On the 2nd Day of Christmas, the Recipe Diva made for me...

Mulled Wine

Can't express how much I love this holiday libation, so perfect for the season!

It's very easy to make and you certainly don't need to follow a 'recipe' -  it's really just a combination of wine, citrus, and spices - use what you like, heat but do not boil, and serve warm. 

For this recipe I poured a magnum of dry shiraz into a saucepan and placed over low heat.  For my citrus, I cut the zest of half an orange using a pairing knife - make sure you do not have any of the bitter white pith.  I went ahead and squeezed in the juice.  For my spice, I added cinnamon sticks, freshly grated nutmeg, and whole cloves stuck into the other orange half.  I added a bit of sugar for some sweetness.  After about 20 minutes or so, I strained the wine and served warm.

 

Like I said, use whatever appeals to you!  Orange, lemon, apple cider... any wintery spices, and if you want an extra kick, you could add brandy or Grand Marnier.

Presentation is a bit tricky - I didn't exacty do the best job (not picture worthy!)  If you have glass mugs, I'd fill up one up and garnish with a cinnamon stick.  Any other suggestions, I'm at a loss???

When your neighbor gives you lemons…

Make Lemonade!!!

Since moving into the new house, we had been admiring our neighbor's lemon tree over the fence. This massive lemon tree was adorned with some of the largest lemons we had ever seen.  As luck would have it, we met her just before she had commenced tearing up her entire yard and starting from scratch, even the beautiful lemon tree! We were sad to see it go, but within the next hour, we had a hand-delivered bag of these beautiful lemons sitting on our counter.

Being that it’s 94 degrees out, I think it’s quite obvious where these gems are going… there’s nothing more refreshing than an ice cold glass of lemonade to cool you down!  To put together this simple thirst quencher:

• 4-6 lemons depending on size
• 1 cup white sugar
• 6 cups water, divided

1) Make a simple syrup by heating the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.  Let cool.
2) Firmly roll the lemons to release juice.  Cut in half and juice into pitcher.
3) In the pitcher, combine lemon juice, simple syrup, and remaining water. Stir. Adjust water to taste. Chill and serve over ice.  Throw in some sliced lemons for presentation.

Like I said... it's 94 degrees so no time for pics!