New Year’s Eve Cocktails and Nibbles

Enjoy the countdown to midnight with these yummy cocktails and finger foods.

-Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cocktail Time, by Sandra Lee, Copyright © 2009 SLSH Enterprises, Inc. sandralee.com

Enjoy watching the ball drop tonight with friends, family, some yummy snacks and plenty of cocktails! Here are some of our favorite recipes for this special occasion from Sandra Lee’s great book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cocktail Time. Three… two… one… Happy New Year!

Irish Egg Nog (above)

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients:

1 whole egg

1 ounce Irish cream liqueur, Baileys®

1⁄4 ounce Irish whiskey, Bushmills®

2 cups milk

Ground nutmeg

Cinnamon sticks

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together egg, Irish cream liqueur, and Irish whiskey until smooth. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Pour over egg mixture, stirring to mix well. Pour into a heatproof mugs. Sprinkle each serving with nutmeg. Garnish each with a cinnamon stick.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Martini

“The Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Martini is my favorite seasonal cocktail,” says Sandra Lee. “It is delicious and your guests will never know how super simple it is to create.”

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:

¾ ounce vanilla flavored vodka, Smirnoff®

½ ounce Irish cream liqueur, Baileys®

½ ounce coffee liqueur

½ ounce crème de cacao

1/5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pinch cayenne pepper

Ice cubes

Preparation:

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, Irish cream, coffee liqueur, crème de cacao, pumpkin piespice, and cayenne pepper. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass.

Rockefeller Center Martini

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1½ ounces cranberry juice

1 ounce vodka, Smirnoff® No. 21

¼ ounce cinnamon schnapps, Goldschläger®

¼ ounce orange liqueur, Grand Marnier®

Ice Cubes

Cinnamon stick

Preparation:

1. In a shallow bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Dampen rim of a chilled martini glass with water and dig in sugar mixture. Set aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine cranberry juice, vodka, cinnamon schnapps and orange liqueur. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with cinnamon stick.