Five Fabulous Fall Beverages In the Slow Cooker
As the air takes a brisk turn, it's time to start thinking about ways to celebrate the autumn season. And what better way to take the chill off than with a warm beverage that has been simmering in the slow cooker all day long? A warm drink can be a festive accompaniment to all of your favorite fall activities, from tailgating to trick-or-treating, raking leaves (well maybe that one is not such a favorite but at least a drink in hand will make it a little more fun), to hauling in some freshly cut firewood and lighting up the fireplace for the first time this season. When you head to the pumpkin patch to pick out your annual Halloween jack o' lantern, make sure to pick up a few jugs of fresh apple cider as well. Simmered for hours with cinnamon sticks, a clove studded apple, and other spices, this brew is a surefire way to scare the spooky out of all the little ghouls and goblins that might be visiting you this year. You can also serve this hot spiced cider to your more grown up guests spiked with a little spiced rum if you like. In fact, I love hot apple cider so much, that when my husband and I had our wedding in October (and it was a brisk, damp October day), we welcomed our guests with steaming glasses of it. As it starts to get even colder, and the holiday season approaches (which, to many retailers, is right now!), rich peppermint scented hot chocolate is the perfect thing. Served with bowls of garnishes such as marshmallows, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings on the side, this is the ideal beverage to serve to your family and friends at a holiday open house. And the slow cooker will keep it warm in an out-of-the-way spot where your guests can serve themselves. If you want to serve a beverage that is a bit more grown up, you can try your hand at mulling your own wine. A couple bottles of wine and some mulling spices are a great combination that will only improve over time. To add a bit of zip, you can include some citrus zest. For this drink, you don't have to buy one of the more expensive bottles in the wine shop. A reasonable, medium bodied red that is a little spicy and fruity, such as red Zinfandel, will do just the trick. For those days that you are not feeling up to snuff, the hot toddy is the perfect cure for what ails you. This blend of whisky or brandy with honey and lemon is reputed to have powerful cold fighting abilities. Although you may not need to make a huge batch, the slow cooker is still a good way to go as you can stay in bed instead of watching it, like you would if it were on the stove. You can serve any of these warm beverages at your next tailgating event, and hot brewed Irish coffee is another one that will surely be a welcome option. If you have a plug-in adaptor for your car, even better. You can set your slow cooker (or multiple slow cookers) up along with the rest of your spread. This will avoid the frozen beer syndrome that my husband experienced at the sub-zero playoff game of his favorite football team a couple of years ago. Stay toasty this fall season and fill your home with a lovely fragrance by serving one of your favorite warm beverages cooked in the slow cooker! Festive Spiced Cider Recipe http://www.cdkitchen.com/ Serves/Makes: 12 Ready in: < 30 minutes * 14 cinnamon sticks, 3 1/2 inches each, divided * 8 whole cloves * 1 teaspoon whole allspice * 3 quarts cider * 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar * 1 orange * Ground nutmeg for garnish Tie 2 cinnamon sticks, the cloves and allspice in a cheesecloth bag. In a large saucepan combine the cider and sugar; heat 5 to 6 minutes. Add the spice bag and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the bag. Cut the orange into 6 slices and cut each slice in half. Place 1/2 slice orange in each cup, pour in the hot cider, sprinkle with nutmeg and add a cinnamon stick for a stirrer. Delma --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
