Simple Spiced Apple Cider

I'm thrilled to be featured on Oprah.com as part of Holiday 2009 celebrations.  Come see our favorite holiday recipes!

As you know from my last post, we are in the middle of the 12 Days of Sharing, being hosted by In Jennie's Kitchen–an event to raise awareness about childhood hunger in America and to support the efforts of the organization Share Our Strength in doing something about it. 

Please get involved!  You can participate in the virtual cookie swap and/or donate to Share our Strength.  Every donation you make to Share Our Strength using the 12 Days of Sharing donation link secures a giveaway ticket for some awesome gifts, including a brushed chrome Cuisinart Stand Mixer, gift bags from the Food Network, products from Calphalon, Microplane, Wusthof and copies of Linda Collister's Holiday Cookies cookbook from publishers Ryland Peters Small.

Did you know that hunger has lasting consequences? It's likely that a child will endure lifelong consequences as a result of having limited access to nutritious foods.  They're more likely to suffer:

Even if all you have is five dollars to spare, each dollar goes such a long way in making a difference in a young child's life.  Just $25 can feed a child 3 meals a day for an entire month!  So if you are able, please consider making a donation to help us fight the battle against hunger.

This time of year seems to be a time for non-stop goodies.  Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not!  Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love my sweets, especially if chocolate is involved in any way, shape, or form.  However, if all you've got is goodies to munch on and nothing to wash it down with, you're not going to be enjoying those goodies as much. 

Last month when we went to Utah for my grandmother's funeral, I went with my mother-in-law and one of my sisters-in-law to see a movie at Thanksgiving Point, a really fun place just south of Salt Lake City that has restaurants, shops, a theater, a garden, a dinosaur museum, and more.  After our movie we stopped in at one of the gift shops to look around and they were giving out free hot apple cider and cookies.  The cider was so good that we asked if they were selling a mix or a recipe so that we could go home and recreate it.  They explained that the kitchen from Harvest, the restaurant next door, made it and brought it over.  So we went over to Harvest and asked the maître d' if the restaurant  would be willing to share the recipe.  He called the kitchen and they were kind enough to give verbal instructions on how they make it.  We went home and made some the next day, and I've already made a batch since returning home. 

It is so simple to make!  All you do is mix some apple cider and freshly squeezed orange juice in a large pot and throw in the peel of one of your juiced oranges,

then add some cinnamon sticks and apple wedges, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer everything together for a while.

That's it!  The recipe calls for apple cider.  Apple cider is basically unprocessed apple juice.  The apples are cored, chopped, mashed, and pressed into a liquid and the result is an unfiltered form of apple juice.  Apple juice is the result of apple cider being filtered and is milder than apple cider.  If you can't find apple cider, you can use apple juice, but you might want to add some extra apple slices and an extra cinnamon stick to add a bit more flavor. 

This spiced cider is delicious, and just gets better the longer it has been sitting around.  You can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator and it will actually taste even better reheated because the flavors will have developed even further.  I've got a jug of it currently sitting in my refrigerator, and I plan on going and reheating myself a cup as a reward for finishing this post.  This cider is perfect for a party, keeping on hand to serve to unexpected visitors, or by itself as a treat on a cold winter's day.

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