Ingredients:
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced (optional for extra brightness)
3–4 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp whole cloves
2–3 star anise (for a sweet-spicy aroma)
1 cup fresh cranberries (adds color and a light fruity scent)
2–3 fresh rosemary sprigs or small pine branches (for a pine-like note)
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean (optional)
Water (enough to fill your pot about ¾ full)
Instructions:
1. Combine ingredients in a small pot or slow cooker.
2. Add water to cover everything by about an inch.
3. Simmer on low heat (do not boil) and let the fragrance fill your home.
4. Add more water as it evaporates — you can keep it going for hours.
Tips & Variations:
Rustic gift idea:
Dry the ingredients or pack them fresh in a small jar or bag with a tag that says “Holiday Simmer Pot – Just Add Water!”
Spiced Apple version: add apple slices and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Peppermint twist: replace rosemary with mint leaves and a few drops of peppermint extract
