Hot Apple Cider Recipe

When I looked outside this morning I saw a thick blanket of snow covering the ground and vehicles.  We officially have snow here; whether it’s here to stay for the winter  or not, we are guaranteed colder weather, bundling up and shoveling snow.  Whenever I think of staying cozy, warm and snugly, I think of having something warm to drink like one of my favorites, hot apple cider.  Here’s a recipe brought to you from WolfGangPuck.com to keep you warm and cozy on a cold day.  His version includes brandy but for this version, I’m keeping it kid-friendly.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 1/4 quart apple cider
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
7 whole cinnamon sticks (6 sticks for garnish)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together cider, sugar, spices and salt.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Strain into a pitcher; discard solids.
5. Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

Whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon or honeyed nuts is also good.