As soon as the cooler autumn weather sets in I want things to smell autumn-y.

Have you noticed how certain smells can trigger memories? Back when I was probably in tenth grade I spent a week or two reading The Oath by Frank Peretti and apparently I spent most of my reading time also burning a cinnamon apple candle because every few years I get a whiff of that exact same scent and it pulls me right back to my forest green bedroom in the fall, curled up reading that creepy book.

This year I set out to make my house smell delicious in autumn and I created the perfect stove top potpourri.

This is a great thing to throw on the stove shortly before having guests over since it makes your house smell so delicious!

 

 

AUTUMN STOVE TOP POTPOURRI – TWO WAYS

There are two ways to make this: the lazy way or the slightly-more-work way.

Either way your house will smell like autumn, though I have to admit, I personally prefer the scent of the slightly-more-work way (just call me high maintenance).

The lazy way involves cutting up some fruit and throwing it into a pot with some water and spices.

The slightly-more-work way includes dehydrating the fruit before tossing it into the pot.

No matter which way you choose, these are your ingredients:

• oranges
• apples
• cinnamon sticks
• cloves

 

 

THE SLIGHTLY-MORE-WORK DEHYDRATED METHOD

STEP ONE: Thinly slice an equal amount of oranges and apples to fill your dehydrator and dehydrate until dried. (For my dehydrator it took about 8 hours at 145F.)

STEP TWO: Fill a small pot mostly full of water and then add a few slices of oranges and apples, one cinnamon stick and approximately 1/2 tablespoon of cloves.

STEP THREE: Simmer the mixture on a fairly low temperature. Keep replenishing the water as it gets close to empty. You can use this same mixture until it looses it’s smell.

 

 

THE LAZY NON-DEHYDRATED METHOD

STEP ONE: Quarter an orange and apple (or if you have crab apples you need to use up, you can use a few of those).

STEP TWO: Fill a small pot mostly full of water and then add the orange and apple quarters, one cinnamon stick and approximately 1/2 tablespoon of cloves.

STEP THREE: Simmer the mixture on a fairly low temperature. Keep replenishing the water as it gets close to empty. You can use this same mixture until it looses it’s smell.

 

I hope you enjoy your stove top potpourri! If you are in need of a good autumn book to read check out this list of my favorite fall books.