What is more fun during holiday season than parties galore?! I absolutely love cruising the Christmas party circuit, but even more so love entertaining in my home. From dinner parties to cocktail parties, opening my doors to my friends and family for a little holiday cheer is really my favorite. Layering on the entertaining, however, can also layer on the stress. Putting together menus, cooking all of the food… sometimes, I end up spending more time in the kitchen than I do with my guests, and that my dears does not a fun party make.
I partnered up with Pagoda, the makers of the tasty, easy-to-prepare, Asian snacks to showcase how you can pull together simple holiday entertaining without the stress but all of the flavor.
I thought the Pagoda snacks would be great for a little girls night in gathering. I could have the egg rolls and crab rangoon – because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love crab rangoon? – cooking in the oven while my guests arrive. After a glass of wine, our crispy, holiday appetizers would be ready and we can imbibe and snack the night away! No hours slaving away in the kitchen for this soiree fan.
The Pagoda snacks come with a yummy signature sweet chili sauce, but I decided to pair their sauce with a few dipping delights of my own to add a personal, homemade element to this party plan. Including a sriracha mayo, a hoisin peanut sauce, and a sweet sesame soy, really kicked things up a notch and were a super simple addition to these holiday appetizers that made them a little more Her Tasty Life.
Pretty plating and a generous pour of wine really take these store bought snacks into wow territory. I promise, you’ll feel great serving them at your party. With 100% real rock crab in the crab rangoon, no MSG, no trans fats and no preservatives, these Pagoda holiday appetizers are as tasty as anything I could make myself, but in under 20 minutes. BOOM!
Now, about those dipping sauces. These will add about 5-7 minutes to your overall prep time, so it’s a step that is totally up to you, but worth the extra time for including a little something you made yourself.
Sriracha Mayo Dip
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup of mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons of sriracha
- salt and pepper to taste
Hoisin Peanut Sauce
- ¾ creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- chopped peanuts for garnish
Sweet Sesame Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
Happy Holidays! Wishing you the tastiest season ever.
