Laundry Detergent

This is a recipe for laundry detergent I recently tried with much success... oddly enough, my clothes smelled cleaner than usual after using this.

It's quite simple to make and will cost you fractions of pennies per load. My cost for one batch of this (about 12 liters of detergent - or around 4 regular bottles of store bought detergent at $4.99 on sale) was .68 cents - that's .17 cents/bottle!!!

Plus, you will no longer be putting those harsh chemicals they put in laundry detergent into the water, thus having less impact on the environment and your wallet.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent



You Need:

• 3.1 oz bar Ivory soap (Ivory is a natural pure soap perfect for cleaning)
• 1 cup Borax
• ½ cup Washing Soda
• 3 gallons + 5 cups Water
• 4-5 Gallon container
• Grater, knife, or blender
• Large Pot
• Long stirring stick or spoon (for 5 gallon container)

Directions:

1. Shave/grate/process the soap and place in the pot with 5 cups of water.
2. Heat the water until it is just about to boil and stir until the soap is completely melted.
3. Pour 3 gallons of hot water into the 5 gallon container.
4. Pour the soap and water mixture into the 5 gallon container and stir until well blended.
5. Add the 1/2 cup washing soda and stir until dissolved. Repeat with the cup of borax.
6. Once all of the soap shavings are melted, pour the mixture into the 5-gallon container and stir.
7. Now you may add essential oils for fragrance if you wish (lavender would be a good one).
8. The mixture should look like hot soapy water. You can either cover the container now and let it sit out of the way overnight, or you can pour the mixture into smaller containers (I use recycled store bought laundry detergent bottles and cat litter containers), cover, and let sit overnight.
9. The next day it should be cooled and gelled. It will be lumpy and watery. It's ready to use.
10. Add 1/2 cup of mixture per load of laundry just like you normally would - I just use the laundry bottle lid.

Here's the recipe for Powdered Laundry Detergent, probably a better choice for those who don't have room to store 12 liters worth. I haven't tried this yet, but when I do I will let you all know how it worked. Recipe makes enough for 32 loads.

Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent



You Need:

• 2/3 bar Laundry Soap (equivalent of 1 cup grated) - you can use the bars of laundry soap they sell at the grocery store or you can use the Ivory soap.
• ½ Cup Borax
• ½ Cup Washing Soda
• Grater or blender
  
• Container large enough to hold 2 cups of laundry detergent

Directions:

1. Grate or blend the bar soap.
2. Add the ½ cup of Borax and ½ cup of washing soda.
3. Shake /mix well.
4. Add one tablespoon of mixture per load, more for very dirty clothes.

-Love Marylin.

Cream Of Potato-Broccoli Soup

I saved a bunch of broccoli that was turning yellow and a few potatoes that were turning soft from going to complete waste by creating this cheap and delicious soup.

Cream of Broccoli and Potato Soup

• 1 large chopped onion
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 7 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional seasoning (salt, pepper, parsley, nutmeg)

1. Heat onion and garlic in a large pot over medium heat until tender. Add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil. Add broccoli and potatoes - reduce heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove 1 ½ - 2 cups broccoli/potato mixture with slotted spoon and reserve.

3. Process remaining broccoli/potato mixture in batches in food processor or blender until smooth. Return puree to pot. Stir in reserved broccoli/potato mixture, milk, parmesan cheese, and seasoning. Cover over medium heat until heated through.

4. Remove from heat and serve.

(Makes approximately 12 cups of soup, each cup being 1.5 WW points)

Tastes so good with a dollop of sour cream on top and with these dirt cheap biscuits:

Baking Powder Biscuits

• 4 cups flour
• 8 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp fat (butter, margarine, lard)
• 1 ½ cup milk

Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together. Rub or cut in fat. Add milk to make a soft dough. Roll out on a floured board to ½” thick. Cut out circles with glass or cookie cutter.

Bake at 450’F for 10 – 15 minutes.

So out of what would have gone in the compost and few things most of us have in our kitchens, I made at least six meals...

Waste not, want not!

-Love Marylin.

Green Tea Slushy

This is so yummy and perfect for a hot day!

Green Tea Slushy
Serves 1

You Need:

• Green Tea bags (the amount depends how strong you want it, I make mine really strong)
• 3 cups boiling water
• 3 Tbsp honey (more or less depending on how sweet you want it)
• Lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

1. Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for at least an hour, longer if you want it stronger.
2. When the water has cooled, take out the tea bags and mix in the honey and lemon juice.
3. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays or several smaller, freezer safe containers and place in freezer.
4. Once it's completely frozen, take it out of the freezer and put the frozen pieces into the blender.
5. Blend till smooth and pour into a tall glass.
6. Enjoy.

(3 WW Points per serving)


-Love Marylin.

French Onion Soup

I decided to make this because I had a bunch of onions that were threatening to go bad and I love French Onion Soup. I just needed to buy the wine (which I don't at all mind :P) and I was ready to go.

This stuff is really cheap to make and very filling when you account for the bread and cheese topping. Just throw the leftover soup in the freezer.

This soup is also extremely powerful if you're sick, diabetic, or have high blood pressure among other things.

Magically speaking it is good for protection, healing, and strength/energy.

French Onion Soup
Serves 6

You Need:

• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 4 large onions, sliced (onions have tons of potassium and are good for high blood pressure, reducing chest inflammation, alleviating sinus symptoms, and lowering blood sugar)
• At least 2 cloves garlic, minced (garlic regulates blood sugar, is anti-viral, antioxidant, cures acne, and is good for protection)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 cup dry wine (wine helps strengthen the bones, decreases the risk of ovarian cancer, and increases good cholesterol)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (thyme is very high in vitamin K, calcium, manganese, fiber, and iron. It's good for coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion, it help guard against nightmares, gives courage and confidence, and invigorates the spirit)
• 1 bay leaf (bay is good for psychic powers, purification, healing, protection, energy, power, strength, inspiration, wisdom, meditation, defense, creativity)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 6 slices crusty French bread
• butter (optional)
• grated mozzarella

Directions:

1. Saute onions in oil in pot over low heat until tender and golden yellow.
2. Sprinkle flour over onions; cook a few minutes more, browning the flour well.
3. Add stock and wine and bring to boil
4. Add thyme and bay leaf. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. To prepare, spread bread slices with butter and toast under the broiler.
7. Spoon soup into 6 oven-proof bowls. Top each bowl with a slice of toast.
8. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over each bowl.
9. Place bowls on cookie sheet and bake until cheese is bubbly and golden.
10. Enjoy!

(6 WW Points per serving)

-Love Marylin.