It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas….
Was it just my mom who always made that dried orange peel potpourri during the holidays? Or is that a mom thing that all moms just innately know how to do?
I don’t know about you, but I remember smelling those Christmas-y scents all through the holidays, and now I can’t help but yearn for those smells each year to feel truly in the spirit!
Now, I know that you are supposed to dry fruit rinds and herbs to make real potpourri, but who has time for that?! My quest for a replacement brew to simmer on my stove top and infuse my house with holiday cheer began in the kitchen and ended in my front yard.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could recreate this elixir using items that I already had! Belle and I have been eating clementines like they are going out of style; so I peeled one, and while we chowed down, I started gathering the ingredients. Cinnamon and cloves are always in my pantry, so those were easy.
There has been a Rosemary bush in my yard since we moved in, and it grows like crazy! I am forever trying to find ways to use it all up, including decorating! I grabbed a few sprigs to add to my potpourri, and I love the result!
Ahhh… now sit back and inhale the holiday cheer!
Ingredients:
- peel of 2-4 clementines (however many you have/how strong you want the citrus)
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves OR 1 tablespoon of whole cloves
- ** 3 sprigs fresh Rosemary – I love it, but it will smell just a lovely without if you lack a giant rosemary bush 🙂
Directions:
Fill a medium sized saucepan 3/4 full with water, add all ingredients and bring to a low boil. Reduce to simmer and leave on low to fill your home with fragrance!
FYI– I typically add more water every couple hours. By the end of the day it will have concentrated quite a bit. I re-use the next day, too! Simply add more water. (By the third day I have eaten more clementines and can make a new batch!)
Tip: each time you eat an orange/clementine, keep the peel in a container to have on hand when you want to make more potpourri!
Happy Holidays!
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