Hot Apple Cider and Ricciarelli Italian Cookies

"Cider Apples"

When God had made the oak trees,
And the beeches and the pines,
And the flowers and the grasses,
And the tendrils of the vines;
He saw that there was wanting
A something in His plan,
And He made the little apples,
The little cider apples,
The sharp, sour cider apples,
To prove his love for man.

Folks are just arriving and baby it's cold outside. After they get their coats removed and are settled back, give them this to warm up. What a way to make someone feel at home and welcomed.

Hot Christmas Cider (Wassail)
12 servings.

1 gallon sweet apple cider
Juice of 4 oranges
Juice of 2 lemons
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tsp. ground allspice
4 sticks cinnamon

Mix cider, orange, and lemon juices. Add sugar and place in saucepan.

Place all spices in cheese cloth bag and add to liquid. Let boil for 5 minutes.

Remove spice bag and float cinnamon sticks on top. Serve hot along with some Italian Ricciarelli Cookies. The recipe is below this one.