The holiday season is officially in full swing, and to us, that means parties full of delicious eats and drinks! This year we decided our spread could use a unique twist, so we’ve cooked up bite-sized versions of some of our most loved creations that are guaranteed to have your guests asking for the recipe.

UMAMI CHEESEBURGER DIP

Ingredients

• 1-Tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1 pint sliced cremini mushrooms
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• minced fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
• 1 oz mayonnaise
• 1 tsp white miso paste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium pan over medium heat, add 1 tsp olive oil and then cook the diced onion until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.  Add ground beef, crumble and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes, salting to taste. Transfer beef and onions to a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced mushrooms and salt to the pan, and sauté until browned, 4-5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add mushrooms to the bowl.
3. To the beef mixture, add softened cream cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp of sun-dried tomato pesto, salt and pepper and mix well.
4. Transfer to prepared skillet or baking dish, top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bake until golden and bubbly, about 12-15 minutes.
5. While dip cooks, make the umami sauce. Combine miso paste, mayonnaise, and remaining sun-dried tomato pesto to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add 1 tsp of cold water at a time until the sauce is just thin enough to drizzle, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Top cooked dip with a drizzle of umami sauce and parsley, and serve warm with sweet potato chips.

CAJUN SHRIMP N’ GRIT BITES

Ingredients

• 12 large shrimp, shelled, tailed, and deveined
• 1 tube Cooked Polenta, sliced into 12 evenly sized rounds
• 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1 oz Honey Peanuts
• 1 oz Butter
• 4 oz Roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips
• 2 Green Onions, to garnish

Instructions

1. Trim and thinly slice green onions. Cut roasted red peppers into bite sized strips. Coarsely chop peanuts.  Pat shrimp dry, and season with ½ tsp. Cajun seasoning and a pinch of pepper.
2. Place a medium non-stick pan over high heat and add 1 tsp. olive oil. Carefully place polenta rounds in a single layer and cook until golden brown, then flip. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.
3. Place a medium non-stick pan over high heat and add 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 oz butter. Add shrimp to hot pan and cook undisturbed until seared on one side, 2-3 minutes. Flip, and cook until shrimp reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145ºF, 1-2 minutes, then add cajun seasoning and toss to coat.
4. To build the rounds, top each polenta bite with a red pepper strip, shrimp, and a sprinkle of green onion and peanuts.

CRISPY TERIYAKI CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients

• 2 oz Teriyaki Glaze
• 2 Green Onions
• 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
• 12 oz Cauliflower florets
• 1/2 Cup Tempura Mix
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 8 oz Canola oil
• 2 Egg Whites
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat canola oil in a medium pan with tall sides over medium-high heat. In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, tempura mix and ¼ cup of water, whisking until smooth. The batter should be just thick enough to coat the cauliflower in a thin veneer.Cut any large cauliflower florets down to bite-size. Trim and thinly slice green onions and set them aside for garnish.
2. Once oil has reached 350 degrees, you can begin frying. Test the temperature of the oil by adding a few drops of batter to the oil. If it bubbles gently upon contact, it is hot enough. Working in batches, add pieces of cauliflower to batter. Lift from batter and allow excess to drip off, then add to oil. Do not crowd the pan. Turn the cauliflower pieces until browned evenly, about 5-6 minutes total. Remove finished pieces to a paper towel lined mixing bowl.
3. In a medium pan over medium heat, add remaining teriyaki sauce, white portion of green onion). Simmer 2 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Discard paper towel and add sauce to bowl containing fried cauliflower. Toss to coat thoroughly, and serve garnished with green onions, sesame seeds and alongside toothpicks.

CRANBERRY ORANGE DREAM SPRITZERS

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries
• 2 Navel Oranges
• 1 Bottle of Prosecco (or seltzer for a non-alcoholic version)
• 1 Cup Cranberry Cocktail Juice

Instructions

1. Juice one orange and slice the other into rounds for garnish.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine.