Friday Recipe: Spiced Cider

It's fall/autumn and it's time to warm up with a lovely glass of cider. Found this as I was searching for Halloween recipes on Cooking Light.

 Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Ingredients

• 5 cups apple cider
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 whole clove
• 1 (1/2-inch-thick) orange slice

• 1 (1/2-inch-thick) lemon slice
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 6 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks (optional)

Preparation

Combine cider, cinnamon stick, clove, orange slice, and lemon slice in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Strain cider mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Stir in brandy. Serve warm. Garnish each serving with 1 cinnamon stick, if desired.

Note: Steep the cider a day ahead of time, keep it refrigerated, and then reheat just before serving. For a nonalcoholic version, simply omit the brandy.