When the good people at California Ripe Olives asked if they could send me a Halloween kit to make something spooky with olives, I thought, “I like free stuff.” So yes, please. I got a big box covered with spiders, eek! (Even my delivery guy was curious.) Inside, I found cans of California Black Ripe Olives, a spider web tray and bowl with the cutest Halloween spatula, a can opener (side note: thank you, ours is about 20 years old), a gorgeous bamboo cutting board and even a gift card for ingredients.
So I got to work. What can I do with olives? I’m usually a sweets girl. Naturally, I overthought and made a way-too long list of possibilities. I was going to make these. Or these. Or this. And I scrapped all the ideas for the sake of simplicity. What do I keep saying is big this year? Eyes. So I made Googly-Eyed Crudites. Very easy, very doable. Be sure to check out the California Ripe Olives site for more recipes, and find their facebook page here.
How to make googly-eyed crudite
You will need:
- can of pitted black olives
- cutting board and knife
- raw veggies (cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, celery, broccoli, snap peas, etc.)
- paper towels
- disposable decorating bag (available in the craft store)
- soft cream cheese
- scissors
What to do:
Drain and rinse the olives, then cut into slices. Wash and cut your veggies, then pat them dry with paper towels. Scoop some cream cheese in the decorating bag, and close tightly with a rubber band (or just twist and hold with your hand). Snip about 1/2 inch from the tip. Pipe dots of cream cheese on the veggies and add a slice of olive. That’s it.
The broccoli are my favorite.
And a bit more about California Ripe Olives (in their words!):
· California olive growers produce more than 95 percent of the black ripe olives grown in the US. These growers operate multi-generational family farms from the inland valleys of California from San Diego County to far north of Sacramento County.
· From breakfast to dinner. January to December. And from every day to gourmet. Olives are as casual or as elegant as you like, adding color, texture and flavor to any meal.
· Since California Black Ripe Olives are fruits, they have no cholesterol. And each large olive has only 7 calories. That’s a lot of flavor per calorie!
· California Black Ripe Olives may be grown in California, but they’re available in supermarkets, club stores and local markets all over the country.
What a wonderfully simple way to add something healthy, cute, and a bit creepy to a Halloween buffet. Love it!