Creamy Pesto-Cheese Spread 2.0

Back in March of 2014 I made this recipe for a Sunday dinner. It was delicious and refreshing. Pesto always screams spring to me for some reason. At any rate, I've made it only one other time over the years and I thought it could use a new slant to it. 

Yesterday was another meeting of Vines & Spines (book club) - and it was in person. Woot. On top of that it was hotter than Hades yesterday so I wanted to bring something not heavy but delicious. I modified this Creamy Pesto Cheese spread every so slightly. 

Creamy Pesto Cheese Spread 2.0

• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
• 1 carten premade Pesto (if I had my druthers I'd make my own pesto, but just didn't have the gumption to do it this time. I used Buitoni Pesto with Basil Pasta Sauce. It's my favorite.)
• 1 can whole black olives, drained
• 1 jar kalamata olives, drained
• 1 jar Spanish green olives with pimientos, drained ( I used the large olives, but I don't think it matters)
• 1 - 2 T minced garlic (I used about 2 T)
• 2 T balsamic vinegar

First, let your cream cheese soften to the point where you can mix it easily with a spatula. Pour in the whole carton of pesto and mix completely. Set aside. 

In a food processor, combine the olives and garlic. Pulse until the olives are pebble size. Pour into a bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar and set aside.

In a bowl, round or square, put a layer of plastic wrap in the bowl and have it extend past the bowl on all sides. You're going to be folding it over to cover the appetizer later. You're building this appetizer in layers and will dumpt this out onto a plate where the bowl shape will be like an dome. 

Put a first layer of the cream cheese/pesto - you want about 1/2 inch to 1 inch of cream cheese. 

Second layer is olive tapenade - about 1/2 inch.

Repeat the layers, ending with cream cheese as your last layer. You most likely will have more olive spread than pesto spread. Save it to toss over chicken, or in pasta or just put on a piece of Italian bread. 

Once you're done layering, fold the plastic wrap over the and onto the layers. Put it in the fridge for about 2 hours for the cream cheese to harden a bit. 

Take it out about 15 minutes before serving it. 

Uncover it. Put a serving plate over the bowl and flip it. Remove the plastic wrap. Serve with your favorite crackers, or cut baguette.