Fuel the competitiveness of an adult game night with these culinary crowd-pleasers for snacking and sharing. Whether sitting down for a marathon of Catan or a battle of the teams for Super Bowl Sunday, food is at the center of it all. Here, we give you ideas to create a spread ahead of your guests’ arrival so you can enjoy the evening without being tied to the kitchen. And these recipes travel well to someone else’s shindig to complement their mountains of nachos and piles of wings.
Spur Me On Cocktail
This bold cocktail strikes a balance between sweet heat, spice, and sour.
Mildred Rewritten Cocktail
Substituting sotol for mezcal, this twist on Abigail Gullo’s Mildred Pierce retains a slight smokiness and is imbued with a pronounced earthy quality.
Noche Negra Negroni
Our spin on the Negroni uses dark VARA rum to impart smoky molasses flavors, and the orange notes balance and brighten it, making this a lovely twist on the classic.
Zero Amaro
Alcohol and time help flavors integrate into amaros, but you can create a nice nonalcoholic amaro by experimenting with different bittering agents and herbs.
Marigold-Infused Tequila & Margarita
Our Marigold-Infused Tequila and Marigold Margarita feature Cempasúchil, the traditional flower used to celebrate Día de Los Muertos.
Apple and Formosa Oolong Syrup and Mocktail
This recipe makes use of the inevitable apple waste from making pies, along with Formosa oolong, a semi-oxidized tea that falls somewhere between green and black.
Zhoug
Zhoug is a spicy Middle Eastern condiment made from fresh cilantro, green chiles, olive oil, and spices.
Sweet Summer Corn Bread and Red Bell Pepper Rémoulade
This Sweet Summer Corn Bread includes fresh corn kernels for an extra burst of sweetness and texture—it’s the perfect canvas for a tangy, creamy Red Bell Pepper Rémoulade.
Apple Pecan Pizza with Bacon
This Apple Pecan Pizza with Bacon balances sweet and savory with salty meat, apples, and fresh thyme.
Carne Con Chile Rojo Pizza
This Carne con Chile Rojo Pizza is a meat lover’s delight, done New Mexico style with red chile sauce in place of marina.
White Pizza with Mushrooms
Infused olive oil is the star of this White Pizza with mushrooms—paired with fresh ricotta, it will persuade you of the merits of skipping the usual marina.
Kale Pesto Pizza
Loaded with veggies and protein-packed garbanzo beans, this Kale Pesto Pizza is a healthy alternative to the usual cheese-laden options.
Zia Ginger Ale Mocktail
This Zia Ginger Ale Mocktail is made with cooling mint and cucumber to balance the zing of ginger and red chile.
Ashy Grapefruit Mocktail
Ash salt is used to garnish the rim of this Ashy Grapefruit Mocktail, and ash syrup and grapefruit mimic the citrus and smokiness of a mezcal paloma.
Savory Cheese Tart with Onion and Mushroom
This Savory Cheese Tart with Onion and Mushroom is a perfect appetizer for parties or serving as a main course for Sunday brunch.
Caramelized French Onion Dip
This Caramelized French Onion Dip features slow-cooked caramelized onions and greek yogurt.
Milk Punch
Our version of Milk Punch is both sinfully creamy and refreshing, with a fullness of flavor from the bourbon and brandy.
Margarita Cookies
Spiked frosting makes these Margarita Cookies perfect for game night.
Za’atar Meatballs with Green Sesame Sauce
These flavor-packed Za’atar Meatballs with Green Sesame Sauce are great for entertaining because they can be made ahead of time.
Queso Fundido
This edition of Last Bite, brought to you by Rio Grande Credit Union, features the party favorite Queso Fundido.
Atapiño and Apple Cake
This Atapiño and Apple Cake recipe is our twist on an apple brandy cake using Santa Fe Spirits Atapiño Liqueur.
