Homemade Laundry Detergent - The Results Are In!

Back in March my friend Mary taught me how to make homemade laundry soap. I documented the process in THIS  blog post. She sent me home with a 5 gallon bucket of the liquid detergent, and yesterday I did my last load of wash with it. Here are my findings.

Using twice the amount I would typically use with store bought detergent I washed 45 large loads of laundry with one batch / bucket of homemade soap.

Cost analysis:

 BORAX

$3.38 at Walmart for a 76 oz box.

Each box will make 25 batches / buckets

Cost per batch - $ 0.13 per 5 gallon bucket (45 loads)

WASHING SODA

$3.24 at Walmart for a 55 oz box

Each box makes 12 batches / buckets

Cost per batch - $0.27 per 5 gallon bucket (45 loads)

BAR SOAP

$4.30 at Walmart for 10 bars

$0.22 per 1/2 bar














TOTAL COST:
$0.62 PER 5 GALLON BUCKET

1.4 CENTS PER LOAD OF LAUNDRY!

But WAIT, there's more.
Here's an easier way to make the same detergent:


Double the Recipe - MIX TOGETHER:
* 1 cup Borax
* 1 cup Washing Soda

* Place 1 bar bath soap (Ivory) on a plate and microwave for two minutes (very cool!)

* Let cool completely
* Crumble and add to Borax and Washing Soda
* Mix well

VOILA! Powdered laundry soap!


Use 1 TBSP per load of laundry.

* Can be used with High Efficiency front load washers.
* Non toxic
* Low suds
* No phosphates
* No fillers
* Safe for septic tanks

If washing with cold water, dilute laundry powder in hot water first then add to wash.

Zucchini Bread

I'm still working through the squash, but I love this recipe so much I just may grate the rest of the zucchini and freeze in 2 cup increments to have on hand for instant baking!

 I remember the very first time I was introduced to Zucchini bread. A sweet friend came to see me in the hospital after the birth of the twins 24 years ago - has it been that long?!  and blessed me with a loaf of this delicious bread. I'd never heard of it before, and I agree, it doesn't sound so appealing. As a matter of fact, I hesitate to tell kids the name of the bread before I serve it. Once it gets gobbled down, then I break the news. I know that if I tell them beforehand they might not eat it, but once they've tried this bread they'll wait in line for more!

So, if you've never tried Zucchini Bread and can get past the sound of it, I guarantee that this will become your go-to recipe for delicious, sweet bread all squash season long...and beyond!

This recipe makes 2 loaves and it freezes well too!

ZUCCHINI BREAD

In a bowl combine:
* 2 cups grated zucchini
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup oil
* 1 TBSP vanilla

Mix dry ingredients separately:
* 2 3/4 cups sugar - which is Way Too Much! - I use 2 cups sugar
* 3 cups flour
* 1 TBSP cinnamon
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp baking powder
* 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix wet and dry ingredients and pour into two greased and floured bread pans (or two muffin tins, or 1 Bundt pan)
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Amish Friendship Bread

It's the end of a school year and time to take my Amish Friendship Bread starter out of the freezer and be sure that it's viable.  This sweet bread is a staple in our home; versatile, delicious, fun to make and perfect for get togethers, meetings, and gifts!

Typically introduction to Amish Friendship Bread is made by a friend who will approach you with a ziplock starter bag and a typed sheet of instructions.  I've posted requests for starter bags on line, but recently I've found that it's very easy to start your own batch of bread from scratch.

Here's how:

Amish Friendship Bread Starter
1 pkg dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp or 1 TBSP)
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk

Dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes.
In a 2 qt glass, plastic or ceramic container mix flour and sugar thoroughly.
Slowly add milk and yeast mixture.
Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly.
This is your starter. Day 1.
Transfer to a one-gallon Ziplock Freezer Bag.


INSTRUCTIONS:
*  Do NOT refrigerate
*  Do NOT use metal bowls or implements - use plastic, glass, wood or ceramic.
*  Release gas from bag as the starter ferments


DAY 1:
You receive (make) your starter - DO NOTHING

DAY 2:
Squish Bag periodically

DAY 3:
Squish Bag 


DAY 4:
Squish Bag

DAY 5:
Squish Bag

DAY 6:
Add to bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Squish

DAY 7:
Squish bag

DAY 8:
Squish Bag

DAY 9:
Squish Bag

DAY 10:
FOLLOW INSTRUCTONS:

*  Pour entire contents into a NON-METAL bowl
*  Add: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk 
* Mix with NON-METAL utensil. 
*  Measure out 1 cup starter into three separate bags - 1 to keep and two to give away with instructions.

