CRANBERRY ORANGE APPLE CIDER

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If you are looking for a way to offer a warm drink to your guests, have beautiful rich colors on your table, AND have your home smelling like Christmas, I have the perfect, quick, and simple crockpot recipe that you need.

You will simply need a crockpot or a large pan for your Apple Cider to warm in. I hope you love it!

 
 

CRANBERRY ORANGE APPLE CIDER

PREP TIME: 5 minutes | COOK TIME: 1 hour

  • 1/2-3/4 cups of fresh Cranberries

  • 2 Oranges sliced

  • 10-12 Cinnamon Sticks

  • Fresh Apple Cider (No sugar added)

I - Pour 1 jug of Apple Cider into a crockpot.

II - Slice 2 Oranges and add on top of the Apple Cider.

III - Top with Cranberries and Cinnamon sticks.

IV - Turn your crockpot on high and leave uncovered to warm and make your home smell like Christmas!

That’s it! So easy. So simple. So beautiful. So yummy. (Feel free to spike it if that is your thing!) May you invite people in to your home with joy this Christmas season and may it feel like home to those who need a friend.

Sincerely-

HOMEMADE SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS

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There is nothing sweeter than homemade ornaments on your tree at Christmas. We are team special ornaments all the way!

Every year for my girls first Christmases, I have made handprint and footprint salt dough ornaments. I was really intimated by them at first, but they are surprisingly easy, and so special. This year, we made some fun picture frame salt dough ornaments for Ever to gift to her friends, and she even painted one so we can remember her little artwork by!

Here are the items you will need to make your own:

  • Flour

  • Water

  • Salt (I used Pink Himalayan salt for that touch of blush for the girls!)

  • Something to press into the dough to cut out shapes (I used the lid of an Almond butter jar - you don’t have to be fancy. You can get creative with items in your kitchen)

  • A sturdy straw to press a hole into the ornaments (These ones are similar to what I use)

  • Ribbon (This one is my favorite)

  • Wax Paper

  • Baking Sheet or Pampered Chef Stone

  • Cooling Racks (These are similar to ours)

  • Poly Spray (This is the one we used)

  • Rolling Pin (This is the one we have an love)

  • Hot glue gun (If you want to make the picture frame ones!)

 
 
 
 

HOMEMADE SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS

Prep: 5 mins | COOK TIME: 2-2.5 hours

  • 2 cups of flour

  • 1 cup of salt

  • 1 cup warm water

I - Mix all 3 ingredients into a bowl or a kitchen aid mixer bowl. Mix throughly.

II - Take salt dough in hands and knead it until it is soft.

III - Place salt dough on wax paper on a table. Use rolling pin to flatten the salt dough.

IV - Cut out your desired shapes! If you are doing handprints and footprints, grab your little one and have your spouse or friend help you press down. You will want to make the imprint deeper than you think so that it stays after you heat them. *Make sure to use to straw to press a hole into the cut out to make sure you have a way to hang them!

V - Place cut outs on a Pampered Chef Stone or your baking sheet. Cook for 2-2.5 hours @ 225 degrees.

VI - Place cut outs on cooling rack and let sit overnight. From here, you can paint them, add photos, hot glue multiples together, or so much more.

VII - Bring cut outs outside and lay on wax paper. Spray them with the poly spray and let them dry for 45 minutes. Turn them over, and repeat.

VIII - Add your ribbon or string! Then, you are ready to hang them on the tree of gift them!

I hope you enjoy making these as much as we have every year for our girls first Christmases. I have a feeling these will be keepsakes for your tree for a very long time.

Sincerely-

Ash