New World Wassail
Makes 5 servings
3 C apple cider or apple juice
2 C natural cranberry drink (no sugar added)
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
5 allspice berries
0.5 quarter-size slice ginger
1 orange, peeled and sliced
Cranberries, optional
0.25 to 0.5 C brandy, optional
Additional cinnamon sticks, as needed
1 orange, thinly sliced, for serving
- Place all ingredients except the brandy in a large, non-reactive pot or crockpot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Simmer for at least 2 hours (may be kept in a crockpot for 4 hours.)
- If using brandy, stir it in about 15 minutes before serving, and continue to simmer on low heat.
- Strain out the spices and fruit and serve with cinnamon sticks and fresh slices of orange.
Crunchy Chickpeas
If you like crunchy chickpea snacks but think the ones at the supermarket are a bit pricey, here’s how to make your own!
- Open, rinse and drain a can of chickpeas/garbanzos. You can pat them dry, but it’s really not essential.
- Spread them in the basket of an air fryer or on a pan in a convection oven. (This can probably be done in a regular oven, but it will take longer.)
- Sprinkle with seasoning. I like Mexican adobo, which is mostly salt, granulated garlic, a little bit of black pepper and turmeric. Curry might be nice, too. Or your favorite.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F, shaking at least once halfway through.
- If some are chewy in the middle, give it a little more time. In a regular oven, I imagine it will take longer or take more heat. To me, these are enough to make an air fryer worthwhile all by themselves – about $1 per can makes the equivalent of a $5 bag of Biena snacks.
Mary Apple’s Spiced Pecans
Preparation: Line cookie sheet with foil for drying nuts.
Mix in a sauce pan:
1 1/2 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 allspice
2 tsp cinnamon
Add:
1/2 C water
Cook: With candy thermometer in pan, heat on stove top to 236 degrees F (soft ball), stirring constantly. Remove from stove top.
Add: 3 to 4 C shelled, whole pecans
Stir: until coated. Spread on foil covered cookie sheet and let dry. Break up and store.