 
Instead of giving away starter bags I bake three batches and keep a starter for another time.

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees
* To the remaining  starter add:

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla


Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 pkg powdered instant pudding mix - any flavor

Add dry ingredients to wet


Pour into (2) greased floured bread pans, or 1 bundt pan or 2 muffin tins.
Bake 1 hour


This is a very versatile bread - here are some flavor options:
* Chocolate pudding mix and 1 cup chocolate chips
* Vanilla pudding mix and 1 cup craisins
* 1 cup raisins and 1 diced apple
* Butterscotch pudding mix and 1 cup butterscotch chips
* Lemon pudding mix and 1/4 cup poppy seeds
* Banana Cream pudding mix and chopped nuts
* Cheesecake pudding mix, white choc chips, macadamia nuts
* Dates
* Walnuts or pecans
* Cranberries 
* M&M's
* Coconut
* Pineapple
* Blueberries
Obviously you can use your creative imagination! 
Keep this recipe on hand - the holidays will be here before you know it!

Note: starter can be placed in the freezer for another time.







































 

Grow Your Own Pineapples

Recently our Boy Scout troop helped us pull all the pineapple plants out of our greenhouse.

It's time to clear the floor to make room to begin experimenting with aquaponics. (So far, noone has come for the fish! -You can read more about that HERE and HERE.)

I've been spending time doctoring my neglected plants: adding fresh compost to the pots and watering regularly. Later this summer we plan to build an extension onto the greenhouse to be able to plant the pineapples in the ground.. We probably have 50-60 pineapple plants, so where did they all come from? Believe it or not - the grocery store!

Pineapples, named for their resemblance to the pine cone,  are a tropical plant. They have a shallow root system and long, slender, stiff leaves, which are adapted to hold moisture for long periods of time.  Fruit is produced 1 to 2 years after planting and is comprised of small individual flowers which join together to make the fruit that grows from the center of the plant. Each stalk bears one pineapple.


To Grow Your Own Pineapples:

Choose a pineapple from the grocery store with the center intact. Beware - some marketers destroy the center of the plant to make propagation impossible.

Cut the top from pineapple and set it on the counter for two days to allow it to partially dry out.

Plant in sandy, well-drained soil.        That's all - too easy right?

        
    From this

 To This

                                            TO THIS!


note:
* Pineapples do not tolerate freezing temperatures, so bring your plants inside during freeze warnings. 

* A pineapple stops ripening the moment it is picked. For the best flavor, a pineapple must be picked after it has ripened fully. When ripe, a pineapple has a solid sound when thumped.

So EZ Strawberry Jam!

This is the easiest Strawberry Jam ever!
3 ingredients
No Pectin
No Canner necessary

*  2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled (green tops cut off) = 4 cups mashed
*  4 cups sugar
*  1/4 cup lemon juice
(see notes at end)

Step One:
Combine 4 cups mashed berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

Step Two.
Increase heat to high and bring to a full, rolling boil. Boil, stirring often until mixture reaches 220 degrees F. (105 degrees C.) (10-20 minutes)

To test for jelling:
Place a plate in the freezer. After 10 minutes of boiling put a tsp of the jelly liquid on the cold plate. Put back in freezer for a minute.  Run your finger through the jelly. If it does not run back together and you can make a line through it - it's done.

Step Three:
Ladle into hot, sterile jars leaving 1/4 - 1/2 inch headspace.

Step Four:
Wipe jar lids with a clean cloth to ensure sealing.

Step Five:
Process in hot water bath for 15 minutes
OR
Turn upside down for 10 minutes to seal!

Notes:
*  4 cups of sugar was a little too sweet. I'd use 2-3 cups next time.
* I'd never inverted jars to seal before. I started using a canner, but the house was too hot (we were still spinning honey and hadn't turned on AC yet) so I tried this method - LOVE IT!
*  Initially the jam will be like syrup - it takes up to 48 hours to "set"
* Makes GREAT gifts! Think end of school gifts for teachers, and the holidays will be here before you know it!

How To Make Mozzarella (String) Cheese

You're not going to believe how easy it is to make delicious Mozzarella cheese. All you need are THREE ingredients!

