Liquid Laundry Soap

Liquid laundry soap is more time consuming to make, but still works great. It depends on the type of washing machine you own, which type of soap you can use. Top loading machines can use liquid or dry laundry soap. Front loading machines are more specific and you will have to check your machine to see if it accepts dry soap or liquid only.

6 Cups  water

1/3  bar  grated Fels-Naptha  soap 

½  Cup Washing SODA by Arm & Hammer -NOT Baking soda soap, NOT laundry soap

½  Cup Mule Team Borax

Use a 2 -5 gallon bucket

4 Cups Hot water

22 Cups Hot water

Mix: grated Fels-Naptha soap in a large saucepan with  6 C water.  Heat on low until dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in Washing Soda and Borax.  Stir until thickened.  Add 4 C hot water  (boiling water will make it dissolve faster) to the 2 gallon bucket.  Add soap mixture from saucepan and mix well.  Fill bucket with hot water until 2 gallons is reached (about 22 more cups water).  Mix well.  Set aside uncovered for 24 hours or until mixture is thickened. Pour into smaller plastic bottles for storage.

New and Improved Dry Laundry Soap

In an earlier post, I added a homemade laundry soap.  It works just fine.  However, having 2 dogs and stinky boys at home makes this laundry soap a big improvement in our home!
This easy to make recipe lasts my family of four about 4 months and costs about $12 to make.  I keep used peanut butter jars and the like to store my laundry soap in.

2 Bars Fels Naptha Soap
2 Bars Zote Soap (or flakes)
1 55 oz Box Mule Team Borax
1 55 oz Box Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not laundry detergent!)
2 lb Box of Baking Soda (optional for homes with pets or strong smells in clothing)
18 oz Container of smelling Crystals from Downy or Gain (optional)

Use a cheese grater, blender or food processor to grate the bars of soap into flakes or small beads.  Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl or container. I recommend using a mask or doing this outdoors.  The dust from mixing the powders can be problematic.

**Use about 2 Table Spoons of Laundry Soap in a full load.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth or DE is an abrasive dust made from the fossilized skeletal remains of a single celled algae which used silica found in water to create a shell. It works because the microscopic shells have sharp projections that penetrate an insect's cuticle, allowing vital liquids to leak out. DE also absorbs the waxy coatings on insects' bodies both actions cause pests to die of dehydration. It works by physical rather than chemical action and is non toxic. This works on all bugs, good and bad, from cockroaches and scorpions to glass spiders and is safe to use around the house, in the garden or around pets and livestock.

To use around the house sprinkle it liberally in areas prone to infestation or where you notice you are getting bit. We put it behind our stove and under and around our fridge as well as under our couch cushions after we noticed we were getting bit, problem solved. The easiest way I have found to apply it is to buy a salt shaker or herb shaker ( we reused an old one) with small holes or you can by a bottle used to refill construction chalk lines, these can be found at hardware stores or the tool section at Walmart. If you are putting it somewhere that it will be easily blown away try adding a small amount of water to the area before you apply the DE.

Not only can it be used for pest control in the home but also for food storage and gardening. To use DE in food storage add 1-1/4 C DE to each five gallon bucket of food. Then shake and roll (the boys love this part) the 5 gallon bucket thoroughly. Obviously you only want to use this on food items that you can wash. Do not use with things such as salt and sugar. DE has no shelf life and never degrades. It will even kill insects that hatch years later. To use in the garden dust the soil or make it into a solution to spray on fruits and vegetables which protects them from insects.

I love this stuff and highly recommend you have some on hand. Although it is not dangerous the dust can irritate your lungs and cause your hands to dry out mildly so you still need to be mindful when using it. It can be found on the internet or at many grain, tack and pet food stores as it is usually fed to livestock to kill intestinal parasites. I've found it as cheap as 50lbs for $25 so not only does it work well but it is also available to those of us on a frugal budget.

- Casey

Seeded Crackers

1/3 C sunflower seeds
1/3 C sesame seeds
2 T Flax seed
2 T Chia Seed
1 3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/3 C water
2 T honey or x agave
2 T canola Oil

In a food processor, grind the seeds into flour using the pulse so you don't turn it into seed butter.
 
Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor.  Mix until dough comes together and forms a ball.  Add extra flour or water as needed.

Divide dough into two balls.  Place 1 ball in the center of a parchment liner.  Place another parchment liner on top of the dough and roll out dough between the two sheets with a rolling pin. (The thinner you roll the dough, the crunchier the crackers will be) Remove top parchment liner, and cut into small squares using a pizza cutter. Repeat with next dough ball.

Spray with oil and sprinkle with coarsely ground seeds.  Place in the oven at 370 degrees and bake for 10 minutes or until the crackers begin to  turn a rich brown on both the top and bottom.  Let the crackers cool on the pan before serving. Tastes similar to wheat thins!  YUM!

~Shar's Kitchen Center

Whole Wheat Tortillas

5 C whole wheat flour
1 t salt
1/2 C Shortening
1 1/2 to 2 C hot water

In large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in vegetable shortening with pastery cutter or two knifes.  Place dough on floured surface and knead until it is pliable. (Can use a Kitchen aide or Bosh with dough hook attachment) Break off golf ball size pieces and roll each out between two peices of parchment paper.  They should be about 1/8 inch thick.

