Monday, October 1, 2012

Witches Brew

I love love love fall and especially HALLOWEEN!  For the next month, I'll be posting some of the recipes my family loves to make for this holiday and season.  Most are just basic dishes have been Spookyfied, others have been collected from classes or other events.  Hope your family enjoys them as much as mine.

This recipe will cast a delicious smell over your whole house. 
 
Witches Brew
1 apple
1 orange
1 lemon
2 T whole allspice
2 T whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
Slice fruit into rings. Don't worry about peels, seed, cores, etc. Place all ingrdients into a crock-pot. Fill with water. Simmer on low. Refill with water as needed.  Be careful not let the water get too low.

70 comments:

  1. Great brew! I just pinned the recipe! I have everything but an orange. Think I may start this brew this afternoon - perfect for this rainy Ohio fall day! Thanks for the fun share!

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  2. I'm sure it smells awesome! How does it taste? Or is it just for the aroma?

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    1. If you want something similar to this that's for drinking you can do 1 part cranberry juice, 1 part orange juice, 7-10 whole cloves and 2 cinnamon sticks. Simmer for at least 10 minutes. Best fall punch EVER!

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    2. Megan, pardon my ignorance but how do you measure out 1 part cranberry and 1 part orange juice? What measurement do you use?

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    3. Use any measure according to how much you want to make like 1 cup cranberry and 1 cup orange juice. 1 quart cranberry and 1 quart orange juice. It just means equal parts of the liquids. As you increase the liquids, you must also increase the spices as strong or as weak as you want.

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  3. It's just for aroma I think :) I do this in a pot on the stove, but crockpot makes sense too!!! I would have to set a timer to remember to keep adding water.

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  4. Thanks all for the nice comments. And yes, this is for aroma only.

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    Replies
    1. Do you have something like this to drink?

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    2. 1 can each of frozen juices -orange, pineapple, apple
      Cloves- just a couple it's all depending on your taste
      Cinnamon- 4 sticks
      2 C water w/ regular (or decaf) Lipton tea bags.

      Do not boil! Heat to desired temp. The longer you heat it, the more the flavors blend. (Taste, if too sweet you can add an additional can of water.) I usually let mine go for a few hours on low before drinking.
      The house smells great and it's delicious!

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    3. You can also do
      1 part cranberry juice
      1 part orange juice
      7-10 whole cloves
      2 cinnamon sticks

      Simmer at least 10 minutes or until the spices are infused to your liking. :)

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    4. Cloudy lemonade or cider in place of water. May need to adjust spices but would make an awesome hot cider toddy

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  5. It would work on top of the wood burner also... again watch the water levels

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  6. Would it be possible to use spices for this? I have everything else in its whole form?

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  7. Replies
    1. Cindy, cloves are a spice. Here's what they look like:
      http://www.spiceislands.com/Spices_and_Herbs/cloves__whole

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    2. Thank you so much!! I had no idea. :) I'm going to make this today!! I'm very excited!

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  8. Does it get very aromatic with the crockpot lid on or do you leave it off as it brews?

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    1. I'd like to know the answer to this question also. I have made it but have been keeping the lid off so far.

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    2. Mads- I've tried it both ways. I prefer to keep the lid off. The smell is much stronger. However, if you keep the lid on, the water doesn't evaporate quite as fast and you still get an aroma.

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    3. Mads- I've tried it both ways. I prefer to keep the lid off. The smell is much stronger. However, if you keep the lid on, the water doesn't evaporate quite as fast and you still get an aroma.

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  9. Do you have a suggestion of what to replace the apple with? I get an allergic reaction even from the scent of apples but this looks wonderful and i love the idea

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  10. Try replacing the apple with a pear...

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    Replies
    1. You can also just omit the apple all together.

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  11. how long will this last? more than one day?

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    Replies
    1. This will last several weeks. Just be careful not to let the water get low.

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  12. what is allspice? can you use something else?

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  13. also, what about mulling spices? will that work instead of allspice?

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    Replies
    1. Allspice can be found with the rest of the spices. I would guess mulling spices will work great. Its all about what you like (Smell-Wise).

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  14. I just made this and it's warming up in the crock pot. I'm excited for my house to smell delicious! Thank you!

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  15. Can this be stored (refrigerated) and re-used at a later time?

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    Replies
    1. I have never needed to do this, but I'm assuming it would work. :)
      -Rachael

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  16. I dont have the clove what can I replace it with or will it be ok without it???

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    Replies
    1. You can omit the clove. It will still smell good.
      -Rachael

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  17. what is the T? tea spoon? table spoon?

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    Replies
    1. Capital T is an abbreviation for tablespoon.

