Apple Cider

I am so excited to share this recipe with you, you guys!

Recently, Rachel from Oh, Simple Thoughts shared this on her blog.

I saw it and immediately knew I was going to make some.

The other weekend, Joshua and I hit up Costco in Anchorage. I decided to buy two huge cases of apples. Like both cases equaling 30 apples combined. That's a whole lotta apples.

Before moving to the bush, I hardly ate apples. But since living in Newtok, they were the easiest fruit to ship so my mother would always send me some in her care packages. Luckily, her care packages came so often I hardly went without fresh fruit. But I so looked forward to eating those apples she sent that now it's a habit. Plus, I had just found some great recipes that involved apples that I thought we would use them no problem. I was wrong. They started getting mushy and not as crisp. Which is fine for cooking, but I wanted them even more for snacking, and I don't do non-crispy apples, ya know? So you see why when I saw this recipe, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to use those 12 extra apples we had left!

Another great thing about this recipe, be prepared to have your house smell fantastic. The cinnamon, mixed with the cloves, all spice, and nutmeg, combined with the juices of apples and the orange - oh my goodness. It really is just heavenly.

Ingredients:

- 12 apples, it doesn't matter what type, quartered

- 1 large orange, chopped into eighths

- 6 cinnamon sticks

- 1 tbsp whole all spice

- 1 tbsp ground cloves (or 1 tbsp whole clove)

- 1 tsp ground nutmeg (or 1 whole nutmeg

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- large stock pot

Directions:

- Place apples, orange, and all spices in the pot. Add sugar. Cover with water until there is about an inch and a half from the top of the pot.

- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, covered for one hour. Then uncover and allow to simmer and reduce for 2 more hours.

- Using a fine mesh strainer, strain mixture into large pitcher or container. Serve immediately or allow to cool at room temperature and refrigerate for up to 2-3 weeks.