Hot Cranberry Cider Punch

Cobbled together from several favorite Epicurus.com recipes, this is the absolute epitome of a Winter Holiday Punch. Simmered in a crockpot (after being strained), this will warm your guests heart and soul.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 4  cups cranberry juice (32 oz bottle)
• 4  cups apple cider
• 1 (12 ounce) can  apricot nectar
• 2  cinnamon sticks
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon whole allspice
• 4  cloves, whole
• 1⁄4 inch  piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 3  slices  orange peel
• 3  slices lemon peel
• 2 -6  tablespoons brown sugar
• 1  cup rum
• 4  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. In large pan combine cranberry juice, cider, nectar, spices, orange and lemon peel.
2. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered 20-30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.
4. Taste punch and sweeten accordingly. Apple Cider and Cranberry Juice vary greatly in sweetness - you may need no sugar, or you may need a little more than listed.
5. Add rum and butter, stirring until butter melts. Or, if having a non-alcoholic alternative is desirable, hold off on adding the rum to the entire punch and add 1 to 2 tbsp of rum to each mug, then fill to the rim with hot punch.