4 Easy Recipes for Awards Season Entertaining

With another awards show happening this weekend, make it a festive event and celebrate with friends. You can even serve these recipes up with a side of ballots for casting votes on your favorite actors and movies to make it an extra fun night. In any case, here are some delicious drinks and treats you can make for your friends to celebrate the Academy Awards on Sunday. Cheers and good luck to all the nominees!

4 Recipes for Awards Season Entertaining

Woodbridge Chardonnay Sparkler

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 1 oz. Grenadine
• Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
• Sparkling Water
• Raspberries
• Gold pom-pom drink stirrers

Directions:

1. Fill glass with ice
2. Add 1 oz. grenadine
3. Add 2 oz. Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
4. Top it off with sparkling water
5. Garnish pomp om drink stirrers with raspberry

*Portions can easily to multiplied for big-batch cocktails

 

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Show Stopper

Yield: 2 cocktails

8 oz Woodbridge Pinot Noir
2oz cold soda water
1 tsp powdered sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Cranberries for garnish

1. Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar until dissolved
2. Slowly mix in the wine
3. Pour into your favorite glassware and top off with soda water

 

Roasted Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Dip

To pair with Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir

Yield: 4-6 appetizer servings

 

1 pound butternut squash, cubed

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces

3 bulbs garlic, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp pine nuts plus more for garnish

2 tbsp goat cheese plus more for garnish

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cayenne, to taste

1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375º
2. Toss first four ingredients in a medium sized bowl
3. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake until butternut squash is fork tender, about 30 minutes
4. Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse until smooth
5. Spoon the dip into a serving bowl and top with extra pine nuts and goat cheese. Serve warm with crackers, pita or Ciabatta bread as pictured, and a glass of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir

*Entertaining Tip: Make the dip up to two days before you plan to serve. Dish it into an oven proof serving dish and heat for 30 minutes at 375º before serving. At the 25-minute mark, take the dip out and sprinkle goat cheese and pine nuts over top. Put back in the oven on broil for the remaining 5 minutes to toast the pine nuts and warm the goat cheese.

 

California Chocolate Bark

To pair with Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Merlot

Yield: 10-12 servings

 

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

12 ounces dark chocolate chips

1 cup whole roasted nuts (your favorite)

1 cup of your favorite dried fruit (figs, apricots, cherries, cranberries)

2-3 tbsp sea salt

1. Spread a large piece of parchment paper over a sheet pan
2. Chop nuts and halve or quarter dried fruit based on its size
3. Add all chocolate to a microwave proof bowl. In 30-second intervals, microwave the chocolate, quickly remove and stir, then return to the microwave for 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted – about 3 minutes
4. Acting quickly, pour the melted chocolate out onto the parchment paper in a rectangle
5. Allow the chocolate to rest for about 30 seconds, then sprinkle nuts and fruit over the chocolate
6. Let chocolate cool for another two minutes, then sprinkle sea salt over top. Set aside for about 2 hours or until firm. Do NOT put in the refrigerator to speed firming – the chocolate will grey
7. Chop or break the bark into pieces
8. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to one week and serve at room temperature. Serve with a glass of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Merlot

*Entertaining Tip: This recipe is fun because you can customize it to suit your preferences. Here, we use cashews, dried cherries and dried figs – all native California ingredients, home of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi.