Spice Hot Pads

4 cinnamon sticks, crushed
2 tablespoons cloves, crushed
1 cup raw rice

Mix crushed cinnamon sticks and cloves with uncooked rice. Place in a cloth bag, about 7 inches square. Sew up the open end. Use as a hot pad. The scent will come out when a hot dish is placed on the mat. You can substitute herbs (herbal tea works well) for the spices. If you want to be more fancy, carefully sew seams across the pad, so you end up with a crisscross or chessboard pattern. This will make the pad less floppy and easier to use.