It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas...

Hey!
Welcome to the new blog :). This is just the basic and fun adventures of craftiness, cooking and creativity that I would love to share and hopefully inspire some people to make some great things!
Anyway, on with the blog!

Ahh, Christmas! Steeped in tradition and swimming with all of grandma's favorite cookie recipes Christmas is probably the time of year I'm most inspired to bake, cook or in anyway possible make very-unhealthy-treats-and-gain-20-pounds (all in the spirit!). Over the summer I experimented making  syrups and felt inclined to make a Christmas flavored syrup to be added to carbonated water to make Christmas soda! Mmmm...

So question 1, what does Christmas taste like?
I'm sure almost everyone has a different thought when they hear what does Christmas taste like (some of you are probably thinking "please don't make turkey soda, please don't make turkey soda!), but I do think there is at least one very basic flavor combination that's always affiliated with the Christmas season. Cranberries and Oranges! Mmmm...

And where would these delectable Christmas fruits be without their lovely holiday buddies: Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves?

Mmmm, now onto the recipe! 

What you need: 

1 1/2 cup Water

1 1/2 cup Sugar (oh yeah!) 

1/2 cup Orange juice 

zest of 1 orange (note - this may add a bitter aftertaste to the syrup so if you don't want that just add the juice)

1 half a bag of Cranberries (probably 2-3 cups) 

2 teaspoons of cinnamon 

1 teaspoon of cloves 

pinch of nutmeg 

What you need to do: 

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and put over max heat till boiled and sugar is dissolved. 

Turn the heat down to a low setting and allow to simmer until the liquid is the consistency of a syrup. 

Looks good right? Now strain out the cranberries

Once that is done, you can make cranberry sauce by mashing the cranberries if you don't want to throw them out. 

Now you have Christmas syrup and cranberry sauce! Two recipes in one!! 

The possibilities for this syrup are probably infinite in the Christmas Universe, cake, icing, (ummm...)  there must be tons of drink possibilities too! I made Italian Soda's and they were DELICIOUS! 

So, drink up everyone and have a Merry Christmas!