Butter Lettuce and Mushroom Wraps with Hoisin Peanut Sauce
These vegan Butter Lettuce and Mushroom Wraps with Hoisin Peanut Sauce are scrumptious, light, and nutritious.
Lois’s Pico de Gallo
Lois’s Pico de Gallo adds a nice zest of flavor to lots of recipes. It is served it with many recipes in Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky, including Summer Fried Squash Blossoms.
Tomato Ice Cream with Candied Basil
In our recipe for Tomato Ice Cream with Candied Basil, the sweet tanginess of tomatoes combined with cream and sugar is a marriage made in heaven.
Radish Terrine with Chile Crisp (or Balsamic)
This Radish Terrine with Chile Crisp (or Balsamic if you prefer a non-spicy version) is worth the investment in a set of silicone mini loaf pans—which you can use later to experiment with compound butters—and can be served with slices of fresh baguette for a...
Watermelon Radish Slaw
This versatile, bright, and tangy Watermelon Radish Slaw can be served as a side, added to a salad or sandwiches, or used to top your favorite seafood dish or tacos.
Piñon Shortbread
Santa Fe School of Cooking utilizes piñon in recipes ranging from nut butter to moles to the one of their most popular recipes, piñon shortbread.
M’tucci’s Shrubs
M’Tucci’s shrubs, which started out as a small-batch experiment by M’Tucci’s Restaurants beverage director Austin Leard and are now available for purchase at their restaurants and a variety of local liquor stores.
Maple Pecan-Crusted Bacon
Bacon, maple syrup, pecans, and red chile—you might want to double this recipe, because your guests will devour it as soon as it hits the table.
Spiced or Spicy Pecans
An ode to childhood memories and an easy make-ahead recipe for holiday get-togethers, all you need to prepare this sweet and savory snack are pecans, maple syrup, and a handful of spices.
Flourless Pecan Cake
This flourless cake provides just the right amount of sweetness to finish a holiday party and is lovely paired with a cup of coffee or dessert wine.
Pecan Rosemary Dip
A great make-ahead recipe for holiday get-togethers, this update on a classic dip features pecans, spinach, and an array of aromatics that make for a savory, tangy complement to chips or crudités.
French Quarter Manhattan and DIY Praline Liqueur
Keeping with our holiday pecan theme, we created a praline-inspired cocktail and a praline liquor that you can gift to your guests if you have leftovers—or want to double the recipe!
DIY Bitters
This edition of Cooking Fresh celebrates the versatility of DIY bitters.
DIY Vermouth
This edition of Cooking Fresh celebrates the versatility of DIY bitters that can be added to classic cocktails. This vermouth recipe uses an array of fragrant plants and spices, including juniper berries, sage, and cardamom, steeped in wine and vodka. Enjoy in a manhattan or martini—or in any beverage that would benefit from this floral liqueur.
DIY Amaro
Amaro is traditionally served in Italy after a meal as a digestif, and is typically made by infusing an alcohol like brandy with a blend of herbs, roots, flowers, and spices.
Stone Fruit Pizza
This recipe inspires some creativity with sweet and savory ingredients, highlighting stone fruit as the meal’s star.
Stone Fruit Salsa
Salsa is one of those recipes that almost seems silly to document because it is so simple, but maybe stone fruit doesn’t come to mind when whipping up a bowl of summer freshness. Either ripe or firm fruit works in salsa. For an alternative to cilantro, you can...
Ham, White Bean, Greens, and Green Chile Soup
Need to use up a leftover ham roast and an abundance of swiss chard, kale, or collard greens? The green chile kicks this recipe up a notch and adds depth of flavor. Ham, White Bean, Greens, and Green Chile Soup 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small yellow onion (chopped)...
Zucchini Carrot Cake
Okay, maybe putting veggies in your cake or muffins won’t make them healthy, but it is another way to empty your overflowing vegetable drawers. From carrots and zucchini to peas, parsley, sweet potatoes, and beetroot, there are many creative ways to incorporate...