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  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. I am thinking of making simmer pot recipes like these for christmas gifts, but you have to dry the fruit and I am not sure how to go about that, any suggestions? I do not own a food dehydrator, could I do it in the oven??

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    1. I have never tried dehydrating in my oven but ehow says it can be done: http://www.ehow.com/how_4964887_dehydrate-food-oven.html
      Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

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  20. Another way to do this is put the ingredients in a mason jar and put on a candle warmer. Just make sure to keep an eye on the water level! I like doing it this way so I can put the lid on it when not in use.

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  21. might as well make mulled wine it would be yummy as well as smelling great :)

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  22. I do this, but with crushed apple juice (that hasn't been clarified). Strain the bits out and serve hot - two birds with one stone :)

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  23. OMG OMG OMG!!!! I LOOVVEE THIS IDEA!! YAAYYY FALL!! ╮(╯▽╰)╭Thanks Rachael! I'm soo doing this!!! Lovvee itt!! -♥

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  24. Great idea...going to try this fall. <3 !!

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  25. Saw this on Pinterest......This is such a great Rachel.....will use this recipe for FALL and the holidays

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  26. Hi there, I also saw this on Pinterest, can't wait to try it out.

    I was wondering if you have a Christmas recipe by any chance, something to give the aroma of Christmas scents perhaps?

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  27. I wonder if you could make this cool it down and add it to an unscented wax and make your own wax melts for a tart warmer??!! You would starin it to remove the fruits, cinnamon stickes and cloves and use the scented liquid. Will have to give it a try!!!

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  28. It is possible to achieve the same result with the powdered spices instead of the whole ones? I'm cheap like that.... :)

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  29. I was looking for more Halloween Recipes and found your blog site. I hope it’s fine with you if I could pin some photos on my Pinterest boards. Thank you and keep sharing :D They look yummy than scary btw! haha

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  30. Yay, just made this with my daughter...some smells she has never smelt before (cloves, allspice) i am excited for my house to start-a-smellin!

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  31. Made this today in the cockpot, didn't get very aromatic. Put in a pot on the stove to simmer and 10mins later my entire house smells AMAZEBALLS. ..Hope it lasts.

    Can it be reused??? Or a remake everytime?

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  32. Just made this and it smells great just a little over powering since I live in a 1 bedroom apartment. I think next time I'm going to use less cloves cause that's all I smell. It's covering up the boiled peanuts smell so thank you :)

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  33. This recipe was in Canadian Living magazine about 30 years ago and my family grew up with this familiar part of Christmas. I've tried it in a mini crock pot and it just doesn't compare with a pot on the stove. We kept it going most days throughout the holidays, adding water and then replacing spices when the aroma began to fade. Here's the recipe in it's entirety:

    In pioneer homes, the fragrance of spices simmering in a pot on the open hearth ushered in the Christmas Season. To enjoy the nostalgic fragrance of Christmas, place the following spices into 4 cups briskly boiling water. Boil, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes, then allow mixture to simmer gently as long as fragrance is desired. Add water as necessary. May be cooled, refrigerated and reused.

    2 cinnamon sticks
    1 Tablespoon each: whole allspice, whole cloves, and caraway seeds.

    (the caraway seeds add another dimension to this concoction. Pick up your spices at the bulk food section of your grocery store and make enough to share with family and friends.)

    You'll feel like you've stepped into the past - hope you enjoy it!!!

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  34. I love to do this in my pot on my wood burner. . Smells Great! I use it throughout the winter. I'd use melting wax scents for a change too. But I went to goodwill and bought ceramic double lined cups to put my wax in and drop 3 of the 6 wax cubes in that's it everyone comments on it!

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  35. I am doing this today...... February 22, 2014. I, too, love Halloween and Fall. Anything that brings back that feeling is worth a try!

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  36. recipes is definitely a good I will be making them .Cook book offer clear and easy recipes with easily obtained ingredients as an antidote to some of what's out there.
    Chefs For Hire

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  37. Hello! This little Witches brew has been a favourite of mine ever since I first saw it on your blog. I'm creating an autumn post on my own and will link back to this recipe. However, since I write in two different languages (English and Bulgarian), would it be okay for me to translate the recipe into Bulgarian in my post aswell?
    Thank you!
    - Lana from http://inkydragons.blogspot.com

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  38. I'm curious. Is there any variety of apple that is more fragrant than others for making this?

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  39. It's just for aroma I think :) I do this in a pot on the stove, but crockpot ... qcrockpot.blogspot.com

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  40. I would love to include this in a Fall roundup I'm posting this week on my blog. Please let me know if I can include - I would use one picture and link back to your blog. Thanks!

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  41. I like the smell of pumpkin spice. Could I substitute anything using this?

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