Chappie’s Champagne Punch

One of my oldest friends back home has a lethal punch recipe passed down to her by her mother. My friend always serves it at Holiday parties and whether I drink it with her and the girls back home or make it where I live now, it makes me think of family and longtime friends. It’s the perfect thing to serve if you’re hosting anything on New Year’s Eve. And like most good recipes, you can really vary it any way you like – adding or omitting ingredients, making it your own. A forward thinking tip – stock up on frozen hashbrowns, a block of cheese, eggs and Excedrin for the next day…

Cheers!

Chappie’s Champagne Punch

•    1 large can of orange juice concentrate
•    2 oranges – cut up into small chunks
•    1 or 2 grapefruit – cut up in to small chunks
•    1 pineapple – cut in small chunks
•    ¼ bottle of vodka (keep the bottle handy and add to taste)
•    2 bottles champagne
•    1-2 liters of Sprite or Fresca (start with about ½ liter and add to taste)

To make the punch – mix the fruit, vodka and orange juice first and add the champagne and Sprite/Fresca last. The night before you make the punch, freeze water in a bundt cake pan or several mini cake molds.

Note – be VERY careful when adding “to taste” this stuff is potent! In addition, keep 2 more bottles of champagne, orange juice, 1 bottle of Sprite/Fresca to replenish as needed.

For variation, add grenadine for color in the ice/bundt pans. Also – if you don’t like citrus flavor, this can really be substituted with any juice/fruit combination – cranberry, strawberry – you name it.