Cook on high in a large cast iron skillet or on a grill.  As you cook the tortillas, bubbles will form.  Cook until the bubbles are browned, turn and brown the other side, pushing down any large bubbles that form.

Make 18 delicious whole wheat tortillas!  Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

~ Wheat Cookin' Make Easy by Pam Crockett

Essential Records

   Keeping and caring for your essential records should be an extremely high priority, especially in today's information driven world. Your entire life is bound up in these documents and for this reason I recommend you do your best to keep these safe, but accessible, so you can grab them in an emergency.
   Essential records are those records that are needed to maintain continuity in your life, with minimal disruption, following a disaster. These include birth certificates, bank records, diplomas, social security cards, credit card information, marriage license, patriarchal blessings, photos (which should be updated every six months), fingerprint cards, medical records, drivers licenses, medical insurance information, dental records, prescriptions, deed to your home, car titles, phone lists and anything else that you may need for your family.   
  Keep multiple types of copies, these can include an encrypted external storage drive not a flash drive, which is supposed to be used for data transfer not long term storage. Paper copies are a must and should be put on acid free paper. Microfiche is still an excellent option. All these should be stored in a wet seal bag or pelican style waterproof case to keep them dry, preferably with some sort of desiccant. Make sure to have multiple storage locations. Store at least one copy in a fire resistant and water proof safe. You want to have one set in a place which is easily accessible to you in case of emergency. Keep a second set in a remote location, like a family members home, preferably in a different state. Basically you want these records far enough away that you can't both be impacted by the same disaster. A good idea is to swap with whomever you are working with so that they too have a backup. The third set should be put in a secure location. The best place I can think of is a safe deposit box in a bank.
   Be careful with technology and make sure your storage and retrieval methods are kept current. It does no good to have all that information in storage if you can't get to it. Always keep in mind that the technology you have will eventually become outdated. Seriously, how many of you still have access to a floppy disk drive. Don't rely on CD's which are very fragile and easily corrupted.

- Casey

Cast Iron- Use and Care

Cast iron is great for daily use. Cast iron, when used correctly, is true nonstick cookware. This is because as the skillet gets hot it releases a minute amount of oil from its "pores". This oil creates a film between the food and the cast iron. Cast iron has several advantages over typical pots and pans. It cooks more evenly, heats up faster and retains heat better than other cookware. It can be used on the stove top, in the oven, over an open fire, buried in coals or in a solar oven. It is incredibly durable, and if used correctly could be passed down through several generations. It is also great for people suffering from anemia because as you cook very small amounts of iron get added to your diet.

 Use and Care of Cast Iron Cookware

*One of the biggest mistakes when cooking with cast iron is not letting it get hot enough before cooking with it. This can cause sticking.
*Cast iron cookware should always be warmed slowly.
*Start the pan on low then turn up higher before adding the food to be cooked.
*Always lightly coat with oil/ PAM cooking spray etc... when cooking with cast iron.
*Cast iron is easier to cook with if you use steel spatulas.
*The only real draw back is that you can't use it to cook high acid foods because the acid will eat away at the iron and eventually destroy it. However, you can use enameled cast iron when cooking with high acid foods. For high acid foods we use a stainless steel pan.
*I prefer Lodge Cast Iron. Cheaper cast iron is inferior and will, most likely, cause you problems. This is one item where it pays massive dividends to spend a little more up front.
*Never add cold water to hot cast iron because it could cause cracking, instead use warm water.
*ALWAYS USE POTHOLDERS because the handles will be hot.
* Cast iron should never be cleaned with soap and water unless you plan to re-season it. Instead, right after use wipe it down with a washrag or paper towel. If your cast iron is crusty because you were unable to get to it immediately don't worry. Just fill it with water and bring it to a boil then proceed as above and wipe it out. After cleaning out your cookware, while it is still warm, make sure to wipe down the inside of the pan with a small amount of oil. Essentially you are doing a quick re-season.
*Hand dry immediately. Do not allow to air dry, this could lead to rust.

Baking with Cast Iron

We use our cast iron to bake with as well. We have baked corn bread, sourdough bread and pizza crust using our cast iron. The principles are roughly the same as cooking in it. Add oil, preheat, add bread and bake. It works great. Our breads are crusty on the outside and moist and chewy inside.

Buying used Cast Iron

*One thing to consider buying is used cast iron. Often times this can be found by watching garage sales, craigslist etc...
*When buying used cast iron make sure there aren't any holes or major pitting.
*If it has crud or surface rust this isn't a problem, just build an outdoor fire and burn the crud off. Then use some steel wool, fine grit sand paper or a brillo pad to finish cleaning it. Last, re season and begin use. 

Seasoning Cast Iron

Most cast iron today comes pre-seasoned but it's still good to understand the process in case re-seasoning is needed at a later time.

*Preheat oven to 350-400 degrees.

*Clean your cast iron thoroughly both inside and out with hot water and soap.

*Dry completely.

*In a small pot melt about 1/2 T of solid shortening. I use Crisco.

*Uniformly rub the melted shortening into your cookware.

* Put foil under your pot so that it can catch the drippings.

*Make sure to turn it upside down so that the shortening doesn't pool.

*Put in the oven and "cook" it for at least an hour.

*Turn off the oven and let the cast iron cool before removing it.

-Casey