Welcome!!! Today you have just stumbled into a PAR-TAY!!! A virtual party, but a celebration none the less.
It was to be a baby shower for lovely Joanne of the awesome blog Fifteen Spatulas, but her beautiful little baby James beat us to the punch! So now we are having a “Celebrate Baby James party” instead- which is just as delightful, and probably a lot more comfortable for Joanne than being 9 months prego ☺ Joanne, much love to you and your little blessing, baby James. 
I know that Joanne, like myself is really into fresh, made from scratch ingredients. So I brought an appetizer with homemade Almond Ricotta and homemade Olive Tapenade. They are both surprisingly simple and easy to make. Basically the best of all worlds and a wonderful one for entertaining. You can make both the ricotta and the tapenade a day or two ahead of time (or same day!) and then assembly is a snap!
To check out all of the other delicious drinks, bites and treats at the party, please peek below!
Appetizers
Italian Sub Sandwich Roll-ups from Michael of Inspired by Charm
Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Sun Dried Tomato Hummus from Jeanette of Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Creamy Sweet Potato Soup from Sadie of Dairy Good Life
Whipped Goat Cheese & Blueberry Balsamic Crostini from Meseidy of The Noshery
Rosemary Flatbread with Baked Goat Cheese from Heidi of FoodieCrush
Spring Herb Cream Cheese Appetizer Cups from Rachel of Rachel Cooks
Crostini with Almond Ricotta and spicy olive tapenade from Heather of HeatherChristo
Drinks
Fruit Freeze from Deborah of Taste and Tell
Mint Lemonade from Trish of Mom On Timeout
Ginger Lemonade from Kathy of Panini Happy
Desserts
Chocolate-Covered Rice Krispies Treats from Julie of The Little Kitchen
Orange Fluff from Jamie of My Baking Addiction
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies from Susannah of Feast + West
Mini Ombre Heart Cookies from Bridget of Bake at 350
Mini Coconut Pound Cakes from Mary of Barefeet In The Kitchen
Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting from Jennifer of Savory Simple
Unicorn Shaped Cookies from Jessie of CakeSpy
Oreo Cheesecake Bites from Brenda of a farmgirl’s dabbles
Lemon Blueberry Bread from Glory of Glorious Treats
Blintz with Blackberry Sauce from Sommer of A Spicy Perspective
Pastel Rainbow Cake from Bree of Baked Bree
Individual Chocolate Souffles from Andie of Andie Mitchell
- 12 crostini (I toasted gluten free baguette slices until golden)
- 1 recipe almond ricotta
- Spicy Olive Tapenade
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teapsoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- olive oil
- fresh chives for garnish
- In the bowl of a food processor combine the tapenade ingredients and pulse until well combined.
- Slather the crostini with almond ricotta and then top with a generous dollop of olive tapenade and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with chives and serve.
Print Recipe
these look amazing, Heather! Thank you for joining in to help us celebrate Joanne!! <3
I love that these are vegan and that almost anyone at my next party can eat them! Yum!
I love olives! <3 I need these!
Sounds so delicious!
Loving how easy this is to make and assemble. Perfect to throw together for a party!
What a perfect little appetizer! Love these!!!
Heather!!! Thanks so much for celebrating James, me, and Pete!! It was the sweetest thing to wake up to this morning. I LOVE crostini and this combination is one I haven’t tried. Can’t wait to make it! And PS, I definitely was appreciating not having to do the last 3 weeks of full term pregnancy haha!! You know all too well!
Such good little bites-full of fresh flavor and so easy!
Ooooooo! I love the red pepper flakes and the orange zest, how fabulous. Thank you so much for joining in on this celebration, Heather!
This is the best tapenade I have ever tasted!
Wow, now these are beautiful crostini!! Love these Heather!