Festive Cranberry Drink

Name: Festive Cranberry Drink
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 3 quarts
Ingredients: 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries; 3 quarts water, divided; 1-3/4 cups sugar; 1 cup orange juice; 2/3 cup lemon juice; 1/2 cup red-hot candies; 12 whole cloves

Warm or cold? Take your choice of how to serve this colorful autumn beverage. It’s such a pretty color, and the spicy sweet-tart flavor is delightful with a meal or snack.—Dixie Terry,Goreville, Illinois

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3 quarts water, divided
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup red-hot candies
12 whole cloves

Directions

In a Dutch oven, combine cranberries and 1 qt. water. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Strain through a fine strainer, pressing mixture with a spoon; discard skins. Return cranberry pulp and juice to the pan.
Stir in the sugar, juices, red-hots and remaining water. Place cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth. Bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag; add to juice mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until sugar and red-hots are dissolved.
Remove from the heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Discard spice bag. Serve drink warm or cold.