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3 Champagne Cocktail Recipes

It has been an amazing holiday season and there is still one holiday left to celebrate…New Year’s! If you are having a party or if you are staying home, these champagne cocktail recipes are a fresh and fun twist on champagne. 

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Raspberry Champagne Cocktail 

Ingredients

fresh raspberries

light rum

champagne

ginger ale

fresh mint leaves

Instructions

Pour half glass of champagne, add 1/2 oz of light rum and then top off with ginger ale. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.  You are ready to ring in the New Year! 

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Classic Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients

3 oz champagne

1/3 oz cognac

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

1 sugar cube

I used this pretty Canasuc stick to garnish…see this post for more.

Instructions

Add sugar cube and bitters to flute.  Add champagne and cognac. Serve and enjoy! 

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Saint Champagne Cocktail 

Ingredients

1 bottle of champagne

St. Germain liqueur 

Instructions

Pour 1/2 ounce of St. Germain into your glass. Top with champagne. I used a blackberry as a garnish. Cheers!

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If you need fresh cocktail ideas for this New Year’s Eve…give these a shot…you and your guests should enjoy! 

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Bisous,

Rebecca

 

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Cozy Hot Cocoa Recipes

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At least one or two times during the holiday season, I like to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and watch a Christmas movie or two.  Both of these recipes are simple to prepare and yield delicious results.  I hope you and your loved ones enjoy an evening curled up on the sofa with a cup of hot cocoa. 

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Classic Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

1 and 1/3 cups organic whole milk

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghiradelli or Valrhona)

1.5-2  tablespoons sugar (or more if you prefer a sweeter taste)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use Nielsen-Massey)

Instructions

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk and vanilla until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat.  While the milk is heating, put the cocoa, sugar and vanilla in a mug and stir to combine.  Add the warm milk to the mug, stir until smooth. Top with whipped cream and serve immediately. Serves 1.

 

Lightened Up Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

1.5-2 tablespoons cane sugar

1/4 cup high quality cocoa powder (same as above, Ghiradelli or Valrhona)

1/2 teaspoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch

Pinch of sea salt

1.5 cups unsweetened or unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

 

Instructions

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk and vanilla until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan. Add cocoa powder, sugar, starch and salt to saucepan; gently stir to combine.  Continue stirring until all ingredients are combined and you reach desired temperature.  Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. Pour into mug and enjoy.  I topped with these fun snowflake marshmallows from Crate & Barrel. Serves 1.

 

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Snowflake mug and white mug are available at www.crateandbarrel.com.

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Happy Holidays! 

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Bisous,
Rebecca

 

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Elegant Appetizer Recipes

This week we are all about sharing our ideas for events you are hosting…first, we featured three looks to wear and now we are giving three delicious recipes you can serve. These appetizers are excellent options for a cocktail party as they are easy to eat…your guests will not have to struggle to dip, cut or spread with these options. I have served these to family and friends and received rave reviews.

 

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Crudités with Chive Crème Fraîche

Ingredients

1/2 lb green beans, stem ends trimmed

1 bunch baby rainbow carrots

1 English cucumber

1 cup crème fraîche

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 lemon

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl two-thirds full with ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans and then immediately plunge them into the ice water. Let stand for 2 minutes, then drain and pat dry.  Set aside.  Trim the carrot tops to about 3/4 inch. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise. Set aside.  Cut the cucumber crosswise into pieces about 3 inches long. Cut each piece lengthwise into quarters to create spears. Set aside.  In a bowl, combine the crème fraîche and heavy cream and whisk until the mixture is the texture of lightly whipped cream. Finely grate the lemon zest into the bowl, then halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from one half into the bowl (reserve the remaining half for another use). Add the chives to the crème fraîche mixture. Stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the crème fraîche mixture among small glasses or narrow bowls…I used shot glasses. Divide the vegetables evenly among the glasses, standing them up in the crème fraîche Serve immediately. 

 

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Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

10 ounces Crimini or baby Portobello mushrooms

1 cup softened goat cheese

½ cup softened cream cheese

¼ cup diced roasted red peppers 

1 clove of garlic minced

¼ cup plain Panko crumbs (don’t have Panko, use Italian bread crumbs)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt for the cheese mixture, ½ teaspoon salt for topping

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper for cheese mixture, ½ teaspoon pepper for topping

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wipe the outside of your mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Pull out the stem of the mushroom and with a melon baller, remove the gills of the mushroom but be careful not to pierce the mushroom flesh. Place the mushrooms on a non-stick baking sheet, open side up. Combine goat cheese, cream cheese, diced roasted red peppers; 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and minced garlic into a bowl. Scoop mixture with a spoon and place it into each of the mushrooms. Arrange mushrooms in a baking pan. Combine ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Parmesan cheese and Panko. Sprinkle this mixture on each of the mushrooms. Bake stuffed mushrooms in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Once the cheese is bubbly and the crumb mixture has become golden brown, they are ready to serve!

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Smoked Salmon Bites

Ingredients

Herbed Cream Cheese 

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Toppings

Toasted French rounds

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

6 oz. smoked salmon, thinly sliced

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup capers, finely chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and grated

Dill sprigs for garnish

Directions:

adapted from www.williamssonoma.com

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Hope you and your guests enjoy these elegant apps!

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Bisous,
Rebecca

 

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Two Christmas Cocktails

The holidays are in full swing and we are giving you inspiration for outfit ideas, makeup tips, hostess gifts and, now, what to serve at your holiday parties! These cocktails taste as good as they look and are extra special for your guests. 

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Cranberry, Lime and White Wine Spritzer

1/4 cup frozen cranberries

2 lime wedges

1 cup white wine (per usual, my favorite is Ferrari Carano Fumé Blanc)

1/2 cup club soda or seltzer water

2 pieces of rosemary 

Add ice, frozen cranberries and squeeze lime wedges into a cocktail glass. Add equal parts wine and club soda or seltzer water. Stir and garnish with rosemary.

Source www.thanksgiving.com 

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Cherry Whiskey Smash

1 oz whiskey

1/2 oz ginger brandy

1/2 oz amaretto

1/2 oz cherry juice (I used tart cherry juice)

2 oz cherry cola

4 maraschino cherries (I used the iconic Italian Luxardo cherries)

Add cherries to a glass and muddle. Add ice. In a cocktail shaker pour in liquors and cherry juice. Shake, pour over ice, top with cherry cola and and stir. Add more cherries if desired!

Have fun serving these Christmas cocktails!

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Bisous,
Rebecca