu. I loved this idea for a dinner party, as you can lay out a variety of fruits, and let your guests choose which combination they’d like. I plan on making these again soon, and in the meantime, you can check out this similar recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Annie’s Eats.

Timing: You would make the dough before, and prep any fruits as necessary – berries can be left whole, larger fruits should be cut up. After dinner, everyone can choose their ingredients, you can quickly assemble – it’s easy, I promise – and throw them in the oven. Just make sure to have the vanilla ice cream waiting.

What do YOU think, lovelies? Do you like this new type of post? Any comments/suggestions/thoughts? I’d love to know!

In Complete Menus, Dinner Party Worthy hostess with the mostess, summer recipes

the most glam housewarming party. ever.

August 20, 2010 — 9 Comments

We all know I love my theme parties by now.

But this – this takes it to another level. What’s the theme you ask? It’s hard to put a name on this one. It’s glamour, meets casual. Black-tie attire, and ping-pong.

We’ll just call it fabulous. That works, doesn’t it?

It’s a housewarming party for a gentleman by the name of Kevin Sharkey, featured in Martha Stewart Living. I found it here, and I fell into a trance. I mean, a shower full of perfect orange Hermès boxes? That’s my kind of decorating. The tub filled with champagne bottles wasn’t too bad of an idea, either. I love how they brought a room to life – the bathroom, no less – that wouldn’t normally be included in the party.

How about a cake made entirely out of Oreo cookies, stacked on top of one another? With sparkler candles shooting out the top, no less. I think it may have been the old-fashioned milk bottles scattered about the table that really sold me here. And we can’t forget about the caviar.

I really don’t think it gets any better than men dressed in tuxedos playing a solid game of table tennis. I’m also a big fan of ladies in fabulous dresses making themselves just a little more comfortable. Shouldn’t we all drink our cocktails and eat our caviar sans shoes, sitting on the kitchen counter? This is living.

Please note how they’re keeping score: lipstick tallies on mirrored walls. But not just any lipstick. A tray of Chanel lipsticks, boys and girls. Does it get any more chic than this?

The woman pictured above and throughout many of the other images is actually the daughter of Martha Stewart. I’m jealous. Can you imagine being the daughter of Martha herself? On one hand, it seems like the most fabulous thing in the world – on the other…well, you know. Those are some big shoes to fill.

Throwing parties like this tells us she’s doing a pretty good job.

So, from my dreams to yours – here it is, dolls. My idea of perhaps the greatest housewarming party ever to exist. Super glamorous, yet still low-key. For me, this is what makes it so grand, so over-the-top special. Anyone can throw a stuffy party with a few {thousand} dollars – but this struck the perfect balance between opulence and good old-fashioned fun.

Understated elegance at its finest, my loves. Happy Friday!

In Fantasy Friday caviar, champagne, entertaining, hostess with the mostess, housewarming, martha stewart, Theme Lover, ultra-glam

artichoke + olive tapenade.

August 19, 2010 — 6 Comments

If there’s one thing I could always use more of, it’s another quick appetizer I can pull out of my back pocket in a crunch.

In other words, something I can make from ingredients I have in my pantry. Like white bean dip. Hummus. Have I not posted on these things yet? Well, I should. Soon. These are important things.

Artichoke hearts, capers, olives, garlic, and olive oil. I always have these favorites on hand, no matter what. It’s all pureéd into a delicious tapenade, and although it’s not the prettiest of appetizers – I can assure you, it’s good. So good, that you may find yourself eating half the bowl before your guests even arrive.

If you want to make the crostini, you’ll need a baguette or a nice loaf of crusty bread to toast – which you may or may not have on hand. I usually keep a half-baguette in the freezer for emergency situations, but keep in mind that you then must remember to defrost it in time. And emergencies don’t usually involve extra time for defrosting, do they?

You can also serve this over crackers. Or with veggies. Or tossed with a bowl of pasta. I’m sure you have something in your kitchen that will work. If all else fails, you can always just grab a spoon. Not that I’ve ever done that, or anything.

Artichoke + Olive Crostini

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen + Mario Batali

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 cup large green or black pitted olives {I used a mixture}
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 large slices of crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a food processor, process the garlic, olives, capers, artichoke hearts and olive oil to a coarse paste.

Lightly brush the bread slices with olive oil and toast on the oven rack for 6 minutes, or until crisp and browned. Spread the olive paste thickly over the toasts and serve.

{DO AHEAD: The tapenade can be refrigerated for 2 days – let it return to room temperature before serving}