Happy Holidays friends!!! Now that Halloween is over I feel like we can officially say that! Tell me I’m not the only one in full holiday mode? I started Christmas shopping last month and totally plan to be finished by Thanksgiving. I want to enjoy the festivities and scrambling for last minute gift ideas in a crowd of anxious shoppers always kills my vibe.
This year we won’t have a kitchen for Thanksgiving while our Clean Eats Kitchen reno is in full swing! I’m equal parts excited and sad about that! Excited to have our new space and start making memories, but sad we won’t be able to carry out our family holiday traditions. Every other year we go to my in-laws and on our off years we stay home and I cook for my family. Well, that’s going to be a little hard this year sans kitchen.
I still haven’t decided what were doing. Should we go out for a fancy overly priced meal or order in? Chinese? Just kidding. Maybe I’ll throw a turkey breast on the Traeger, mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot and green bean casserole in the microwave and we can dine picnic style? With candles and our best holiday china of course!
However we choose, the most important thing is that we will all be together! I think that’s why I love the holidays so much, we all take time to be home, slow down and enjoy each others company without the rush of the world. Once your babies grow into adults these moments are harder and harder to find. I cherish these moments and want them to be remembered!
Growing up our house always smelled like Christmas the minute fall hit! You know that smell? Cloves, cinnamon and citrus brewing on the stove top? It’s one of the traditions from my childhood I look forward to every year and my kids love it too! I always use my mothers recipe, which was my grandmothers and I think its THE BEST!
Plus look how pretty it is! The yellow Le Creuset makes all the colors pop so much!
Star anise is a key player but can be hard to find. I linked it here for you. I’ve also found it locally in Utah at Harmons. You could swap it out with fennel seeds but the start shape is kind of nostalgic and I love it!
Have you ever made stove top potpourri? If not, whip up a batch this weekend and welcome the holidays with open arms! Mine will last up to three days, just keep adding water!
Holiday Stove Top Potpourri
Ingredients
- 2 naval oranges sliced
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 3 tsp whole cloves
- 3 star anise
- 2 tsp nutmeg ground
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
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Add all ingredients to a pot, fill with water about one inch from the brim and simmer.
Recipe Notes
When the water boils down just add more. You can keep refilling and simmering with the same ingredients for up to three days.
Last minute gift idea
For an easy last minute gift idea throw the above ingredients into a 16 ounce frosting bag and tie it up with a cute ribbon and label. Who doesn’t love the scents of Christmas!!? Print label here.
This is what I’ll be making first with my new Le Creuset pot from the Insta giveaway!😍💃🏼😂💕🙈 I love cooking & I love Le Creuset!
I would love to use a le creuset to make this!! Looks delish!
This recipe looks absolutely DELICIOUS! If I won the giveaway I would love to try this recipe because even though the holidays are over, it doesn’t mean that making warm, cozy meals for my fiancé and I. The holidays are such a blessed time for us so any mea that brings us there is perfect! Since we are getting married in a few months, this giveaway would be perfect to start home cooked meals 🙂