*  One gallon milk - be sure it is not UP (Ultra Pasteurized) this is a new technique of heating milk to an even higher temperature which destroys ALL bacteria and extends shelf life from 18 days to 60 days (You can imagine how devoid this milk must be of any thing good and healthy as well!) This is done because of the prevalence of disease in current commercial milk producing herds. Look careful for the UP code - it can be placed anywhere on the milk container and only has to be half the size of current pasteurization labels.
  Whole milk, 2%, 1%, skim, raw, or goat milk all can be used for making this cheese. Whole milk is your best choice if using cow's milk.

* Citric acid
*  Rennet - both of these ingredients I order from New England Cheesemaking Company .

* measure 1 1/2 tsp citric acid and dissolve in 1 cup cool water
* dissolve 1/4 tab or 1/4 tsp rennet in 1/4 cup cool water

* Pour citric acid mixture into pot. Add 1 gallon cold milk quickly to mix well with citric acid.
* Heat slowly to 90 degrees.

* Remove from heat and slowly stir in rennet mixture. Stir in an up and down motion for 30 seconds.
* Cover and let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

* Check for curd and whey separation. The curd will look like custard and the whey will be clear. If there is not a clean break let sit a few minutes longer.

* With a knife that reaches to the bottom of the pot, carefully cut the curds into 1 inch squares.
* Return pot to stove and heat to 105 degrees while stirring slowly.

* Remove from heat and stir an additional 2-5 minutes.

 

* ladle into a colander and then into a bowl

 

* Pour off whey

* Heat in microwave for 1 minute  The cheese should be almost too hot to handle.
* Knead cheese, microwave two more times at 30 seconds each, kneading between each heating, folding it over itself. The cheese will become shiny and smooth. Pour off the whey as you go.
* Add salt if desired. I added 1 tsp cheese salt. Do not use Iodized salt. Non-Iodized sea salt or kosher salt is fine.

* Now it's time to stretch your cheese like taffy. Stretch again and again - This is what will give the string cheese it's trademark texture.

* Now form into a ball and pinch off pieces to roll into string cheese. Or grate. Or eat as is!

* Drop finished pieces or ball into ice water to cool
* Refrigerate
* Enjoy!

Be sure to visit New England Cheesemaking Company for everything you ever wanted to know about making cheese: facts, recipes, supplies, help and much more.

Ginger Root - BOUND!

Years ago a neighbor blessed me with ginger root that she had dug up from her garden which I planted in pots and kept in the greenhouse.

 Yesterday I was inspired by a friend who mentioned sipping a cup of Tumeric and Ginger root tea.
"Huh," this made me remember, "I have ginger plants."
Then another friend chimed in about her love for candied ginger.
Well, that's all it took. I LOVE candy, and decided I must learn to make candied ginger, so off I went to check out my ginger plants.
Actually, I had recently been thinking about getting the ginger out of the greenhouse and transplanting it somewhere outside, but because it cannot handle the occasional winter freeze we get here I wasn't sure where I would plant it. So it remained neglected while I pondered this a little more.
But today was the day - and thank goodness! My sorely neglected ginger plants had become completely rootbound!

 So much so that they were completely intertwined; entangled with one another grasping frantically for any remaining dirt they could find. The rhizomes were not plump and healthy like they should be, but rather shriveled, sickly looking things that you definitely would NOT consider eating!

I  dumped the pot and began to try to disentangle the roots so that I could begin transplanting individual plants. Ginger is a very hardy plant, and in proper circumstances will propagate itself and grow prolifically given plenty of space.
My husband has a term he uses when we transplant which means to gently remove the dirt from the roots and to spread the roots out in a more natural pattern. He calls this "tickling out"  Ha! What I did was more like ripping and shredding! I had to use the water hose like a pressure washer to remove the dirt, and the roots were so entangled that there was nothing gentle about it!

Fortunately, I was able to transplant several shoots before having to move on to something else. The remainder of the rhizomes and roots I left being rejuvenated in a fish water bath. I hope to continue planting today.

I am aware that ginger is often used medicinally for nausea, but upon further reading I see that it relieves gastrointestinal distress. In one blind study it proved to be more effective than Dramamine for relieving sea and motion sickness symptoms: dizziness, nausea, vomiting and cold sweats. Along these same lines, it is highly regarded for easing morning sickness during pregnancy. Some consider ginger to be an anti-inflammatory and use it for arthritis, and it also has antioxidant properties.


To plant your own ginger:
Select a rhizome from your local grocery store. Choose a large root with nodules and soak it in water for several hours before planting. This will dilute any growth inhibitor present on the rhizome and help to hydrate it prior to planting. I've found that propagating in pots makes harvesting easier, and the plant is more likely to survive indoors in cold climates, but if you live in a temperate climate planting outdoors allows the roots to grow and spread quickly.  Ginger prefers good compost, plenty of water, filtered sunlight or light shade, humidity and protection from winds. It will not survive freezing temperatures.

