Recipe courtesy of Mindy Green

10 minutes prep time

This mixture makes a lovely holiday gift. You can package as little as a tablespoon or as much as a cup, depending on how many recipients you have in mind.

What you need:

• 2 parts cinnamon sticks, broken
• 1 part dried and broken orange peel
• 1/4 part whole cloves
• 1/4 part whole nutmeg, crushed
• 1/2 part whole allspice
• 1/4 part ground ginger
• 1/4 part whole cardamom or star anise, optional

What you do:

1. Mix spices together well.
2. Pack into a special jar with a small scoop, or bundle 2 tablespoons into a 7-inch-square piece of cheesecloth to make a sachet.
3. Gather corners and tie with string. Attach a long piece of cinnamon stick or strip of dried orange peel around top.

Directions for use: Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of spices (or 1 sachet) to 1 quart of liquid, or 1/4 cup spices to 1 gallon of liquid. Add spices to a pan with cider, wine, or cranberry juice. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with cinnamon stick stirrer.