CHRISTMASY CRANBERRY COCKTAIL MIX

This is ridiculously yummy, and gets you right into the holiday spirit. 

4 cups fresh cranberries

1 bottle cranberry juice

9 whole allspice berries

5 cinnamon sticks

9 whole cloves

1 cup sugar

1. Place cranberries, cranberry juice, 5 allspice berries, 3 cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves and 1 cup sugar in a large pot, and bring to a boil and cook until berries start bursting - about 10 minutes.

2. Strain mixture through a fine sieve (I use a metal sieve first, followed by a re-usable coffee filter).  Return to pot.

3. Place remaining spices (2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 4 allspice berries) into a parchment bundle or bag, add to pot, and reheat mixture over low until the desired temperature is reached (I usually let it simmer this way for an hour or more). Remove spice packet.

4. If serving cold cocktails, bottle mixture and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

COCKTAIL SUGGESTION:

Mix 2 parts Christmasy Cranberry Cocktail Mix with 1 part Deer Park Farms Plain Apple Vodka.  Shake in cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Serve cold over ice.