Homemade Laundry Soap (Powder)

I don't know why it took me so long to think of using powder instead of making liquid soap. It's so much easier! Not that the original liquid recipe was hard, but this is a sinch!

I grated 2/3 of a bar of Zote and added 2 cups each of Borax and Super Washing Soda. I also added 2 cups of OxiClean since I add that to every load.

Then I add 2 Tbsp (1/8 cup) to 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) per load, depending on how dirty the clothes are. (I add a full 1/4 cup when I'm washing DH's work clothes.

Easy Peasy!

Death by Oreo

This is a spin on Hello Dolly's but for Oreo lovers. But beware! they are highly addictive so I suggest you make them to take to a function so they're not sitting around your house.

1 pkg Oreo's
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Grease 13 x 9 x 3 pan with PAM.

Place Oreo's in gallon size Ziplock bag. Crush with rolling pin. Add melted butter.

Spread 1/2 the Oreo's in pan. Spread chocolate chips & marshmallows. Cover with remaining Oreo's then evenly spread sweetened condensed milk on top.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Hectic

Life has been a little hectic lately. DH has been really busy at work (good for our income, not for spending time together,) we've been getting over bad colds and we've had some family stuff to do.

4 months ago my mom asked me to present my homemade laundry soap and dryer sheets at a Relief Society activity. I was really nervous but after I made dryer sheets to give away and psyched myself up for the presentation, I was actually getting excited.

But yesterday I tweeked my old back injury and ended up at InstaCare with prescriptions for a few meds. My wonderful sis-in-law came over today to take care of DD so I could rest. (LOL! I have to laugh at the idea of rest. I didn't rest. I was having too much fun chatting with my fav sister! And the pain meds were working quite well so I felt good. I didn't pick up DD, though!) So, I missed the activity tonight. My mom just called to tell me how great it was. I'm bummed that I didn't get to chat with all the wonderful ladies in my ward that I don't get to see anymore.

I have a couple projects that I want to do but I'm scared. I really want to paint my kitchen cabinets white and paint the walls a tan. It's quite an undertaking and I need to wait until I have DH's full cooperation. My new found couponing hobby has taken up mere time than I thought it would. I hope that with practice I won't have to work so hard at it.

I just need to finish some of my 1/2 completed projects so I can reawaken the crafting bug!

Tidy Tip

I've been sick for 5 days and I'm just now starting to feel like myself again. While I was sick. my house was a disaster. DD didn't get sick so she had all her normal toddler energy but I didn't have the strength to clean up after her. Now that I've got my energy back, I'm getting my house back to the way I like it.

I was reading Tidy Mom's Tips for a Tidy Home. All her tips are wonderful, but there's one in particular that I've implemented and I love it!

She says:
Don't walk to another room empty handed - there's almost ALWAYS something in a room that belongs some where else - don't pass it up, grab it on your way - even if you just open a door and toss it in!

This is so very true! And it quickly becomes habit!

Hair Styling Mirror

DD hates having her hair done. She's got such a beautiful head of hair and I want to play around with different styles. Even something as easy as a pony tail is such a hassle that I usually give up.

DD likes to look at herself in the mirror so my mom suggested that I make a little hair station. We were at DI and my mom found a mirror that was perfect. It has a sturdy metal frame and 2 arms that look like they were meant to hold votive candles.

I got it home and spray painted the little arms white (I forgot to take a before picture...again) then I mod podge'd some scrapbook paper to the frame. I was so thrilled when I found this paper because has the colors that are already in her room as well as colors I plan to add if our next baby is a boy. DH hung this on the wall last night but DD is napping and I don't dare go in to take a picture of it on the wall.
I'm about to wake her up so we can go to Toddler Time at The Treehouse, so we'll see how well this works.

****Update: It's a week since I posted this and I finally got a picture of DD and the mirror. She LOVES it! No more wrestling to get her hair done!

Chicken Divan

Along with trying the recipes in the Deceptively Delicious book, I've been trying to use the concepts I learned to adapt my own recipes.

One of our favorite dinners is Chicken Divan, or Rice/Chicken/Broccoli casserole.
So, here is the recipe, with my adaptions:

2 (10 oz) pkgs. frozen broccoli florets
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 cup cottage cheese
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
breadcrumb
Parmesan or cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Slightly cook broccoli and set aside.
Combine soup, buttermilk, cottage cheese, lemon juice, and curry powder in blender and puree.
In a 13x9 baking dish, layer 1/2 soup mixture, all of the rice, all of the chicken & broccoli. Top with remaining soup mixture.
Dust with breadcrumb & cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

My adaptions:
Add 1/2 cup broccoli puree to the soup mixture. I used this instead of the broccoli florets on top, but you could do both.
Add 1/2 cup cauliflower puree to soup mixture.
I used low-fat cottage cheese. I have also low-fat ricotta cheese when I didn't have cottage cheese.
I didn't have buttermilk so I put 1/2 Tbsp. of white vinegar in a 1/2 cup measuring cup and filled the remainder with milk.
I added another drop of lemon juice and a sprinkle of curry powder because the flavors weren't as strong after I added the broccoli and cauliflower.
I add ground flax seeds to the breadcrumb topping.

Tofu Nuggets

My childhood friend turned cousin-in-law got me excited about a book called Deceptively Delicious. I saw it on clearance at Deseret Book so I bought it.
I love the concept of hiding vegetables in food. DH & DD are good vegetable eaters, so really I bought this with myself in mind.
I spent an evening pureeing foods so I'd have them ready in the freezer. For lunch I decided to make tofu nuggets for DD & myself. I had to make these when DH was working, he gags at the thought of tofu.

I thought they were delicious!


Tofu Nuggets

1 cup whole wheat or white breadcrumbs ( I only had Italian and I think it added lots of flavor)
1 TBSP flax seed meal (buy a big jar at Costco for cheap)
1 TBSP grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 cup spinach, broccoli or pea puree (I used broccoli)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (14. oz) package extra firm tofu , preferably with calcium
1/2 tsp. salt
Nonstick cooking spray
1 TBSP olive oil


1. In a bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, flax seed meal, Parmesan, and paprika. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl, much puree and egg with a fork, and set the bowl next to the breadcrumb mixture.
3. Slice the tofu 1/2 inch thick and cube it or cut into shapes with cookie cutter. Sprinkle both sides with salt. Dip tofu pieces into the puree mixture, then roll them in breadcrumbs until the tofu is completely covered and you can't see the puree.
4. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil.
5. Add the tofu nuggets in a single layer (be careful not to crowd the pan!) and cook until nicely browned on one side 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until breadcrumb coating is crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes longer.