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Tips and Tricks

Holiday Sides to Share

By Tiana Dragos on December 13, 2018

The holidays are time of lights, laughter, and especially great food! These tasty holiday sides are great to bring to a party or serve at your own.

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The holidays are a great time to pitch in and bring a tasty side to that party. Choose these beautiful, delicious but easy sides to win the holidays!

Butternut Squash and Brie Crostini

We once asked our friends, what's your favorite finger food to have with drinks at a party? So many of them said little toasts. (Who knew?) That's why we came up with this easy crostini recipe that's got sweet butternut squash, dried cranberries, and pomegranate. If that weren't delicious enough, we take that squash mixture and top it on toasts that have gooey, melty brie on them. Does that sound amazing or what? Serve these at your next party and you can guarantee that everyone will say those little toasts were their favorite of the night.
Pressure Cooker Fig Jam

<p>Fresh figs make the best jam! Homemade fig jam is super simple to make in the pressure cooker. All you need is fresh figs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest... that's it! Pop them in the pressure cooker and you've got sweet jam in your life. Serve it right away or spoon into jars and store in the refrigerator.</p>
Four-Ingredient Peppermint Bark

Peppermint bark is a holiday classic—and it's also incredibly easy to make at home. Impress your friends and family with this simple recipe. All you need is four ingredients, a microwave oven and some time for the chocolate to set. Simply spread melted, peppermint-spiked dark chocolate over a baking sheet and let cool. Repeat the process with white chocolate that's been lightly tinted with red food coloring for a festive presentation. The bark makes a wonderful holiday gift when divided into bags or tins, or the perfect addition to any cookie platter.
Christmas Wreath Salad

Holiday-themed recipes can sometimes feel hokey, but that's not the case with this Instagram-worthy salad. A simple mix of romaine, grapefruit, pear, avocado and pomegranate seeds is presented in the shape of a wreath, resulting in a colorful, healthy salad that also happens to feel just festive enough for a holiday party. Using red, green and white ingredients keeps the salad on-theme, but feel free to try out different combinations of your favorite lettuces, fruits and toppings. Don't forget the delicious homemade pomegranate-poppy dressing in the center.
Pressure Cooker Mulled Red Wine

Mulled wine is one of the true treats of cold-weather season. Using your pressure cooker to mull the wine means you won't have to worry about over-reducing the wine while simmering and losing volume. Try this method and you'll never go back to the stovetop! In just about 30 minutes you will be ready to gather around the hearth and sing carols. Serving this pressure cooker mulled red wine is sure to become a new tradition during the holiday season.
Holiday Sangria

This recipe proves that sangria is not only for summertime. This version start by making a homemade cranberry syrup. Simply combine cranberries with sugar, water, and orange juice. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the cranberries have softened. This flavorful syrup is then mixed with seasonal fresh fruit, vodka, and chilled sparkling wine. Garnish each glass with additional wedges of tangerine or a twist of lime for pretty presentation. It is the perfect addition to your winter holiday celebrations!
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