Natural Stovetop Simmering Scent Recipe for the Holidays

I don’t know about you, and maybe it’s the mild Midwest weather, but the holidays are coming up FAST! How is it already almost Christmas?! This month has been a busy one with holiday activities. Dylan and Parker are understanding the Christmas season more, so it’s been so fun to watch them LOVE the holidays and lights. It feels like a magical time.

It’s also a time of giving. Showing some extra love. And this is a homemade gift idea I am all about…

My neighbor and friend, Katie, came by for some cocktails last weekend and brought with her a package of this homemade simmering scent. She explained that I put on the stove with water and let it simmer and it will fill the house with such warm, good smelling things! She was right!! I am hooked! Kate is gifting these to her daughters’ teachers this year.

I made a batch of her simmering scent recipe this week and Dylan and I packaged it up to gift to Chad’s family when we head there this weekend! And I gave a few to some nearby friends.

Thanks, Katie for letting me share this recipe will all of you. If you need a last minute gift, or hostess gift, or just a gift “just because”… try this! Make some extra so you can enjoy it on your own stovetop, too. It feels like such a gift of homemade love.

Happy Holidays!

For the oranges, slice Navel Oranges and place in a 200 degree oven for about 3-4 hours to dehydrate! I place about 2 slices in each bag.

Place on the stove with water and let simmer as it fills your house with the best holiday smell. Just refill the water as needed!

Katie uses whatever she has on hand, so this recipe is flexible. You can use lemons or grapefruit instead of oranges. I also used both the fresh rosemary and bay leaves, but you can pick and choose what you use depending on what you have!

As you simmer it, it will turn brownish and the cranberries will pop, that’s okay and normal! You can even reuse the next day, just stick the pot in the fridge overnight and simmer again on the stove the next day.

Natural Simmering Stovetop Scent

Recipe from Katie Jones

• Cranberries, fresh

• Dehydrated Oranges (slice oranges and bake in oven at 200 degrees for about 3-4 hours)

• All Spice, whole

• Cloves, whole (Katie also will use whole star anise)

• Cinnamon Sticks

• Fresh Rosemary and/or Bay Leaves

Directions:

1. Place the following in individual bags for gifts: 1-2 cups of cranberries, 2 slices of oranges, pinch of allspice and cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks and a sprig of fresh rosemary and/or 2 bay leaves.

2. To simmer: place contents of bag in a pot of water on the stove and let simmer. You can add more water as needed!

These Natural Stovetop Simmering Scents make great gifts. If you do it, tag me at @Urban.Apron so I can see!