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Simmer Pot Gifts

An easy simmer pot gift made with dried oranges, apples, cranberries, cinnamon, rosemary, and warm spices. Package it in a kraft bag or jar for a cozy fall or holiday hostess, teacher, neighbor gift.
Yield: 1 Gift Bag
Author: Living Layered

Equipment

  • Ninja Flip Oven with dehydrate setting or convection Oven
  • 1 baking sheet or dehydrating rack

Materials

Simmer Pot Materials

  • 4-6 dried orange slices
  • 4-6 dried apple slices
  • 1/4 cup dried or freeze dried cranberries
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1-2 dried rosemary sprigs
  • 1-2 whole star anise
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves

Packaging Materials

  • 1 kraft paper window bag or glass jar
  • 1 printable simmer pot sticker/label
  • 1 piece fall or Christmas ribbon or twine

Instructions

Dehydrate the Fruit:

  • Ninja Flip Oven: slice orange slices and apple slices 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Remove apple seeds and blot excess moisture from the oranges. Arrange the fruit in a single layer on the dehydrating rack without overlapping. Dehydrate at 135 degrees F. Apples with take approximately 4-6 hours and oranges approximately 6-10 hours. Remove pieces as they become completely dry.
  • In a convection oven, heat oven to its lowest setting, ideally 170-200 degrees F. Arrange fruit in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flip about every hour. Apples generally take 2-4 hours and oranges 3-6 hours. Continue drying until no soft or moist areas remain.
  • Allow fruit to cool completely before packaging.

Dry the Rosemary:

  • Rinse the rosemary and pat completely dry. Arrange the sprigs in a single layer on the dehydrating rack.
  • Using the Ninja Flip Oven, dehydrate at 105-115 degrees F for approximately 1-3 hours, or until completely dry and crisp.
  • In the convection oven, set the oven to its lowest temperature, ideally 140-170 degrees F. Arrange rosemary in a single layer and dry for about 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, checking every 20-30 minutes. Remove when the leaves are crisp and crumble easily between your fingers.
  • Allow the rosemary to cool completely before adding it to the gift bag or jar.

Assemble the Simmer Pot Gift:

  • Place the dried orange slices, dried apple slices, dried or freeze dried cranberries, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, star anise and cloves in a kraft window bag or glass jar.
  • Seal the bag or jar and attach the printable label.
  • Finish with ribbon or twine.

To Use the Crockpot Simmer Pot:

  • Empty the entire contents of the gift bag or jar into a small crockpot.
  • Add 4-6 cups of water, or enough to cover the ingredients.
  • Heat on HIGH for about 1 hour, then reduce to LOW or Warm. Leave the lid off or slightly ajar so the fragrance can fill the room.
  • Check the water periodically and add more hot water as needed. DO NOT allow the crockpot to run dry.

Notes

For the cranberries in this recipe, use store bought dried or freeze dried cranberries. No additional drying is needed. 
For home fragrance only - do not consume. Be sure all fruit is completely dehydrated and cooled before packaging. Store finished gifts in a cool, dry place until ready to give.