Mulled Wine

When winter weather swirls in, nothing could be cozier than a toasty mug of mulled wine.

Ingredients:

One bottle (750 mL) of red wine (suggestions: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot)
One peeled and sliced orange (keep peel to add zest to taste into cooking pot)
1/4 cup of brandy
8-10 cloves
1/3 cup honey or sugar*
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp fresh or 2 tsp ground ginger (allspice can be substituted)
Serves 4-6

MIXING INGREDIENTS:

To make the perfect cup of mulled wine, combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the honey or sugar has completely dissolved. When the wine is steaming and the ingredients have been well blended it is ready to serve. Ladle the mulled wine into mugs (leave seasonings behind) and enjoy!

* The 1/3 cup of honey or sugar does make a sweeter-styled mulled wine, feel free to cut honey/sugar down to taste.