Happy Holidays Everyone!
At Vie we celebrate it all (really any food-focused holiday). Scroll down to see the top 5 tips of our free Vie Holiday Survival Guide…
Find recipes here for this holiday season that highlight our Vie Team Members’ favorite meals & traditions!
Sarah's Naughty Santa Punch
Prep
Total
Yield 30-40 servings
One sip of this deceivingly simple punch and you'll get as jolly as Santa himself. Ok...maybe not one sip and not as jolly, but you get our point! Sarah served this at her Christmas party this year and it was delicious.
Chock full of the right balance of cranberry, citrus, soda water and tropical vodka + fresh rosemary sprigs, we love this cocktail because it is light, slightly sweet and puts us in the mood for fun this holiday season!
Our favorite part is just how pretty it is: red cranberries floating in a bog of ice, lemon slices and herbs. The play on red green is not overdone and instead beautifully elegant.
Ingredients
1 bottle tropical-flavored vodka
1 lemon, zested and juiced + more to taste if needed
2 limes, juiced
3 cans soda water (like LaCroix--raspberry or cherry would be good, or just regular ol' lemon/lime)
1 bottle cranberry juice cocktail
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 bunch fresh rosemary, broken up into sprigs
Instructions
Combine vodka, lemon zest, lemon juice, lime juice, soda water, and cranberry juice.
Mix, add ice and pour into large mason jars or a punch bowl.
Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
Serve cold!
Notes
Try experimenting with different vodka and juice flavors for a yummy cocktail throughout the year!
Courses holiday cocktail
Holiday Appetizer: Feta and Olive Spread
I tried a version of this at a recent holiday party and fell in love! Olives are one of my favorites and the combination with the feta is not only tasty, but a simple appetizer for home or to make for a gathering. I also like how well this dish went with the amazing charcuterie board and other holiday dishes served at the party. A total crowd-pleaser that pairs well! Serve with crispy bread or crackers and enjoy!
Ingredients
1 cup sliced and pitted Kalamata olives
1 cup diced feta cheese
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp. chopped rosemary
½ tsp. oregano
To taste salt and pepper
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and enjoy.
Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy the next day.
Notes
Try pulsing leftovers in a blender, food processor, or chopping finely by hand and use as a spread for crackers or sandwiches!
Pin-Worthy Appetizers
How about making some healthy appetizers for once that won't fill everyone up and look super cute. Oh, and they can be set out slightly in advance because they don't require a ton of refrigeration, either!
That's us at Vie, always trying to make your life easier...
From Veggie Santa to Grape & Cheese Christmas Tree to the old Salmon~Cream Cheese~Cucumber Sliders, follow these tips to get easy {and practical} ideas for your holiday party prep.
Ingredients
For the Veggie Santa
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and sliced into strips
1 English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
2 black olives, pitted
Instructions
Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature with your favorite dip.
Notes
For other ideas, check these out:
Grape & Cheese Christmas Tree
Salmon Sliders
Courses holiday appetizers
Scalloped Corn: An Historic Recipe from Iowa
Victoria and Lynsie have much in common, the biggest probably being their love for cooking! It should be no surprise, then, that when asked for a recipe for her favorite traditional side dish, Victoria produced an old hand-written recipe that happens to also be Lynsie's favorite for her family as well!
Great minds...
If you think you don't like Scalloped Corn (aka Corn Pudding), then think again. This one has just the right amount of fluffiness and sweet flavor and can be made in advance and reheated in the oven.
Make your holiday cooking schedule super easy and try this family favorite out!
Ingredients
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 bag frozen corn
1 can creamed corn
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp each dry mustard, salt, pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup cracker crumbs (like saltines)*, crushed finely and divided
2 pinches paprika, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Saute onion in butter for 5 minutes then add into a large bowl with corn, egg and seasoning + half the cracker crumbs.*
Bake, covered, until mixture begins to bubble, about 30-45 minutes.
Remove lid for the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the rest of the crumbs and brown the top.
Notes
*You may need to add a splash or two of milk to bind all ingredients. Don't worry if it looks a little wet; the crackers will absorb extra liquid. Also, cracker crumbs can be replaced with equal parts plain panko or bread crumbs.
Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika!
Mocha Chocolate Mousse
This recipe comes to us from honorary Vie Team Member, Eddie Pryor, Cindy's husband. He is an absolute knock-your-socks-off amazing cook (runs in the family, eh?) and we had this mousse at their holiday party this year.
By far, the best mousse we have ever tried: light, fluffy, chocolate but still rich, decadent and a dense mouthfeel. Make it and you'll see!
Ingredients
3 4-oz bittersweet chocolate baking bars (60% cacao), chopped
2/3rd cup strong coffee
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 2/3rd cup heavy cream, divided
1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
Microwave chocolate in a large glass bowl on high for 1 minutes, or until slightly melted.
Bring coffee, next 3 ingredients, and 2/3rd cream to a simmer over medium heat.
Once bubbling, pour cream mixture over chocolate in bowl. stir until smooth and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Beat remaining 1 cup cold cream at high speed with a whisk + stand mixer or beaters until foamy.
Add sugar little by little and continue beating until soft peaks form. Stir in 1/2 cup coffee mixture, then fold in gradually the remaining coffee mixture.
Spoon loose mixture into serving bowls, ramekins or plastic cups, cover and refrigerate until stiffened, about 2-3 hours.
Notes
Try playing around with different flavorings:
- amaretto in place of bourbon with orange zest and almond extract instead of vanilla
- white chocolate lime
- hazelnut "nutella" spin off
This recipe is adapted from a Southern Living article entitled Mocha Chocolate Mousse from 2014.