Certain scents add a touch of cozy freshness to the air. Simmering a pot of aromatic herbs, spices, and other ingredients will make your home smell just like the holidays!
Simmer pots are also known as simmering spices or stove-top potpourri. They’re a cheap, and healthy way to add some delicious aroma to your home without using artificial fragrances or expensive candles. All you have to do is add a bunch of things that smell delicious into a pot and simmer. You can even use a crockpot!
Experiment with whatever you’ve got on hand. The same ingredients work together well in a simmer pot as in baking. We love pulling out some of our favorite herbs from our garden to add. Some of our favorites include:
Essential oils are also an easy addition. Certain scents like eucalyptus are especially good during cold and flu season to help everyone breathe a little easier.
To make your simmer pots even more economical, use up your scraps from holiday baking. This can include apple and citrus peels, vanilla pods you’ve already scraped, herb stems, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and any other aromatics.
To get you started, here is a wonderful holiday simmer pot that includes a mix of fruits, spices, and herbs from your garden!
Holiday Simmer Pot with Herbs
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4-5 cups water
- 1 sliced apple (or apple peels)
- 1 thinly sliced lemon, orange, or tangerine (or peels)
- ¾ cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup chamomile
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary or snipped pine needles
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 4-5 cloves or star anise
Place all ingredients in a pot or your crockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer as long as you want. Keep an eye on your water level and add more water as needed.
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