Natural Designs Studio

The smell of oranges during the holidays transports me to childhood.   My mother always displayed a large bowl of oranges on the table Christmas morning with several kinds of nuts for cracking and eating.  We snacked on these goodies all day.  The house was filled with the scent of citrus and fresh pine.  

Today when I peel an orange, grapefruit, or lemon I put the rind on a tray or pie pan, and set it on a warm burner (or in the oven after baking) to release its divine scent.  My friend keeps a small crock-pot simmering with citrus peelings and spices, such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, and ginger, on the kitchen counter during the holidays.  It's the perfect way to bring in the holiday season without any added expense.

 ~   Grate the rinds of lemons and oranges before cutting or peeling.   Freeze them in a small container for baking recipes.
~    Rub lemon rinds over cutting boards to clean and give a fresh scent
~    Put lemon rinds in dish water for a naturally scented cleaning agent
~    Add citrus peels to a cup of hot tea to enhance its flavor and health benefits 
~    Add dried citrus peels to sachets as a natural air freshener for drawers
~    Fill cotton bags to deter pest in storage trunks