Elevated Holiday Entertaining: Fresh sips and apps to celebrate the season

(Family Features) For many, the hallmark of the holiday season is time with cherished loved ones, and there are few better places to spend those special moments together than gathered around a beautiful seasonal spread. By adding a little creative flair to the menu, and a signature ingredient like grapes, you can elevate any dish – from snacks and main courses to sides, desserts and even cocktails. Compatible with an array of other foods, grapes can add flavor, texture and beauty to dishes and take hosting to the next level thanks to their delicate sweetness and juicy texture. Available into January and perfect for the holiday season, fresh Grapes from California can add a crisp, juicy burst of flavor to salads like this Lemony Grapes and Greens Salad. Or take advantage of the versatility of grapes by roasting them to intensify the flavor of an appetizer such as Balsamic-Roasted Grape and Burrata Crostini or muddling into a sweet and savory Grape Basil Martini, which highlights their delicate sweetness in a festive manner. Find more recipes and inspiration to elevate your holiday menu at grapesfromcalifornia.com. Using Grapes as Holiday Decor Clusters of colorful grapes are beautiful, tasty additions to many holiday tables. However, their use goes well beyond serving as an appealing addition to holiday recipes. Consider these ways you can utilize grapes when setting out your seasonal spread: Vase Filler: Use grapes instead of glass gems or foam to hold flowers in place in a vase. Grapes keep floral arrangements completely natural and extend color throughout the vase. Trim the Turkey: After placing the turkey on a large platter, decorate with a variety of fresh herbs and small bunches of grapes for friends and family to admire before it’s gobbled up. Set the Table: Grapes add color, texture and flavor to dining tables and work well with a wide variety of themes and color palettes. Floral Arrangements: Red, green and black grapes pair perfectly with a wide variety of flowers and greenery to add color, texture and depth to floral arrangements. Grape and Mint Ice Cubes: Grapes freeze well and make for a perfect replacement for ice cubes in cocktails. Simply freeze sliced grapes and mint in ice cube trays with a bit of water then add to favorite cocktails. Chocolate-Dipped Grapes: Dipped in white, milk or dark chocolate varieties, grapes can be paired with desserts like cheesecake or served on their own. Cake Decor: Red, green and black grapes are ideal decor for frosted cakes, serving as edible decorations that add color and elegance to each tier. Balsamic-Roasted Grape and Burrata Crostini Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 8 3 cups red or black Grapes from California 1/4 cup white or traditional balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 8 ounces burrata cheese 3 tablespoons roasted, salted pistachio kernels, coarsely chopped fresh basil, snipped 24 soft or toasted baguette slices In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter. Grease bundt pan with butter and pour in batter. Bake according to package instructions for bundt cakes then add 10-15 minutes. Let cool before icing. To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar. Ice entire bundt cake or place frosting in piping bag and pipe with back and forth “drip” motion. Sprinkle sanding sugar for sparkly snow appearance, if desired. Nutritional information per serving: 290 calories; 11 g protein; 35 g carbohydrates; 12 g fat (37% calories from fat); 5 g saturated fat (16% calories from saturated fat); 20 mg cholesterol; 390 mg sodium; 1 g fiber. Lemony Grapes and Greens Salad Prep time: 25 minutes Servings: 6 Lemon Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoons spicy brown or stone-ground mustard 1 garlic clove, minced 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Salad: 10 cups mixed torn greens (endive, watercress, frisee or butter lettuce) 1 1/2 cups halved Grapes from California 1/2 cup slivered red onion 1 large firm but ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 1/3 cup roasted, salted pistachio kernels To make lemon vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. To make salad: In large bowl, mix greens, grapes and onion. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to coat. Add avocado and toss lightly. Sprinkle with pistachios. Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories; 4 g protein; 19 g carbohydrates; 17 g fat (67% calories from fat); 2.5 g saturated fat (10% calories from saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 130 mg sodium; 5 g fiber. Grape Basil Martini Servings: 1 3 basil leaves, torn, plus 1 full leaf for garnish 5 green Grapes from California, halved, plus 2 whole grapes for garnish 2 ounces gin 1/4 ounce sweet muscat wine 1 ounce lemon juice 1 ounce simple syrup ice In cocktail shaker, muddle basil and grapes with gin. Add sweet wine, lemon juice and simple syrup; shake gently. Strain into rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with basil leaf and float two grapes on top. Nutritional information per serving: 229 calories; 0 g protein; 24 g carbohydrates; 0 g fat (0% calories from fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 1 mg sodium; 0.3 g fiber.