Apple Cinnamon Potpourri

The holidays are coming fast and it will soon be time to venture into the attic to retrieve all the holiday decorations once again. Well don't forget to get an early start on making your Christmas Potpourri.......and you may also want to make some pretty gift jars of a scented potpourri for gift giving. They make a lovely gift and they are very inexpensive to make and take little time to put together. The rewards of a fragrant potpourri are so wonderful. There is nothing nicer than walking into someone's home on a cold winter's day and smelling the sweet and spicy aroma of an Apple Cinnamon potpourri. There are many variations of potpourri but my favorite is the apple cinnamon variety during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. I will share three recipes today for potpourri.....one of which will be with dry ingredients for display in a pretty bowl or open container, and the other two which will be for a simmering variety which can be left simmering on the stove top or in a slow cooker.

The following is the recipe for the dry variety.

Apple Cinnamon Potpourri

1 c. dried apple slices

2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 c. whole allspice berries

10 (2") cinnamon sticks

2 tbsp. whole cloves

1/4 c. canella or nandina berries

10 sm. pinecones

7 drops cinnamon oil

Method:

Combine all ingredients and place in a tight jar or tin. Shake every few days. Cinnamon oil has an extremely strong scent that intensifies as it is absorbed. Add additional oil if needed.
The red sumac berries that grow wild can be used dried as a stabilizer for potpourri (in other recipes it takes the place of orris root which is very expensive).

When ready to display pour the contents into a small serving bowl or open container.

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Aunt Peggy's Potpourri Recipe

Courtesy of Paula Deen

See this recipe on air Thursday Sep. 27 at 1:00 PM ET/PT.

Show: Paula's Home Cooking Episode: Slow Cookin'

Sliced apples

Sliced lemons

Sliced oranges

Water Bay leaves

Whole cloves Cinnamon sticks

In a slow-cooker, combine fruit to preferences of smell. Cover in water. Top with bay leaves, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks. Leave slow-cooker on low.

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Christmas Simmering Potpourri

Ingredients:

3 cinnamon sticks

3 bay leaves

1/4 cup whole cloves

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 lemon slices, fresh or 2 tablespoonsdried lemon peel

2 tablespoons orange peel or dried orange peel

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 quart water

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients up in little Ziploc's to have them ready to add to water during the holiday season.

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Simmer on low heat. Add more water as needed.

For other selections of lovely scented potpourri recipes visit

Herbal Recipes