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Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

If you’re obsessed with wings like I am, but are looking for a healthier alternative, try these air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites! Cauliflower has a similar texture to potatoes, but without all the carbs. There are a few way you can prepare these, but I’ve been obsessed with my air fryer lately so that’s what I’ll be using for this recipe.

What you’ll need:

About 5 cups of cauliflower, chopped into florets

Buffalo Sauce – Frank’s Mild Buffalo sauce is my all time favorite!

Unsalted butter

How you’ll do it:

Spray the cooking basket in the air fryer with some non stick cooking spray

Add the cauliflower and cook at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Toss the cauliflower and add back in for about 5 minutes if they aren’t crispy yet. (Try cooking the cauliflower in smaller batches if they come out soggy – I’ve noticed if you over pack the air fryer they tend to not crisp evenly.)

Add cold butter to the warmed buffalo sauce and add to a large bowl, and pour the sauce mixture on stop and toss to fully coat.

Serve with blue cheese dressing for dipping and carrots and celery sticks to serve on the side.

The impossible pairing:

Yes, you can pair a wine (actually, quite a few!) to go with your buffalo dishes. A slightly sweet white wine will compliment the buffalo sauce the best. Reach for a Champagne, Moscato D’Asti or a Riesling. The fruity flavors and the low level of tannins really works with the buttery spice and they also help with the heat!

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Calling all shrimp lovers! We’ve got a recipe ready to knock your tastebuds out of the park. Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp. Oh yeah – we went there. Pair with Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Noir.

How to make it:

If you don’t have an air fryer then what are you doing? Go get one and hop on this recipe ASAP! Air frying allows you to have the experience of oh-so-good friend seafood without all the grease and deep frying. Shrimp can be delicate and you may be skeptical about using your air fryer to cook them, but we haven’t had any issues with it cooking them to anything less than perfect.

We personally love crunchy shrimp, so this recipe will call for these to yield crunchy shrimp. You can reduce the amount of ingredients to your discretion if you prefer them less crunchy! We’ll be using flour, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, and shredded coconut to bread the shrimp.

Firstly, preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and set up your ingredients in multiple bowls. You should have a bowl for your flour, beaten eggs, and panko flour mixed with shredded coconut.  We also use fresh, raw shrimp because there’s no need to wait for defrosting and we also believe it cooks better than if you were using already cooked shrimp. Using already cooked shrimp could cause them to shrink and dehydrate.

Secondly, dip each piece of shrimp in your bowls in the following order: First the flour, then the egg, and then the panko and shredded coconut mixture.

Now, lightly spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Line up your shrimp in the basket in a single layer, they will cook evenly this way opposed to on top of each other. Spray a small amount of oil on the shrimp and cook for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, reopen the air fryer and flip the shrimp, spraying another small amount of oil on the flipped side of the shrimp to ensure even cooking. Close the air fryer and continue to cook for about 4-5 more minutes. Once finished, serve with sweet chili sauce for the ultimate flavorbomb! This Panda Express Chili Sauce you can find at Target is pretty good!

Interested in Making Your Own Wine? Give us a call (877-812-1137) or email us (sales@juicegrape.com) and we will help you get started!

Summer Apple Broccoli Salad

This crunchy, refreshing apple broccoli salad is a perfect summer barbecue side. Not only does it go great with virtually any barbecue food, ranging from chicken to steak and even burgers – it’s also healthy without compromising tasty! I know you can’t wait for this one so let’s get started!

Apple Broccoli Salad

What you’ll need:

2 medium heads of broccoli, chop into small florets

1/2 cup of shredded carrots

1/4 cup diced red onions

2 large apples, chopped into small pieces

1/3 cup nuts of choice. I love roasted almonds and sunflower seeds

1/3 cup dried cranberries. Ocean spray’s pomegranate infused dried cranberries are delicious!

1 cup of plain greek yogurt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, I personally love using honey.

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

What you need to do:

Combine broccoli, carrots, red onions, apples, nuts of choice, and dried cranberries in a bowl.

In a separate small bowl, combine greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, sale and pepper and whisk together.

Coat salad in dressing and toss, then serve chilled!