Planting Shiitake Mushrooms

 This is what I've been hinting at. We are making our first attempt at growing Shiitake mushrooms.

Shiitake mushrooms, also referred to as "medicinal mushrooms", are native to Japan, China and Korea and have been cultivated for over 1,000 years. Recently they have begun to gain popularity in the U.S.
They are a chewy, flavorful fungi and findings indicate that they contain properties that boost the body's immune system and lower cholesterol levels.  They are an excellent source of iron and have high levels of Vitamin B. They are high in dietary fiber and contain six minerals: manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, copper and zinc.

Sauteing for 7 minutes brings out their wonderful flavor and retains their nutritional properties.

I have wanted to grow mushrooms for years but had never quite gotten around to it until I was inspired by my friend and neighbor Duke. Not only did he instruct and encourage us, he also presented us with a gift of Shiitake spore to plant!

Here's how to grow them:
 * Shiitake grow on hard wood, so you need to obtain fresh cut logs. (we used oak, but you can also use chestnut, beech, alder,cottonwood...)
 * The best time to cut your trees is in the winter when the tree is dormant and has the most stored carbohydrates
 * Ideally logs should be unmarred with a diameter of 3-6 inches and a length of 3-5 feet

We found our logs already cut and some were slightly damaged. (Use whatcha got)  We then soaked the wood to ensure they would have enough moisture.

 * Stack your hard wood in a shady well-ventilated area.
 * There are several ways to arrange your logs. We used the X pattern. Duke stacks his criss-crossed in a square.

* Notice the logs are raised off the ground. This keeps insects and termites from damaging your growing medium.

* Next you need to obtain your mushroom spawn. It can be purchased either in a sawdust base or in dowel-like plugs. We are using the sawdust based mycelium - though I think the dowels would be easier.

 * Drill 3/8 inch holes in the logs 1 1/4 inches deep. Space the holes 10 inches apart in rows 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 inches apart.

 * Now you'll begin to innoculate the logs. That means you'll be placing the mushroom spawn into the holes so that the mushrooms can grow through the wood. Be careful not to let the spawn dry out. We pinched pieces of the sawdust medium and pushed it into the holes to fill.

* Wax is then used to seal the holes.

* The first "fruiting" will begin in 6 -18 months and can continue for 4-7 years.
* It is important that the logs remain moist and don't dry out. Duke soaks his logs in a trough periodically. We'll probably use a water hose or mister.


I'll let you know how it goes.

Homemeade Laundry Soap

This is my friend Mary Freeman. Yesterday she taught me how to make laundry soap.

When I arrived, Mary gave me the tour of her farm and home. She raises chickens (you should see her colorful coops!), rabbits, ducks, turkeys, donkeys and children, and her home is absolutely lovely.

Mary was kind enough to share with us the recipe and the steps in making laundry detergent.








 Here are the ingredients you'll need:

* 5 Gallon Bucket with lid
* grater
* measuring cup
* 2 qt pot
* stirring implements (2)
* 3 Gallons plus 4 Cups water
* 1/2 bar bath soap (we used Ivory)
* 1/2 cup washing soda - found in the detergent aisle
* 1/2 cup Borax - also in the detergent aisle (not found in WalMart)

Step 1 - Grate 1/2 bar soap

Step 2 - Combine grated soap with 4 cups water.  Heat and stir until dissolved - DO NOT BOIL

Step 3 - Pour 3 Gallons water into 5 gallon bucket
Step 4 - Add melted soap mixture
Step 5 - Stir in:
               *1/2 cup washing soda 
               * 1/2 cup Borax
Mix Well

 Cover 5 Gallon bucket and allow to sit undisturbed for 24 hours


Stir before using
( laundry detergent will be the consistency of Jello)
Makes approximately 400 fl oz

Mary suggests using twice the amount you would normally use of your liquid detergent.

She insisted that I take the batch we made together - who would have thought it would be so quick and easy to make? I can't wait to try it.

Thank-you Mary for your gracious hospitality and excellent instruction! You've inspired me in more ways than one!

We'll be seeing more of Mary's farm and HOMESTEAD LIFE in future articles, and I'll be sure to post my opinion and cost comparison information on this laundry detergent as soon as I can, but right now, I'm afraid I have a sick goat to tend to.