She’s Mulling It Over Wine
The drink that fills the house with the scent of the holidays
…and keeps your guests' glasses full without keeping you in the kitchen!
YIELD: 8 servings | PREP TIME: 15 min | COOK TIME: 2 to 2 ½ hours | TOTAL TIME: ~2 hours 45 min
INGREDIENTS:
2 bottles Merlot or dry red wine of your choice
1 c Sugar
2 c Water
1 Large orange, sliced into rounds
2 Cinnamon sticks, broken in half
8 Whole cloves
1 piece cheesecloth, 8-inch square, double-layered
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pour the wine, sugar, and water into your slow cooker. Give it a quick stir to start dissolving the sugar.
Rinse the cheesecloth under cold water and squeeze out the excess. Place the cinnamon stick halves and whole cloves in the center, gather the corners together, and tie it securely into a bundle. This is your spice bag.
Drop the spice bag into the slow cooker. Add the orange slices on top.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Keep the lid on the entire time — no peeking. When you do open it, stand back. The steam is hot.
Remove and discard the spice bag. Ladle into mugs and serve warm.
NOTES:
Wine tip: This recipe is all about the spices, so save the good stuff for another night. A solid grocery-store dry red works perfectly here.
Hosting tip: Once it's done, switch the slow cooker to WARM and leave it out all evening. Guests can help themselves and it stays at the perfect temperature for hours.
Make it a bar: Set out extras like star anise, a vanilla bean, or a splash of brandy so guests can customize their mugs.