Wait, what about some wine to go with it?

You didn’t think we’d leave you hanging on that, did you? We would never! In general, crisp white wines are a go-to when serving raw vegetables, so try a zesty Pinot Grigio with this salad. The smooth flavors and crisp acidity allows this kind of wine to be served with lighter dishes without being too overwhelming, perfect for this salad!

Apple Pie Bites Recipe + Wine Pairing

Apple Pie Bites Recipe + Wine Pairing

If you’ve been in the mood for a crispy, flaky treat you’re in luck – we’ve taken this delicious pie and turned it into your new favorite bite sized treat! There are a few different ways to approach this and it may depend on your level of expertise. I personally suck at making pie crust so I take the easy way out by buying the premade refrigerated ones. If making your own crust is your own personal super power, I say go for it! It’s just a battle I can’t win. The filling is easy for even the earliest of beginners, but you can also buy premade fillings to save time – I just love using fresh apples! If you’re in Connecticut, Lost Acres Orchard in North Granby, Scott’s Orchards in Glastonbury, Lyman Orchards in Middlefield and Rose Orchards in Branford are a few favorites to get the freshest apples!

Let’s get started with what you’ll need:

You’ll need about 2-2 & ½ cups of sliced or diced apples (about 1 pound or 3 medium apples)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ½ cups of water

¾ cups granulated sugar

8 teaspoons of cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

You have the freedom to adjust each ingredient as everyone’s preferences are different, that’s what fun about making things from scratch – you have total control over what you’re making and the taste you’ll yield!

What you need to do:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

Unroll the pie crust, and using a 3-4 inch cookie cutter cut 6-8 circles of crust. Roll out scraps of dough and cut and additional circles you can.

Place your apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.

Place water, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium sauce pan. Stir to combine then bring to a boil over medium heat stirring often. Once the mix comes to a boil, let it boil for 2 minutes. Let cool and allow the mixture to thicken.

Once cooled, place your apple filling in each circle. This can be a spoonful if you diced your apples or about 1-2 slices.

Fold the crust in half and pinch around the edges to close.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.

Once cooled, melt butter and whisk with powdered sugar, vanilla and half a tablespoon milk to make a loose drizzle to add on top.

But before you enjoy – grab a bottle of Chenin Blanc! The wine’s bubbling crispness and high acidity helps offset the pie’s rich and buttery crust. Now you’re ready to kick back and enjoy your well earned treat!

Want to make your own Chenin Blanc? Musto Wine Grape Company is New England’s largest supplier for winemaking products and services. From home winemakers to wineries, we’ve got you covered! Give us a call at 877 – 812 – 1137 to speak with someone to get you started.

French Onion Beef Sliders

French Onion Beef Sliders

These French Onion Beef Sliders will be a huge hit with the crowd. Seasoned and buttery buns are packed with caramelized onions, melted cheese and flavorful ground beef to create the sort of appetizer that flies off of the plate.

What you’ll need

8 Tablespoons or 1 stick of butter

2 large sweet onions, sliced

2 pounds of ground beef

2 Tablespoons of beef base

1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

24 slider buns

1 pound of shredded swiss cheese

2 Tablespoons of sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

How you’ll do it

Melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Add onions and reduce the heat to medium low, stirring occasionally for about 25 minutes or until the onions are lightly caramelized. If the onions start to dry out or burn, add a tablespoon of water to the pan.

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef with half of the beef base and half of the Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Add beef to the skillet full of onions, increasing the heat to medium high and brown the beef. Mix with the onions as you go. Drain off excess grease.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Separate the tops from the bottoms of the slider buns. Fit the slider buns tightly on the baking sheet.

Evenly distribute the beef and onion mixture over the bottom buns. Top with the cheese and cover with the top buns.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter with the remaining beef base. Stir in the remaining Worcestershire sauce, until well combined. Using a pastry brush, brush the beefy butter mixture over the top buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, thyme, onion powder and garlic powder.

Baking for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the tops of the rolls are lightly browned.

Serve and enjoy with your party crew, who will definitely snag these up quickly – and maybe ask for more!