Dessert Night!

While the weather is cooling down we all love to hang outside and have a snack with a warm drink. Nothing beats hot cider on a cool winter evening, with a snicker doodle for a nice treat. Here are two recipes for a fun dessert night. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 cups apple cider
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 whole allspice berries
• 1 orange peel, cut into strips
• 1 lemon peel, cut into strips
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• Directions

1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
4. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desire

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
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• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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• Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar, stir into the creamed mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small saucer, stir together the remaining sugar, with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in the sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, edges will be golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.