Slow-Cooker Mulled Wine

 Every couple of years the Veggie Dad goes to Reading, England for business.  He comes back with tales of exotic cocktails and pub food.  Okay, he comes back with tales of Mulled Wine and Pims, but I don't get to go on these (or any other) trips so they seem exotic to me.  

Here I offer you Mulled Wine.  I don't know if this is anything like what he gets in the pub and he won't tell me one way or another.  Yes, that's right.  I don't get to go on these trips, and he won't give me feedback on the trip inspired recipes which he has requested I make.  He is lucky he's cute, because I have some pretty good knife skills.  

The Ingredients

4 cups red wine

1 cup orange juice

1/2 to 1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

The Tools

 a small slow cooker

a cork screw 

and a knife, in case your husband gives you any lip

The Mulling

Combine the orange juice and the sugar together in the crock of your slow cooker

Add the wine

Add the spices

Stir with a whisk until the spices are better combined.  The spices will not completely dissolve in the cold/cool liquids, but whisk them until they are as combined as you can get them.  

Place the lid on the slow cooker and allow it to cook on high for 2-4 hours.  Turn the cooker down to low before serving.  

Serving size is a 6 ounce cup, this is based on my cups.....

Calories: 226

Fat Grams: 0 (see, it's a health food now)

Fiber Grams: 0 (and it just lost its health food status)

Sodium: 0 (status revived-Whoo Hooo)

Yorkshire Pudding

This dish is fast becoming a standard for Christmas dinner.  This is a classic dish from England which was traditionally made with the drippings from a roast.  Of course, as a vegetarian cooking blog roast drippings is just will not cut it.  Instead I use butter seasoned with salt.  I suppose I could break down and purchase some salted butter, but I don't typically use salted butter so this seems the best route for me. 

There are a couple of points I need to make about making at Yorkshire Pudding.  First, all your ingredients MUST be at room temperature.  This is very important.  Second, your oven must be at the right temperature.  If you are uncertain as to the accuracy of your oven's temperature reading invest in a thermometer for your oven.  Third, be patient.  You cannot risk the temperature on your oven dropping so once your Yorkshire pudding is in the oven you may not open the oven for 20 minutes. 

The Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt

The Tools

bowl

whisk

handheld mixer or stand mixer

9x13 baking dish


The Cooking

Whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. 

Beat together the eggs and milk.  Allow the mixture to sit for about 20 minutes. 

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix together.  Then allow the batter to rest again, for about 20 minutes.  Take this time to preheat the oven to 450°.  

 A few moments before you are to place your Yorkshire Pudding in the oven place the butter in the 9x13 inch baking dish topped with about 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

Allow the butter to melt in the oven, once it is melted pour the batter into the now very hot baking dish and return the pudding to the oven. 

Bake the pudding for 20 to 30 minutes, but it is imperative that you not open the oven for the first 20 minutes to insure that the oven stays hot. 



Yorkshire Pudding

My mom used to make this on special occasions and I have not had it in years. I used to love it when she made it, but at a certain point it just would not rise for her. After some research I decided to add an egg to my recipe, rest the batter like you would for crepes and to avoid opening the oven at all cost. It turned out beautifully!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter with 1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl beat the eggs well with an electric hand mixer. Add the milk and beat with the mixer until well incorporated. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix with the hand mixer until the batter is thin and smooth. Allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes (longer if possible).
2. Preheat the oven to 450°. Place the 1/4 cup of butter in a 9x11 inch baking dish and sprinkle it with 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Place the butter and baking dish into the oven to allow the butter to completely melt. Once the butter is melted, add the rested batter to the baking dish. Return to the oven and allow to bake for 25 to 30 minutes. It is important that the oven stay at a constant temperature so do not open the door during the cooking time.

Cut into 6 large portions: 180 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 0 grams of fiber. You can cut this into 8 portions and that will lower the calories per serving, but you are going to what the larger piece!!!