Pop Champagne!

With New Year's Eve being one day away, I'm sure most of you will be planning on "Popping Champagne" (or sparkling cider for my non-alcoholic drinkers) at midnight. If you plan on entertaining guests inside of your home this New Year's Eve, here are a few "Champagne" inspired drinks featured on Hostess With the Mostess' blog. These yummy drinks are sure to be a big hit at any New Year's Eve bash:
WHITE PEACH, CASSIS & CHAMPAGNE FLOATS
ingredients
6 medium-size white peaches, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 wedges
2 pints peach ice cream
3/4 cup crème de cassis (black-currant liqueur) plus additional for drizzling
2 cups chilled brut Champagne or sparkling wine

preparation
Place 3 peach wedges in bottom of each of 6 tall glasses. Top with 1 scoop ice cream, then another 3 peach wedges. Add second scoop ice cream and top with 2 more peach wedges. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons crème de cassis. Pour 1/3 cup Champagne into each glass. Top with 1 scoop ice cream, drizzle with additional crème de cassis, and serve.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT, STRAWBERRY, AND CHAMPAGNE GRANITA WITH SUGARED STRAWBERRIES


ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup water
1 cup small strawberries, hulled (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup fresh pink or ruby grapefruit juice
2 1/4 cups chilled brut Champagne


1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
9 teaspoons mascarpone cheese*
18 whole small strawberries

preparation
Stir 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool. Puree 1 cup strawberries in processor. Whisk 1/2 cup puree into sugar syrup. Mix in grapefruit juice, then Champagne. Pour mixture into 8-inch square metal baking pan. Freeze mixture until firm, stirring every 2 hours, about 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)

Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon peel in pie plate. Spread 1/2 teaspoon mascarpone around pointed tip half of each whole strawberry. Dip in lemon sugar to coat mascarpone.

Moisten rims of 6 Martini glasses with water; dip rims into remaining lemon sugar. Scrape fork across surface of granita to form ice shavings. Mound granita in glasses. Garnish with sugared berries and serve immediately.

*Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

CHAMPAGNE DARLING? FREEZES

ingredients
4 scoops lemon sorbet
2 ounces chilled vodka, citrus vodka or limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)
2 ounces prosecco or other sparkling wine or Champagne
2 sprigs fresh mint

preparation
Blend lemon sorbet on low speed and pour in vodka or lemon liqueur in a slow stream. Add prosecco or Champagne. Pour cocktails into a chilled martini glass and serve, garnished with a sprig of mint.

JELLED CHAMPAGNE DESSERT RECIPE

ingredients
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 cups cold white grape juice, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups champagne or club soda
8 fresh strawberries, hulled

preparation
In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup cold grape juice; let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in sugar. Remove from the heat; stir in remaining grape juice. Cool to room temperature.
Transfer gelatin mixture to a large bowl. Slowly stir in champagne or soda. Pour half of the mixture into eight champagne or parfait glasses. Add one strawberry to each glass. Chill glasses and remaining gelatin mixture until almost set, about 1 hour.
Place the reserved gelatin mixture in a blender; cover and process until foamy. Pour into glasses. Chill for 3 hours or until set. Yield: 8 servings.

Enjoy! And please remember to drink responsibly this New Year's. If you are hosting a New Year's Eve party and serving alcohol to your guests, please make sure that they are able to drive themselves home before leaving. It is also a good idea to provide a transportation service that will drive your guests home should they get too inebriated.