Spiced Fruit Punch

I think I’m becoming obsessed with hot drinks from the crock pot. I can’t help it…. it’s just so easy to put them on, walk away and return to a hot beverage after having to dredge through the cold weather.   The whole family loved this crock pot spiced fruit punch. My daughter just kept asking for more and more of it. I have to admit I had a couple of glasses of it too. It was just so warm and smooth going down, I couldn’t help myself. Here is how I did it:

• 1 – 12 ounce can of frozen cran-apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 – 6 ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 2 – 5 1/2 ounce cans of apricot nectar
• 7 cups of water
• 1 navel oragne, washed
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon of whole allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon of whole cloves
• 1 – 8 inch square of double thickness cheese cloth

In a 4 – 5 quart crock pot add cran-apple, lemonade, apricot nectar and water. Using a vegetable peeler zest the orange. Juice the zested orange and add to the crock pot. Wet the cheese cloth and wring out excess water. Open the cheese cloth back up to the 8″ square size. Place orange zest, cinnamon sticks (broken into smaller pieces), allspice and cloves in center of cheese cloth. Bring the corners up and use butcher’s twine to secure the spice mixture in the cheese cloth. Place the spice bundle into the crock pot. Cook on low for 5 – 6 hours. Remove the spice bundle and stir before serving in heatproof mugs. 

This recipe shared at Hearth and Soul.