Weekend Indulgence: Poinsettia Cocktail

Merry Christmas!

I hope you’re enjoying the long holiday weekend. Here at Midlife Boulevard we want to celebrate both the special times and the ordinary days. We’ve lived long enough to know that life is fleeting and it’s okay to have the occasional treat. Today, we’re introducing a new series called Weekend Indulgence where I’ll be bringing you cocktails and other treats to celebrate every weekend.  ~Elizabeth

This simple, 3-ingredient cocktail brings together some of the best flavors of the season. It’s so light and refreshing that you’ll want to serve it year-round. My oldest daughter is allergic to cranberries, so I’ve included a variation just for her that I call Holly Berry Cocktail.

Poinsettia Cocktail

Ingredients:

1/2 ounce Cointreau (or Triple Sec)

1 1/2 ounces Cranberry Juice Cocktail

Champagne (see tips)

Instructions:

1. Chill champagne flute and all ingredients.

2. Mix Cointreau and fruit juice in glass

3. Top with champagne

Variations:

• Holly Berry Cocktail: Substitute Cherry Juice for the Cranberry Juice Cocktail.
• Poinsettia Mocktail: Omit Cointreau, use 1 1/2 ounces Cranberry Juice Cocktail and 1 1/2 ounces orange juice, top with ginger ale.

Tips: 

Champagne is a sparkling wine made in France following specific rules. You don’t have to use real champagne in this recipe. Any sparkling white wine will do. If you’re not sure what to purchase tell your wine merchant that you need a sparkling wine to make a champagne cocktail. I love Prosecco, a sparkling wine made in Italy, and used LaMarca Prosecco in this recipe.

Please drink responsibly. To learn more go to Responsible Drinking