Miss Tracy's Cotton Pickin Cute Simmering Potpourri

I love it when my house smells good.  One of the best and easiest, I might add, ways to do that is with simmering potpourri.  It's really nice to have a comforting scent filling your home on a cold winters day.

First, head out to the forest and fruit groves to forge for your ingredients.  Or maybe NOT! Just kidding, why not just try your local market/grocery store and your own pantry.  All you need are a few ingredients. 

In this batch I used:
1/2 orange
1/2 apple
1/2 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
approx 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
approx 1 teaspoon whole cloves
Water

Simply slice your fruit, you want to keep the peeling on.  Using ground cinnamon isn't necessary but I like to get that cinnamon scent right away.  Drop in a cinnamon stick and a few cloves and add water.  Once the liquid heats up, I turn it to simmer. You'll want to keep a check on it, and just add more water as it dissipates.

*Since I use a little pot, I fill it up to the top, but 2 cups of water is about right for a 2 quart pot.  If you're using a 2 qt pot, you could use more fruit as well.

My little little soup pots are perfect for simmering on my stove.

Get creative:
Add other items from your kitchen to change it up a bit.  Here are just a few things you can try:
Liquid Vanilla or Vanilla Beans
Dried Bay Leaves
Nutmeg
Cranberries
Pears
Dried Mint
All Spice
Dried Pomegranate Rind
Small Pine Tree Sprigs
Tiny pinecones

You can use this batch several times, no need to toss it right out.  I usually put a lid on it and use it again the next day.  To last even longer store it in the fridge.

As a gift:
Homemade potpourri makes a wonderful gift.  By just adding a few ingredients to a mason jar or even a ziplock bag, you have an affordable and much appreciated gift. If you want to add sliced fruit to your mason jar, the fruit will need to be completely dried out first.  You can do this in one of two ways. I have a dehydrator that I use but you can also dry them in your oven.  Simply pat dry on a paper towel and place slices on a rack or cookie sheet in the oven on the lowest temperature. *Check them often while moving them around so they don't burn. 

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
~ 2 corinthians 2:15

Have a blessed Sunday Y'all...