The holidays are one of our most favorites times of year. Having the whole family at the dinner table, cooking savory meals that warm the house, and entertaining for friends with bourbon inspired cocktails, while we cozy up around the fire, are the moments we savor most. But for some, the holidays can also bring on unwanted stress and chaos, which is why we're all about keeping it simple yet stylish. There’s no need to slave away in the kitchen all day dicing, chopping and tossing. Nor do we need to be master mixologists to create yummy cocktails that are beautiful and creative. Here’s a guide to how we did our latest holiday get together with some simple and yummy recipes for a complete winter meal that everyone will enjoy. Happy holidays from our table to yours!

Holiday Menu: Complete Recipes Below.

Cocktail: Bittermilk Old Fashioned. It doesn’t get much easier than this. With our pre-batched custom Bittermilk Old Fashioned mix, simply add your favorite kind of rye or bourbon and garnish with an orange peel for the perfect cocktail faster than you can say "Pappy Hour."

Appetizer: Spicy Cauliflower Cheese Bites with Tahini Ranch. Who doesn’t love buffalo flavored wings with ranch? These cauliflower bites are a quick and healthy spin on this classic favorite. Using ourbarrel aged pepper sauce gives the meaty cauliflower bites a nice kick and the savory ranch dressing is creamy without actually using any dairy. Consider these the perfect finger food without the guilt, they are a crowd pleaser for any social gathering.

Vegetable Side: Tri Color Roasted Carrots. Let these beauties spruce up the table with an assortment of colors in purple, red, yellow and orange they're a nice contrast to the white ricotta and green herbs which make this a festive piece to serve this time of year. The addition of our Pappy & Company maple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness to this savory side dish.

Main: Italian Pesto Noodle Soup. This is our go-to when we are craving something warm and also looking for a main meal that won’t take forever to cook. It is actually a great thing to serve at a dinner party because it’s easy to scale up to serve more people, the chicken sausage makes it hearty enough to fill up on as a main serving and the wintery greens with kale and pesto make it perfect for this time of year.

Dessert: Pappy & Company’s Handmade Bourbon Balls & Bourbon Nib Brittle. No need to bake. Open up a box of our handmade bourbon balls and a box of our bourbon nib brittle and everyone will thank you.

Recipes:

Bittermilk Old Fashioned

Stir 1 part Old Fashion mix with 4 parts rye in a glass with ice. Garnish with an orange peel. Serve in your favorite glass.

Spicy Cauliflower Cheese Bites with Tahini Ranch

Ingredients

Cauliflower:

• 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoonsPappy & Co pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to your taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/3 cup grated cheddar

Tahini Ranch:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• kosher salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. On a baking sheet, toss together the cauliflower, olive oil, Pappy & Company pepper sauce, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the parmesan and toss to coat. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. Remove and add the cheddar. Return to the oven and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden and the cheese begins to crisp.
3. Meanwhile, make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and whisk with a fork to combine, adding water if needed to thin. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Serve the warm cauliflower bites with the tahini ranch. Enjoy!

Tri Color Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 dozen tri-color baby carrots (cleaned, greenery removed)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Pappy & Company barrel aged maple syrup for drizzling (~3-4 Tbsp)
• 4 ounces fresh ricotta
• Freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place carrots in a large bowl and season with a large pinch of salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil, stir to combine
3. Remove from bowl and add to a foil-lined baking sheet
4. Drizzle withPappy & Company maple syrup
5. Place in oven and roast for 30-35 minutes until fork tender (this may take more time depending on the size of your carrots)
6. Meanwhile, place ricotta in a small bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until creamy and smooth
7. Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper, set aside until carrots are finished
8. Remove carrots from oven
9. Smear the ricotta on a platter
10. Place carrots on top
11. Top carrots with another nice drizzle of honey and garnish with freshly chopped parsley

Italian Pesto Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
• 2 small shallots, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and pepper
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup basil pesto (we use store bought to save time)
• 1 parmesan rind (the end knob of the parmesan wedge)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, roughly chopped
• 1 pound short cut pasta
• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken sausage and shallots, and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the carrots, sage, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the broth, pesto, parmesan rind, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and boil the pasta until al dente according to package directions.
3. Stir the kale into the soup, cooking another five minutes. Remove the parmesan rind. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide the noodles among bowls and pour the soup overtop. Top each bowl off with cheese and allow the cheese to melt slightly. Enjoy!