The makings of fish tacos that were so good even the boys asked for seconds. 
This was my first time trying this recipe from one of my favorite TV chefs, Alton Brown. They certainly were good eats. [ha! ha!] If you’d like to try the recipe click here.
If you had told me five years ago that I would be making my own laundry detergent, I would have laughed at you and then asked what you were smoking. I mean, making your own laundry detergent – isn’t that just for hippies and peacenik wannabees?
Well. As it turns out – no. A while ago, I started investigating better/cheaper/more organic ways of cleaning. (Unfortunately, I still haven’t found the magic genie in a bottle that will clean my house while I sleep. If you find that, would you let me know?) One of the first things I searched for was laundry detergent. Last year I purchased several bottles of laundry detergent from Costco. While Costco is one of the less expensive places to purchase it, the cost was still pretty large considering it’s just a bottle of soap.
I remembered watching the Duggar family (of 18 Kids & Counting fame) make their own laundry soap. I was certain that would not be the method that worked for me. Because no matter how much I want to save money or improve the chore of doing laundry – I knew that having to cook my laundry soap would immediately turn it into drudgery for me.
Ergo, google to the rescue. If you search for “homemade laundry detergent” you’ll get a slew of sites with multiple recipes.
I came across one that looked simple enough for me, and I didn’t have to cook it (or stir it before every use.)
Laundry Detergent
- 2 cups grated bar soap (like Fels-Naptha, Zote, Ivory, or Castille soap)
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda
Put all of the ingredients into a air-tight container and stir together. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load of laundry. This recipe makes enough for 32-64 loads of laundry.
Things I’ve learned since then:
Grating soap – you can do it by hand, but it might take forever and you might lose a knuckle if you are not careful. If you use a food processor to grate, you end up with pretty curls so you’ll want to use the chopping blade after grating to help make the soap pieces smaller.
If your air-tight container is large enough, you can double or triple the recipe.
If you don’t like the way the soap smells, don’t use it in the laundry detergent. Personally, I hate don’t like Zote. It won’t be going into my detergent – ever.
If you love the way a soap smells, you’ll love smelling your clean laundry.
If your husband is forever bringing home fancy little bars of soap from hotels across the country, you can use them in your laundry detergent and clear a space on the shelf in the closet. What a deal!
If your husband watches silly youtube videos of what happens to Ivory soap when it is put in the microwave and then has to try it all by himself. The end result substitutes quite well for grated soap, once it cools and dries.
Making your own laundry detergent is frugal-minded. Last October, I bought the original supplies. Borax was about $2.50, Washing soda was about $3.00, a 10-pack of Ivory was on sale for $2.50 – which makes the total about $8.00. I’ve lost count how many batches of detergent I have made from these supplies. I just recently ran out of washing soda. So $8.00 worth of materials has lasted from October to the end of July. That’s not bad – considering I know I would have used at least 2 $20 containers of Costco detergent in that same time frame.
Finally, I’ve learned that there is a certain satisfaction that comes from making a product that I once thought could only be purchased.
I meant to start the slow-cooker early in the day, but it just didn’t happen. So when it got to be close to dinner-time last night and I realized my mistake – I decided to wing it…
I used the same recipe and cooked it on the stove top in about 30 minutes. Sure the flavors might not have been married like they would have been if I’d let it sit all day, but still – this was great. And, I’m really looking forward to tonight’s leftovers!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
The original instructions:
The quick instructions:
I started by sauteing the onions. When the onions are transparent, add the garlic and spices. Stir until it becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, start adding the canned stuff, water, broth, corn, and shredded chicken. Stir. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, then serve! I used tortilla chips instead of making my own strips – because, let’s face it, I’m all about easy.
I’ve been fascinated by the whole idea of cake balls since my friend, Fran, made them for a gathering a couple of years ago. I finally decided I would try to make them when I read the recent posts on The Pioneer Woman’s cooking blog. She hosted the uber-baker,Bakerella, along with several other ladies, to a day at her place where they made scrumptious cupcakes and an assortment of cake balls.
Here’s a short retelling of my attempt to make cake balls.
