Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail

Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail

This is the perfect cocktail to serve at your Italian dinner party. It is easy to make and great tasting.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup creme de cassis (black-currant liqueur)
1 1/2 cups strained fresh blood orange juice (from about 6 oranges)
1 750-ml bottle chilled brut Champagne or dry sparkling wine
8 blood orange slices (optional)

Directions:

Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons creme de cassis into each of 8 Champagne flutes or other glasses. Add 3 tablespoons juice to each glass. Fill each glass with Champagne, then stir gently. Garnish cocktails with slices of blood orange, if desired.

8 servings

Lizanne and Mary enjoying the Blood Orange Champagne cocktail

Lemon Sheet Cake

Lemon Sheet Cake

Do you love lemon?  If yes, you will love this easy to make lemon sheet cake. Make this cake the day before and refrigerate overnight before serving.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Greek plain yogurt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Icing:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounce softened cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan melt butter with water. Turn off heat and whisk in lemon juice, sugar, flour, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch.

Pour into a greased jelly roll pan (15" x 10") and bake for 15 minutes or until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Icing:

While the cake is baking make the icing.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter and cream cheese. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon juice and powdered sugar. Pour over warm cake and spread.