What's for Dinner?

There's nothing like a nice warm cider to top off any holiday celebration. Here, we are sharing a variety of ciders with you to make your day that much more special!

Cinnamon Apple Toddy

Source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 3 cups apple cider (recommended: Martinelli's)
• 4 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup spiced rum (recommended: Captain Morgan's)
• 1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps (recommended: Goldschlagger)

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, or 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients and heat through, but do not boil. Mull for 45 to 60 minutes at low heat on the stovetop or the warm setting in the slow cooker. Serve warm in clear footed coffee mugs with cinnamon stick swizzle.

Yields: 4 servings

Hot Spiced Cider Punch

Ingredients:

• 1 pint sweet cider
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 pint 7-Up (2 cups)
• 1 tbs. whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 3 sticks of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Preparation:

1. Tie spices in cloth bag.
2. Put all ingredients into 2 qt. saucepan.
3. Add spice bag, bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Remove spice.

Yield: Serves 8-10

Hot Maple Apple Cider

Source: sover.net

Ingredients:

• 6 cups apple cider
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 orange peel cut into strips
• 1 lemon peel cut into strips
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• spice bag & string
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 whole allspice berries

Preparation:

1. Pour cider and syrup into large pot.
2. Place spices and peels in center of a spice bag and tie up with a piece of string.
3. Drop spice bundle into liquid and heat over moderate flame for about 10 minutes.
4. Remove spice bag and discard.
5. Ladle maple cider into mugs and serve warm.
6. The smell wafting through the house while the cider is simmering is simply heaven.
7. Serve the hot spiced cider in mugs.

*For a nice touch, add a whole cinnamon stick to each mug for stirring, float thin slice of lemon or orange on top.

Hot Cranberry Cider

Source: footnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks, plus additional sticks to use at stirrers
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 8 cups cranberry juice
• 6 cups apple juice

Preparation:

1. Put the sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves in the basket of a large coffee percolator.
2. Put the juices in the bottom of the percolator.
3. Let the mixture perk as if making coffee.
4. Serve with cinnamon stick stirrers, if desired.

Yields: 3 1/2 quarts, about 18 servings