The kind of quiet I hated when I was a kid, but the kind I cherish now that I understand.
You see, I take a Sabbath rest. I love this day of rest and worship.
Sunday breakfast is easy-peasy. Bagels. Cereal. Juice. Everybody gets their own.
And now that everyone is older, we actually get to church on time :)
Sunday dinner is easy-peasy. Crock pot. Breakfast tortillas. Sloppy Joes. Pot Roast. Meatloaf.
And all the prep work is done the day before, so all I have to do is heat it up. I don't really cook on Sundays.
Next comes a long Sunday afternoon of reading, playing a family game, maybe taking a drive up into the Hills...until winter arrives.
On chilly Sunday afternoons, I like to keep a crock pot full of hot, spiced cider going - adding to it as needed - and we all sip cider while we're reading, playing games...or watching football!!!
So, who's going to join me for a pot of hot cider this week?
First you need a crock pot. I have two crock pots - one for meals and one for side dishes and cider. It holds about a gallon.
Fill the crock pot with cider or apple juice, add 1/4 cup brown sugar, and then add the spices:
2 sticks cinnamon
10-12 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Put all the spices in a bag. You can make one out of a coffee filter, or you can buy one of these spiffy paper tea bags my daughter found to use with her loose-leaf tea.I break the cinnamon sticks in half so they fit easier, and fasten the top of the coffee filter bundle with a safety pin I keep just for cider.
Stir the brown sugar into the cider, add your spice bag, and turn your crock pot on high. It will take about an hour for the cider to heat up and get all spicy. Once the cider is hot, turn the crock pot down to low.
You can also use a pot on the stove. Once the cider is hot, just let it simmer.
The bonus is that sweet, spicy, appley fragrance filling your house all Sunday afternoon...
Are you ready for the weekend???
Well now nothing will do but a simmering pot of hot, sweet, spiced cider!
ReplyDeleteThere's something so inviting about that scent, Jan!
And I know my Realtor sister-in-love talks about creating a sweet scented (not perfumy or sprays) for clients to walk into... that enveloping their senses is a marvelous thing!
I can totally see why.... MMMMMM.........
Delicious!! I love spiced cider!
ReplyDeleteP.S. The "getting to church on time" part made me laugh. My husband said the other day that he liked it when we were actually late, instead of almost late, because then the procession has already started and we don't have to squeeze through the priest, deacon, readers, altar servers, etc. LOL
ReplyDeleteI love the little spice diaper!! :)
ReplyDeleteJan, I love this. I have a similar recipe that also involves sliced oranges and lemons.