Aisle Twelve

Here's a holiday recipe that will be sure to bring plenty of cheer. Mulled wine will warm your belly, and not just because it's served warm. The smell alone will get you in a festive mood. Be sure not to break the bank on extravagant wine. With all the spice and other flavors in this drink, the nuances of the wine will be masked. An inexpensive wine will be more than fine. I can't think of a better way to drink this than curled up by the fireplace with a nice blanket and good conversation. Cheers to the holidays! Mulled Wine 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups water 1 cup apple cider 1 cinnamon stick 12 cloves peel of 1 lemon 2 bottles dry red wine 1/2 cup brandy or spiced rum Combine water, sugar, cinnamon stick,cloves and lemon peel in large sauce pan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add brandy, cider and wine. Do not boil. Bring to temperature of coffee.

It's that time of year again: slow cooker season. There is no better feeling than coming home to a rich, flavorful dinner that you hardly had to lift a finger for. That is why slow cookers should be called life savers, or sanity savers, or good smell factories. They are the best. I've mentioned before though that it can be challenging to find a slow cooker recipe that is not a soup, stew or chili. Here's one that's a little different and just as rib stickingly delicious. Ropa Vieja literally translates to old clothes. I'm not quite sure why. Is it because the shreds of beef look like old tattered clothing? Or because you gobble it up so fast you make a hot mess of your shirt which now becomes old clothes? Either way, this meal is delicious. Think pot roast with a little Spanish flair. Being married to a Cuban, I find that I am frequently requested to make Cuban dishes.  The problem is, I haven't had much experience in authentic Cuban food.  That chang...