Photos by Jamie Plain

Wedding season is approaching, and that means a lot of celebrations in honor of the bride and groom-to-be. Whether it’s an intimate gathering with family and friends, or a lively celebration with a larger group, your menu can set the tone for your entire event. We have curated a list of three different types of crowd-pleasing recipes covering an appetizer, dessert, and drinks. Each of these recipes could also be made in large batches for any sized get-together. They are all easy to prepare, delicious, and guaranteed to delight your guests! We hope that the recipes will help make your celebration as special as the couple it honors!

Deviled Eggs

INGREDIENTS:

12 hard boiled eggs

1/4 cup (or more) mayonnaise

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp dill pickle juice

Cajun seasoning to taste

Salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste

Splash of Tabasco sauce

Optional: fresh chives, bacon, and smoked paprika for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Use your favorite method to make hard boiled eggs. The way I always produce easy-to-peel hard boiled eggs is by lightly tapping the raw egg with a spoon before boiling it (on the wide side of the egg). Once your taps start to make a different sound, the membrane has detected inside the egg. I then put the eggs in already-boiling water and let them boil for ten minutes. After that I will shock them in cold water. Works every time!

2. Cut your hard boiled eggs lengthwise down the middle. Scoop out the yolks of each egg and place them into a bowl – the whites can be put on a plate and placed in the refrigerator until they are ready to be filled.

3. Smash your yolks with a fork until they are powder, then add mayonnaise. I start with 1/4 cup and then add more at the end if it’s not at my desired creaminess.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients (besides the garnish), making sure to stir well and get a creamy mixture. Adjust each of your seasonings to taste (I like a spicy deviled egg so I go heavy on cajun and actually use spicy dill pickle juice).

5. Fill your egg whites with your yolk mixture. I used a piping bag to make it look nice for my event, but a regular spoon can also be used. Garnish with your favorite toppings – I think fresh chives, bacon crumbles and smoked paprika make for a perfect egg. Serve cold!

Miniature Espresso Cheesecakes

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

16 Oreo cookies (I used java chip flavored)

2 Tbsp melted butter

Cheesecake:

2 packages full fat cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp espresso powder

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with liners (16).

2. Crush your Oreos in a blender or food processor. Combine the Oreo cookie crumbs with the melted butter in a bowl.

3. Put 2 Tbsp of the mixture into each cupcake liner, pressing down firmly to create the bottom crust. Bake for 5 min, then pull them out and let them cool while preparing the cheesecake.

4. Put 1 Tbsp of your espresso powder into 1 Tbsp of hot water and let it dissolve. Reserve the other 2 Tbsp as powder.

5. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in sour cream, vanilla extract, brewed espresso and espresso powder until smooth.

6. Beat in eggs (until just combined, do not over-mix)

7. Place around 1/4 cup of the cheesecake mixture on top of each crush in the cupcake liners.

8. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is only slightly jiggly. Allow them to cook at room temperature and then place them in the fridge for at least two hours to chill before serving. Top with whipped cream, espresso powder, and a chocolate covered coffee bean while serving.