holiday comforts: hot mulled apple cider

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What it is about November 1 that makes our calendars seem to instantly fill up until the end of the year?  Don’t get me wrong. I love this time of year – the shopping, the weather, the decorations – but I do not love the business that makes this season seem to go by faster than it already does.  In fact, there’s something about the winter months that makes me want to curl up at home with my little family and emerge again in the Spring. 

Hibernating isn’t an option for humans (bears have it good, don’t they?! Ha!), so making the most of our time at home is so important. I love our home to feel cozy, so it’s a place that we want to be and others want to be. The comforts of home have a way of drawing us in, don’t they?

Growing up, my mom’s mulled apple cider on the stove seemed to signal the beginning of winter for me and when asked to share a few holiday comforts, Mom’s apple cider recipe immediately came to mind.  It’s a really easy recipe that serves a crowd and makes your home smell wonderful. 

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Here’s what you need to make your own cider:

• 1 gallon of apple cider (in the juice aisle) or apple juice
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks 
• Oranges slices 
• Mulling spices tied up in a cheesecloth - If you don’t have mulling spices, you can make your own mix of of allspice, 2 tablespoons of whole cloves, and 1 tablespoon of nutmeg

Put all of the ingredients in the crock pot and simmer it until it’s boiling, or bring it to a boil in a large pot on the stove. 

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Pour a cup of cider, turn on some Christmas music, and sit in front of the fire…sounds like a perfectly comforting holiday season to me.

How about you?  What are your holiday comforts?

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