Easy mulled wine recipe

 I'm in need of some down time today. I've had a huge, productive week outside of my home. This weekend I am trying to balance catching up on household organisation and giving myself a well earned rest.

I've washed dishes, clothes and tried to tidy up a bit. I shopped for some veggies at the farmers market. I've ferried the children that needed pickups from overnight stays.

I've watched the sun break through the clouds as though it was determined to banish them despite the chill wind which blew.  The clouds have won and brought more rain and bone seeping temperatures.

That was all the encouragement I need to break out the first batch of mulled wine for the year and pull out the iPad in front of the fire. 

Mulled Wine

One lemon

One orange

200g castor sugar

One cinnamon stick

Six whole cloves

One whole nutmeg

Three fresh bay leaves

Two star anise

Two bottles of red wine (I use cheap wine for occasions like today, good wine for special occasions)

Grate thin slices of the lemon and orange peel straight into a pan. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and grate in some nutmeg. I grated it about twenty times on a fine grater. Juice the orange and add to the pan.  Cover the mix with red wine (barely cover it, you don't want to waste your wine). Over medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and continue to boil for five minutes without stirring until you have made a syrup.

Add the rest of the two bottles of wine and the star anise. Warm through (not too hot or you'll burn off the alcohol) and enjoy.

I'm keeping my pot warm on the fire. I probably should be sharing this with friends because *hic* it's a little more than hubby and I need! But the warm, sweet, syrupy brew is sure making my hectic week seem an irrelevant thing of the past. Surely this is good for me, medicinal I'm sure, *hic* coz I'm feeling shooo mellow!! Cheers.