Over the weekend, the hubz and I packed up our little monkeys and toured a local orchard. Other than the slight
sprinkle for about 20 minutes, the trip was a great success.
The kids loved seeing how apples grew and were harvested. Although, three small children, plus one big ladder, equals absolutely exhausted parents. Still, the apple tasting, homemade caramel dip and fresh apple cider helped me to quickly forget the tired legs.
When all was said and done, we left with two dozen cinnamon cider donuts, a bag of apples, a gallon of freshly pressed apple cider and five Coopers desperately in need of naps.
After we got home, I realized one gallon of cider for our young family was going to last a while and because it was orchard fresh, it wasn’t packed with store-bought preservatives. I would have to come up with some delicious ways to serve our delicious treasure in fresh, exciting, inexpensive ways so everyone will enjoy every last drop.
After calling some family and friends, I collected a few fabulous recipes that my family couldn’t get enough of. The hubz and I enjoy the variety and my kids really feel like their warm drinks are a special treat.
The best thing about the recipes are, the ingredients are different, but the process is pretty much the same. The downside is, because everyone gave me large portion recipes, you’ll have to practice your fraction skills if you want a smaller batch.
Ingredients for Three Heavenly Cider Drinks
Raspberry Cider
8 cups cider
1 cup thawed raspberry juice concentrate
ΒΌ cup sugar
1 stick of cinnamon
-OR-
Peach-Apple Cobbler Cider
2 quarts cider
12 ounces peach nectar
2 sticks of cinnamon
2-3 cloves
-OR-
Buttered Cider
1 gallon cider
2 oranges, sliced
2-3 sticks of cinnamon
***1-2 teaspoons of butter per serving mug (don’t add to mixture during simmering)
Stir all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. You don’t want to let the cider boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Take out the cinnamon sticks (and cloves for Peach-Apple Cobbler) and serve it up.
***For the Buttered cider, you’ll add in your preferred amount of butter to your mug before serving. It’ll melt in for a creamy, rich treat.
Image Source: flickr.com/photos/grongar/4029424888/
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