1. Bake a Red Velvet cake. Mine came from a box because I didn’t want to fool with getting out every ingredient to make it from scratch.
2. Let it cool and crumble it up into a large bowl.
3. Add nearly 1 tub of icing. Mix well, and roll into balls. I used my small scoop, then after chilling for 20 minutes rolled them into balls. (And this picture, by the way, demonstrates why I selected this new refrigerator/freezer – it will hold a large baking sheet.)
4. Yum. Cake balls. I returned them to the freezer for two hours in order to firm up for the coating process.
During that two hour wait, I played with my 50mm lens, trying to figure out the depth of field. I stayed in the same spot, and focused on my dog’s tail, front leg, and then his nose. Then he gave me the look that said, “Mom, will you please knock it off.”
And I did.
Then came the tedious part of trying to coat the little cake balls. This was NOT an easy task. I tried using the melted candies that Bakerella used, but they came out looking like a big gloppy mess. Not pretty, and it certainly didn’t look like good eats.
So, I decided to call Fran and ask her what she used to coat them, because the gloppiness was just plain ugly. She let me know she used a chocolate bark, a hand full of chocolate chips, and a smidge of shortening to thin the melted mixture. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of this, because if I had tried to take pictures my camera would surely be covered in chocolate this very moment. Getting the little suckers coated was a chore. Drop a ball into the melted mixture, fish it out with a fork, let the excess coating drain off, move cake ball from fork to baking sheet without messing it up.
Once they rested for a moment, and the coating firmed up, I used a small ziploc with a snipped corner to pipe initials and designs on them. That was the part I truly enjoyed. As for the whole of it, this was a messy recipe, and I am not a big fan of mess – so this might be the last time I make cake balls. However, I am glad I tried it. They did turn out fabulous.
I’m linking this post to Blessed with Grace‘s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday post.
Once again, I’m joining Lisa at Blessed With Grace for her Tempt My Tummy Tuesday carnival. I hope y’all enjoy!
I am a native Texan, born and bred from parents who are native Texans, who both were born and bred from parents who were native Texans, who were born and bred etc., etc., etc… All of whom know that chili is bite sized meat stewed with a nearly equal amount of chilies, onions and spices, and absolutely NO beans – served in a bowl preferably with a side of Frito’s.
Then I went and married a Yankee. This Yankee has taught me so many things, but when he told me about people who served thier chili over pasta on a plate, I thought he was kidding me. He finally proved it to me sometime around 2002, when he took me to a new-to-Texas chain called Steak n Shake, and ordered Chili Mac. I thought it was nuts, until I tried it..
One of my favorite cooking shows recently had a recipe for something similar to Chili Mac. It was called Cincinnati Chili. Let me tell you, Confederate gals, some of these Yankees know what they’re doing. I’m not giving up my Southern ways, but I promise this is worthy of Tempt My Tummy. Enjoy!
Cincinnati Chili (from Cooks Country TV)
Use canned tomato sauce for this recipe—do not use jarred spaghetti sauce.
Serves 6 to 8.Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 onions , chopped fine 1 clove garlic , minced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Salt 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon allspice 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 cups tomato sauce 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar 1 1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef Instructions
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions until soft and browned around edges, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, and sugar.
2. Add beef and stir to break up meat. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chili is deep brown and slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and serve. (Chili can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)
There are several options to serve Cincinnati Chili. Here they are:
2-way: Served over spaghetti.
3-way: Served over spaghetti, and topped with cheese.
4-way: Served over spaghetti, and topped with onions and cheese.
5-way: Served over spaghetti, and topped with beans and onions and cheese..
My tweaks, tips, and notes:
1) I believe it is absolutely necessary to add ground cumin to any recipe with the word “chili” in the title. I think it’s a law somewhere. I add about 1 teaspoon to this recipe.
2) I use bouillon with my hot water pot instead of canned broth.
3) Tip from the show: use a potato masher to break the meat up into small pieces.
4) This makes quite a bit of chili. I’d say it makes even more than the 6 to 8 servings it claims. For our family of 4, we can eat 3 meals from this recipe.
