Today’s post is sponsored by HEB
The Superbowl and Oscar watch parties may be over but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a party just for the sake of it. Anyone who knows me knows I’ll use any excuse to invite friends over to enjoy good food together. Whether it is an informal gathering or a large dinner party, it is always fun to start the festivities with a few appetizers and a good cocktail. There’s no reason the appetizers need to be complicated to be interesting. A good selection of small bites, cheeses, and crackers is always a hit and thanks to jams and jellies from Vela Farms, they can be creative too.
Jams and jellies from Vela Farms are locally made (go Texas!) and as good as any homemade jam I’ve had. With so many unique flavors, you can let your imagination run free. For an easy appetizer, warm some Texas made smoked sausage and serve it with a dipping sauce made from orange chili marmalade and barbecue sauce. A salad dressing made with some jam, dijon mustard, olive oil, and vinegar tastes great with grilled vegetables.
Jams also compliment cheeses nicely. Habanero jalapeno jelly is delicious with some softened goat cheese on crackers. Normally, I don’t like spicy foods but the goat cheese tames the heat of the habenero jalapeno jelly perfectly.
Another great combination is a pepper jelly with warm Brie. I would never have thought to put the two together until my mother-in-law introduced the pairing to me a few years ago. Brie topped with some strawberry balsamic serrano jam is amazing. The entire round of Brie was devoured minutes after I finished taking these pictures. The recipe is super simple – remove the Brie from its container, unwrap it, put it on a microwave-safe dish, and then microwave for about 1 minute on high until the Brie puffs up slightly and feels soft when you poke it. Then pour the jam on top and dig in.
And let’s not forget the party drinks. I decided to put a Texas twist on the classic Moscow Mule by adding some prickly pear syrup. The Texas prickly pear jelly from Vela Farms was perfect for this because –
1. I didn’t have to peel, cut, and purée any prickly pear to make the syrup.
2. It’s more cost effective than those fancy (expensive) bottles of prickly pear syrup.
And because we don’t want to exclude anyone from enjoying these Texas Mules, I have included both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the cocktail. Honestly, I can’t decide which version I like better.
Now, it’s time to get this party jammin’ (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
Note: Today’s post is sponsored by HEB. Thank you for supporting the companies that help make Taming of the Spoon possible.
- 4 tablespoons Vela Farms Texas prickly pear jelly
- 3 ounces fresh lime juice
- 3 ounces vodka
- Ice
- ¾ cup ginger beer
- Mint leaves, for serving
- Warm the jelly in a small saucepan over high heat; stir until the jelly is melted and pourable.
- Pour the jelly into a cocktail shaker. Add the lime juice, vodka, and ice. Shake for 15 seconds.
- Strain into a cocktail glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with mint leaves.
- 4 tablespoons Vela Farms Texas prickly pear jelly
- 2 ounces fresh lime juice
- Ice
- 3 ounces sparkling water
- ½ cup ginger beer
- Mint leaves, for serving
- Warm the jelly in a small saucepan over high heat; stir until the jelly is melted and pourable.
- Pour the jelly into a cocktail shaker. Add the lime juice and ice. Shake for 15 seconds.
- Strain into a cocktail glass and top with sparkling water and ginger beer. Garnish with mint leaves.
I don’t drink a lot but I do love brie cheese, and if this pairs well with it then I have to try it, haha.
I think warm brie goes well with just about any drink and you can always make the alcohol-free version of the cocktail. I hope you get a chance to try it – it really is quite good.