Slow Cooker Rosemary Cranberry Mulled Cider Food

SLOW-COOKED APPLE CRANBERRY CIDER

Steps:

• Place cinnamon sticks and cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. , In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the cider, cranberry juice and brown sugar add spice bag. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until cider reaches desired temperature. Discard spice bag.

SLOW COOKER ROSEMARY-CRANBERRY MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Pour apple cider into a 2.5-quart or larger Crock Pot or other slow cooker. Stir in honey. It may remain clumpy; that's okay. It will dissolve when the mixture heats up.
• With a toothpick, poke holes in the orange, about 1/2 inch to 1 inch apart. Carefully stick the cloves, pointy end down, into the holes. Add the orange to the cider along with the cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary. Push the rosemary down to help make sure it's submerged.
• Cook on low until hot and the cranberries have started to burst, 3-4 hours, taking care to not let the cider boil. Very carefully with a fork or masher, gently crush the remaining cranberries to pop them. They might splurt, so be careful! I like to do this to get as much flavor out of the cranberries as possible without overcooking the cider.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Add the strained cider back to the Crock Pot. I like to add the cinnamon sticks and orange back as well, just for a festive touch. Discard the remaining solids. Serve immediately or keep the Crock Pot on the warm setting to keep the cider hot. Garnish individual mugs of cider with additional fresh rosemary sprigs and fresh cranberries, if desired.

SLOW COOKER MULLED CRANBERRY CIDER

Steps:

• Add all ingredients (except rum, if using) to the Crock Pot, and cook on high for about an hour and a half, or low for about three hours. Switch the Crock Pot to the warm setting, and it's ready to serve when you're ready to drink! You can also warm this in the stovetop. Let simmer very gently, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• Ladle the cider into mugs (leaving the fruit in the Crock Pot). I like to throw another cinnamon stick in there for good measure. Those nice long cinnamon sticks that double as a stirrer would work even better.
• Oh right, the rum! Add a shot of rum to your glass before you ladle in the cider, if you are rum-inclined.

SLOW COOKER MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients except the calvados in a slow cooker and cook for 1 hr on high or up to 4 hrs on low.
• Just before serving, stir in the calvados. Ladle into heatproof glasses or cups to serve.