2 Things You Should Really Make This Week: Antipasto Squares & Sparkling Raspberry Shrub Cocktails

Tis the season for festive cocktails and yummy appetizers! My Saturday night consisted of raspberry shrub cocktails and antipasto squares and I wouldn’t change a thing. We had a bring your own heavy appetizer night with the fam and there was way too much food and good bottles of wine so in my eyes it was a very successful night. These were both new recipes to me so I really didn’t know how they were going to turn out which is always a little concerning when you are serving something to other people. Thankfully, they were both so good and really made the night (along with the other apps like my brother’s sliders) plus it was fun to try things totally new that I wouldn’t normally make! It made the evening feel special and different which we would all use some more of these days! So, I highly recommend you try making this combo at some point this week!

Antipasto Squares

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray 

2 (8-oz.) tubes crescent dough

1/2 lb deli ham

1/4 lb pepperoni

1/2 lb. sliced provolone 

1 cup shredded mozzarella

(16-oz.) jar sliced pepperoncini 

extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan

1 tsp. dried oregano

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9″-x-13″ baking sheet with cooking spray. Place one unrolled can of crescents on prepared baking sheet and pinch together seams. Layer ham, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, and pepperoncini.
2. Unroll remaining tube of crescent dough and place on top of pepperoncini. Pinch together seams to seal.
3. Brush oil all over top of crescent dough, then sprinkle with Parmesan and oregano.
4. Bake until dough is golden and cooked through, about 35 minutes. (If dough is browning too quickly, cover with foil.)
5. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing into squares.

Recipe from Delish

Sparkling Raspberry Shrub Cocktail

I think this is the most time I’ve ever spent making a cocktail but they are worth it. And watch out, they are lethal. I first had this cocktail at my girlfriend’s birthday dinner last winter pre Covid. I wanted something fun to serve on Saturday and remember loving this cocktail and thankfully my girlfriend remembered what it was!

Fresh Raspberry Syrup Ingredients

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

12 oz fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan add water and sugar and cook on medium-high heat until sweetener dissolves. Add raspberries and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and remove any foam that forms over the raspberries. Simmer for 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain syrup over a clean bowl. Discard fruit (most of the bright red color will be transferred to the syrup). Clean the saucepan or use another and place the red syrup back in the pan. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Cool.

Turning your Raspberry Syrup into a Raspberry Shrub

2 parts fresh raspberry syrup

1 part apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS

When your raspberry syrup has cooled, combine 2 parts raspberry syrup to 1 part apple cider and stir to combine. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months (but it won’t last night long haha).

And the cocktail (finally)

And honestly the directions make it seem like a lot but it was really easy.

INGREDIENTS

4 oz Prosecco

3/4 oz. vodka (chilled)

3/4 oz raspberry shrub (chilled)

DIRECTIONS

Add ingredients to a flute. Drink as is or serve over ice. Raspberries to garnish.

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My apologies for the lack of pictures – I was having too much fun. Please let us know if you try the cocktails and squares! 4 days till Christmas!