Side dishes are next up in the holiday dinner recipes we are so happy to share with you this season!

Our friend Wendy Jo was inspired by Tito’s Handmade Vodka when creating these for us and used it as an ingredient in every dish.

 

Savory Pumpkin Soup with Apple Spiked Vodka & Candied Pecans

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter

2 Granny Smith Apples, diced

2 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ cup Tito’s Handmade Vodka

2 tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Two 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin puree (or 4 cups fresh roasted pumpkin)

2 cups vegetable stock

1-2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup candied pecans

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add in Granny Smith apples and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in brown sugar and sauté until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir in Tito’s Handmade Vodka and cinnamon and simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until soup is finished.
2. Heat a stock pot over medium high heat. Add in butter and onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in pumpkin and vegetable stock, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove soup from heat source. Working in batches with a blender or using an immersion blender, puree soup and blend in cream.

Serve soup with a spoonful of macerated, spiked apples and a tablespoon of candied pecans.

 

 

Drunken Kale Salad

Serves 4

Vodka vinaigrette

• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Kale Salad

• 6 cups torn kale leaves
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
• ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk together vinaigrette ingredients and season to taste.
2. In a serving dish, place torn kale leaves. Sprinkle on lemon juice and gently squeeze the kale, softening the greens with the acid.

Sprinkle the bacon on top of the greens and toss with the vinaigrette. Lastly, finish off the salad with the crumbled blue cheese & serve.

Oven Roasted Broccoli with a Lemon Vodka Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 lb broccoli, rinsed and trimmed

2 tablespoon olive oil

Lemon Vinaigrette:

2 lemons (lemon zest + ¼ cup juice needed)

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons Tito’s Handmade Vodka

1 shallot or 2 tablespoons red onion, minced

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
3. Cut up broccoli into bite-sized pieces. If the stalk is thick, peel it with a vegetable peeler to expose tender part and chop up. Toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil and spread out onto baking sheet.
4. Place broccoli into oven and immediately lower temperature to 425 degrees. Cook broccoli for 15-20 minutes or until starting to get golden on tips.
5. While broccoli is cooking whisk up the vinaigrette. Zest the rind of lemon with a microplane and place into a small mixing bowl. Next, juice both lemons (up to ¼ cup of juice needed) into the bowl, whisk in olive oil, vodka, and shallots for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Once you remove broccoli from oven immediately toss with vinaigrette & serve.