Mulled Spiced Wine Bone Warming!

Ingredients

• 1 quart red wine
• 1 cup port wine or rum or brandy
• 2 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise in half
• 10 cardamom pods
• 5 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons whole allspice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest (Or use a whole orange cut in 1/2)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated use the whole lemon cut in 1/2
• 3 dried hibiscus flowers (optional)
• sugar, to taste

Garnish

• almonds, blanched
• raisins
• cranberries

Directions

1. 1

   Bring the wine, port, water, vanilla, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, orange peel or whole orange cut in half, lemon peel or whole lemon cut in half, hibiscus flowers and sugar to a simmer in a nonreactive saucepan.

2. 2

   Or place in a slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours.

3. 3

   Simmer the mixture slowly for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Strain and place into Heat resistant punch bowl or keep in crock pot and keep on low.

5. 5

   Place 1 blanched almond and several raisins or fresh cranberries in the bottom of each punch glass.

6. 6

   Pour the warm wine mixture over and serve.