Mulled Wine
serves 8
2 bottles dry red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
2 more oranges (one to float on top, and one for garnish wedges)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
Open the wine and pour it into your slow cooker (use either a 4 or 6-quart). Squeeze the oranges to get 1 cup of juice.
I'm sure you could get away with using store-bought juice, but the pulp floating around is what's kind of neat about mulled wine; it's more rustic this way.
And oranges are in season.
Stir in the sugar, and add the ground spices. Float the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves on top. Slice one of the oranges in rings, and float the rings on top.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for 4.
or:
Wassail (spiced cider)
serves 8
2 quarts apple cider
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey
3 sticks cinnamon
2 whole cloves
1 whole orange, cut in rings
(brandy, optional, to add after cooking to individual mugs.)
Use a 4-6 quart crockpot. This makes 9 cups of juice.
I *just* watched an Unwrapped episode where they explained the difference between cider and juice: you can't see through cider, because they use the whole apple.
Put all of the ingredients into the crockpot.
Wash your orange well, and cut off each end. Slice the remaining orange into rings, and float the pieces on the top of the juice.
Cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for about 4. You want the juice completely hot, and the flavor of the cloves and the cinnamon to have permeated.
Ladle into mugs. If you are going to add the brandy, put a shot into each mug, then top with the hot cider.
serves 8
2 bottles dry red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
2 more oranges (one to float on top, and one for garnish wedges)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
Open the wine and pour it into your slow cooker (use either a 4 or 6-quart). Squeeze the oranges to get 1 cup of juice.
I'm sure you could get away with using store-bought juice, but the pulp floating around is what's kind of neat about mulled wine; it's more rustic this way.
And oranges are in season.
Stir in the sugar, and add the ground spices. Float the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves on top. Slice one of the oranges in rings, and float the rings on top.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for 4.
or:
Wassail (spiced cider)
serves 8
2 quarts apple cider
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey
3 sticks cinnamon
2 whole cloves
1 whole orange, cut in rings
(brandy, optional, to add after cooking to individual mugs.)
Use a 4-6 quart crockpot. This makes 9 cups of juice.
I *just* watched an Unwrapped episode where they explained the difference between cider and juice: you can't see through cider, because they use the whole apple.
Put all of the ingredients into the crockpot.
Wash your orange well, and cut off each end. Slice the remaining orange into rings, and float the pieces on the top of the juice.
Cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for about 4. You want the juice completely hot, and the flavor of the cloves and the cinnamon to have permeated.
Ladle into mugs. If you are going to add the brandy, put a shot into each mug, then top with the hot cider.
