Cocktails for Ringing in the New Year

New Years Eve is the holiday for Champagne. This year if you have decided to stay home and would like to do something a little more interesting than the standard drink, I have some ideas for you. These are simple cocktails with simple ingredients that are sure to please you and your guests this New Years Eve. Give one or two of these a try and you can be sure that your friends and family will ask for seconds and the recipe.

Sparkling Orange Punch
Makes about 12 servings
This is a very light and delicate punch. This is perfect to serve when accompanied with hors d'oeuvres. It is very nice also with any kind of fish, shellfish, or poultry.

6 tsp. confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cups club soda
4 oz. orange liqueur
6 oz. brandy
5 cups chilled champagne
3 large mint sprigs for garnish
2 oranges thinly sliced with peel still attached for garnish

Fill your punch bowl with ice. Add confectioners sugar, club soda, orange liqueur, and brandy. Now add your champagne and stir. Set out mint sprigs and thin orange slices for garnish. Super simple and really wonderful.

Fruity Apple Cider
Makes about 12 servings
This is a wonderful fruity and rich punch. This is amazing served with anything sweet in nature. Try it with your left over Christmas cookies.

1/2 red apple cored and sliced thinly
1/2 pear cored and sliced thinly
1/2 orange sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups champagne
2 oz orange liqueur
4 oz brandy
4 cups apple cider
8 tsp. confectioners sugar

Fill a large punch bowl with ice. Pour in champagne, apple cider, brandy, and orange liqueur. Put in your sugar and stir well. Now add all your fruit slices on top and let them float. Serve in a wide rimmed glass. I personally like this in a martini glass. Yummy!

Peachy Pleaser

This is feminine and fruity. Perfect for the ladies that like to keep it light.

1/2 oz. peach liqueur or schnapps
5 oz champagne
orange slice for garnish

Yes, it is as simple as it looks. In a wine glass add your peach liqueur or schnapps and then poor in the champagne. Slice the side of your orange and slip it over the edge. Perfect!

So I told you my favorite champagne drinks to make and then I decided that I wanted to share a couple of my non-champagne cocktails with you as well.

Candy Cane Martini

This one is a nice twist on the martini for the holiday season. It is smooth and festive.

1 1/2 oz vodka
1 tsp. peppermint schnapps
1 oz club soda
mini candy cane for garnish

In a cocktail shaker pour vodka schnapps and club soda and give it a shimmy over about a 1/2 cup of ice. Once it is cold pour the concoction into a martini glass and hang your candy cane from the side. Cute and tasty!

Apple Snowflake Martini

This is a really pretty cocktail. If you slice the apple thin enough it will appear to be a snowflake once you drop it in the glass.

1 oz vodka
1 oz sour apple schnapps
1 oz apple juice
1 thin apple slice
sugars for the rim

In a cocktail shaker combine apple juice, apple schnapps, and vodka over ice. Shake until chilled and then pour into chilled sugar rimmed martini glass. Float the apple slice on top of cocktail. Simply snowy!

I hope you enjoy these and have a festive fun New Years Eve. Remember if you drink don't drive. Always designate a driver. Be safe!