Hot Cranberry Cider

My friend Jill (who makes the lip balms and soaps that we have in the store) sent me this recipe today because she saw on facebook that we were dealing with some sickness at our house, and she recommended it as soothing and good for coughs, chills, and aches.  I made some of this wonderful stuff and boy oh boy it tastes great and was easy to make.  I'm not sure how totally medicinal it is, but seems like it should be a decent choice for drinking when illness is going around the family.

1 pound of fresh cranberries
1.5 cups raw honey
1.5 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
two-thirds a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 cinnamon sticks

In a large pot combine the cranberries with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil until the berries pop.  Strain off the berries, reserving the liquid.  (I saved the cooked berries and later used them in a granola recipe!)  Add in the cinnamon sticks and another 2-3 cups of pure water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.  In the meantime you can juice your orange and lemon with a citrus juicer.  After the 10 minute boil, remove from heat and add the honey, orange, and lemon juice and stir well.  You can take the cinnamon sticks out or leave them in, as you like.  Very nice for drinking warm or cold.  We found it very soothing.  It makes about a gallon of nice cider that you would certainly enjoy whether sick or healthy.  :)