This is another perfect recipe for cold winter weather. It’s also pretty inexpensive, and so very yummy.
PS: For my other Tempt My Tummy recipes, click here.
When I came across this blog carnival last week, I just knew it would be perfect for me. So, I’m joining Lisa at Blessed With Grace for her Tempt My Tummy Tuesday carnival. I hope y’all enjoy!
I am married to the world’s pickiest eater. No, seriously, I am… In the nearly 6 years that we have been married, he has consumed a limited number of vegetables. I have tried to convince him that not all vegetables are gross, gooey, and slimy. So far, I have been able to add one vegetable to his list of “approved veggies.” Yep, I have convinced him that cabbage can be good. This is the recipe that won him over. If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is…
Mexican Cabbage Soup from 15 Minute Low Carb Recipes
1 quart beef broth
14-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 pound ground round or other very lean ground beef
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
2 cups bagged coleslaw mixIn a large, microwaveable container combine the beef broth and canned tomatoes. Microwave on High for 8 to 10 minutes.
While the broth and tomatoes are heating through, start browning and crumbling the beef in the oil. Use a large soup kettle or heavy-bottomed saucepan. When the beef is about half browned, add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the beef is entirely browned. Add the cumin and oregano, and stir them in, then add the heated beef stock and tomatoes. Stir in the coleslaw mix and bring the whole thing to a simmer. Cook for another minute or so, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings, each with 9 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs and 24 grams of protein.
I do tweak a few things.
1) I almost always use a can of Rotel for the “tomatoes with chiles”. But if that has too much heat, you can use a can of diced tomatoes, and 1/2 can of diced chilies.
2) I use more than 1 quart of broth. Probably closer to 2 quarts. And I use bouillon with my hot water pot instead of canned broth.
3) I don’t use the oil. I figure the beef has enough fat and it browns great.
4) I almost always add a packet of the dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix to the ground beef. It just kicks it up a notch.
5) I rarely need to have a meal in 15 minutes, so I cook it all on the stove-top instead of the microwave.
6) I add the whole bag of coleslaw mix.
This recipe is perfect for cold winter weather. It’s pretty inexpensive, and just plain yummy. Hope you enjoy!
I’m joining in with Shannon’s Works-for-me Wednesday over at Rocks in My Dryer. For a multitude of solutions to a plethora of problems, stop by her blog.
You can call me lazy, if you like, but I don’t want to be running into the kitchen every time the boys want something to drink or eat. I figure God gave them hands so there are some things they can do themselves. That is why I have two bins in the lower kitchen cupboards for all kid dishes (with the added benefit of signs to help with vocabulary.)
This is also helpful when they are helping to unload the dishwasher. They know where the dishes go and they can reach them.
Making my kids do-it-yourselfers - works for me!
For other WFMW posts like Don’t Ask, Just Tell, Decadent Hot Cocoa, Organizing Spices, Cookie Baking Edition, Gun Safety for Kids, Doing It Every Day, Reading Suggestions, and taming a Stinky Sink ~ click here.
It’s Wednesday, which means Shannon is hosting Works-For-Me-Wednesday. Head on over to Rocks in my Dryer for a collection of fantastic ideas.
A couple of months ago, I offered this post on cookie baking. Since then I’ve learned a couple of other tips regarding roll out cookies. So here they are…
When rolling the first portion of cookie dough, I had a hard time getting the flour to stick to my clean counter top. I’ve learned that if you wipe the counter with a damp paper towel/clean towel then immediately sprinkle the counter top with flour. The flour will stay in a layer between the cookie dough and the counter top. This has really helped me from having cookie dough stuck on the counter top.
The second thing I’ve learned about rolling cookie dough is that when you need it to be a particular shape (i.e. a large rectangle) it is so much easier if you roll it between sheets of plastic wrap. If one side starts to loose it’s straight edge, you can just pick up the plastic wrap and fold the dough back onto itself with no struggles. This is particularly helpful when making the Peppermint Pinwheels recipe in this month’s Southern Living magazine. I ended up with beautiful pinwheels.
Making cookies easier – works-for-me!
