Simmering Pot Recipes

Simmering potpourri is a lovely way to make your home smell warm and inviting, especially during the holiday season when you use fragrant spices like cinnamon and cloves.

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How It Works
Just fill a pot with water, add your favorite ingredients and simmer all day. This also helps humidify the home a bit.
The recipes below are just guidelines, you can use different amounts and mix up ingredients as you like. Save: Orange, lemon and lime peels, apple skins (dry them out first before storing in a container) and add assorted spices. Experiment to find your favorite aromas!

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Directions
Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the ingredients from your favorite recipe, boil for a few minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer all day. Top up water as needed.
Caution: Set your timer for 30 minutes so you remember to top up with water. You don’t want the pot burning dry. Do not leave the house with this left heating on the stove.

#1
Cinnamon sticks
Apple peels
Orange rinds
Whole cloves

#2
Apple juice
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves

#3
Vanilla (a few drops)
Orange peels

#4 – Christmas Potpourri Simmering Pot
3 sprigs evergreen or handful pine needles
2 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 pieces orange rind
2 pieces lemon rind

#5
2 TBS whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
1 orange peel

#6
Whole cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

#7
Peel from a whole orange
Whole cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks

#8
5 bay leaves
1 TBS whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon

#9
Peel from 1 lemon
Peel from 1 orange
2 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves

#10
1/8 cup cloves
1/8 cup allspice
2 cinnamon sticks

#11
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp vanilla

#12
1 cup dried lavender
1 tsp anise
1 TBS nutmeg
1 TBS whole cloves
1 Cinnamon stick

#13
2 sticks cinnamon
Peel from one lemon
Fresh rosemary
Whole cloves

#14 - Winter Freshener
2 cups dried rosemary
2 cups dried lavender
1 cup dried eucalyptus leaves
1/2 cup dried peppermint or spearmint
1/2 cup dried bay leaves
Directions: Keep stored in an airtight container then add 1 cup of mix per 3 cups boiling water.

#15 - Fragrant Slowcooker Version
1 cup dried lavender leaves
4 cups dried rose petals
1 tsp. anise seed
1 TBS ground nutmeg
1 TBS whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (broken and crushed into pieces)
1 TBS crushed benzoin fixative
5 drops jasmine oil
5 drops patchouli oil
5 drops rose geranium oil
5 drops rosemary oil
Directions: Mix all ingredients and store in a glass container for 1 month before using (store in dark location). Fill crockpot halfway with water, add 1 to 2 cups potpourri then turn the heat on low (lid off).
Source: Company’s Coming Slow Cooker Recipes (by Jean Pare).

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For the Oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a piece of tinfoil (a few inches wide), pour a teaspoon of vanilla on top and place the foil in the oven. Turn off oven and prop the door open a bit.
Fill a loaf pan with water and your favorite recipe from above. Set in oven on high heat until it starts filling your home with lovely smells. Turn off oven, then prop the door open.

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Tips

Storage
You can refrigerate your simmering recipe and reuse daily for up to one week.
Just keep adding water as needed.

Frugal Idea
For apple juice, cranberry juice, herbs and spices that are outdated, don’t throw out–just add to your simmering pot.

To Encourage Appetites
Make fresh bread or fry up an onion or set an onion in the oven to heat. The smell will make everyone good and hungry at meal time