Hey folks, I'm back! My apologies to those who tune in; it has officially been one month since my last post. The good news is, it was for a good reason--I had a paying gig at California Watch! The work was temporary, but fun and exciting. It is great to read about other news organizations profiling this awesome new venture, and I am proud to be even a small part of this great team. I even got a recipe from one of my colleagues there, so look out for some guest recipes soon!I know, you're not here to read about the news or the state of journalism--you're here for the recipes! And with Thanksgiving leftovers looming in the kitchen, you're probably dreading the reinvention of old classics. But never fear, I dug through my cookbooks, picked some family member's brains, and am working on things that include celery, carrots and old Turkey Day staples. Plus, if I get my kitchen clean, I'm even going to attempt mayo from scratch, so I can make fake-turkey salad for sandwiches.
Today's Recession Cooking post is more like comfort food, or rather, comfort drink. My Aunt Lynn is famous for her hot apple cider, which is a staple at Terry family Thanksgivings and Christmases. The smell of apples and mulling spices wafted through the house, and to me, it always stood out more than the smell of the turkey, my Uncle Mike's stuffing (from Great Grandma's recipe) or potatoes boiling, waiting to be mashed. The best thing about it is the kids can drink it and the adults can spike it with their whiskey of choice, which for the Terry's was always Crown Royal. As kids, my cousins and I used to warm up our frozen little digits after playing outside, grasping the steaming mugs and holding it close to our faces. Even as an adult, the cider is the first thing I look for when I enter the kitchen (after hugging everyone, of course.)
Since moving to the Bay Area, my husband and I have celebrated Tofurky Day small-scale--without the dozens of family members that are usually at my mom's and dad's holiday gatherings. There are many reasons why we don't travel back to Oklahoma for the November holiday, but drinking Aunt Lynn's cider always reminds me of home. It's super easy to make and can be done in a Crock-Pot, freeing up another burner on the stove. A well-stocked pantry might even have most of these spices already, which means there are only a couple ingredients you have to buy. Doubling this recipe is also a cinch.
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon apple juice or apple cider
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. whole cloves
2 whole cinnamon sticks
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 2 oranges
1 whole orange, sliced
Pour all liquid ingredients into the Crock-Pot. Add brown sugar, allspice, and ground cinnamon. Put the whole cloves in a spice ball to prevent them from free-floating. Aunt Lynn suggested using cheap, 50-cent knee-high stockings if you don't have a spice ball. Get new ones at the store when you are shopping, I would never suggest you reuse already-worn stockings. (Unless you want your cider to taste like feet--that's gross.) Toss in your cinnamon sticks and sliced orange. Stir.
If you're using a Crock-Pot, turn it up to high and put the lid on. It will take a few hours before its steaming and ready to drink, but if you start this before you sit down for dinner, it will be ready to drink after you've finished dessert. (The official Crock-Pot website also says cook on low for two to four hours). If you're making this on the stove, use a large stockpot, and heat the juice until it begins to bubble, but not boiling. Then turn down to medium low and leave it be.
If you don't have a spice ball and you don't like the idea of using stockings to corral the cloves, you can always let them free-float and use a strainer to strain them out (along with the extra pulp) before pouring into your mug. Add a shot of Crown (or your whiskey or bourbon of choice) to liven things up a bit.
When I made this at my friends' house, I doubled the proportions, and then had tons leftover. So we poured the remainder into empty bottles, and brought one to a former professor we visited after dinner. If you reheat it, make sure you stir before serving, as the spices will settle at the bottom.
The original recipe also called for 1/4 of regular sugar, in addition to the brown sugar, but my Aunt and I both decided that was too much. It is pretty sweet as it is, so only add this if you really feel it needs it.
Stay tuned for more Thanksgiving recipes, including my PIE SUCCESS! I am super excited that my pie crust turned out this year, because I completely FAILED last year. The next few weeks my husband and I are cleaning out the cupboards and making use of the dried legumes, pasta, and jarred sauce, so it is a Recession Cooking-stravaganza at our house!
Enjoy!
(cider mug photo from Flickr user cloudcity)