For my other favorite things (also known as WFMW posts) like No More Colds, Decadent Hot Cocoa, Organizing Spices, Cookie Baking Edition, Gun Safety for Kids, Doing It Every Day, Reading Suggestions, and taming a Stinky Sink ~ click here.
If you’ve been with me since last year, the recipes below will look familiar because they were included in the 2007 Thanksgiving menu post. I figured I would re-post them because they are so darn good. I hope you’ll try them, they really are spectacular.
Appetizer
Pecan Stuffed Dates
(Paula Deen) As any Southern girl knows, a dish with bacon just has to be good. Sweet and salty, yum!
1 (8-ounce) box pitted dates
30 pecan halves
10 to 12 slices bacon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Stuff each date with a pecan half. Cut each slice of bacon into 3 pieces. Wrap 1 piece around each stuffed date and secure with a toothpick. Bake until bacon is crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and serve.
Beverage
Jello Punch
(my grandmother) This is by far, the best punch I’ve ever had. Fights could start to determine who gets the last glass… really, it’s that good.
2 pkg. Jello (Raspberry or Cherry) (I always like Cherry better)
3 c. sugar
1 large can pineapple juice
2 large cans frozen orange juice
1 small can frozen lemon juice
1/2 oz. almond extract (very important secret ingredient)
Boil sugar in 3 cups water. Mix jello as directed on package. Add water to frozen juice as directed. Mix, add flavoring.
**Nov. 2008 Note*** I altered the recipe by using sugar-free jello and splenda instead of sugar and it turned out great. It doesn’t get rid of all the calories, but it does reduce them greatly.)
Makes about 2 gallons.
You can serve it with ginger ale, but my Dad, the purist, believes that is a sacrilege.
Dessert
Icebox Fruit Cake
(my great-grandmother used to make this) A fruit cake that people actually like, need I say more…
1 box graham crackers (crushed)
1/2 box raisins
2 small bottles of cherries (red and green, chopped – also, reserve the juice)
2 sticks oleo (for us young ‘uns that’s butter)
4 cups pecans (shelled and chopped)
1 large bag of large marshmallows
In a large heavy broiler or skillet, slowly melt the butter and marshmallows. In large mixing bowl, mix the graham crackers, raisins, chopped cherries, pecans and 1/2 bottle of cherry juice.
Add melted butter and marshmallows, mix well with hands and place in loaf pan. Refrigerate overnight.
Happy Turkey Day, Ya’ll!
Tigger and I made these last week for his AWANA/Cubbie group. They were pretty easy and I think they turned out super cute. Here is what we did.
Make sugar cookies. Use the kind from the tube, or make this very simple recipe my mother gave me.
Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups flourPreheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix baking powder and flour, add one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff: blend last flour in by hand (if dough becomes too stiff add water, a teaspoon at a time.)
Do not chill dough.Divide dough into 2 balls. On floured surface, roll each ball into circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. For quick and easy cookies, use a pizza cutter to make a bunch of square cookies. If using cutters, dip them in flour before each use. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet on top rack of oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
My oven is a little slow, so I usually bake them in the center of the oven for almost 8 minutes and they turn out perfect. For this batch, I needed circles, so I used my grandmother’s biscuit cutter.
For the turkey features, we used a can of frosting and gel food coloring to get the desired red, yellow, and brown. You can pipe the frosting on by snipping the corner off of a zip top bag, or use a pastry bag. We used plain white frosting as “glue” to hold the candy corn in place.
And just when I thought we were clever, a couple of friends stopped by yesterday with this.
They were in a hurry so I didn’t get to ask what ingredients were used. I’ll give it my best guess though:
Cookie – looks like a gingersnap. Yellow frosting for the base. A blob of white frosting for the mashed potatoes, and a dab of yellow food coloring (maybe?) on top for the butter. Green non-pareils for the green peas. Red sugar crystals for the cranberry sauce. Chocolate frosting for the gravy. And I’m not sure about the ingredient for the turkey slices, but it looks like some kind of peanut butter candy. Isn’t it adorable?!?! It’s almost too cute to eat. Almost. 
