Making Homemade Laundry Soap: Using Essential Oils

Laundry soap

So I have found a recipe for homemade laundry soap that we love to use in this house. And having 7 loads of laundry a week, this definitely is a cash saver! It costs less than  $4 per batch of this stuff and each batch lasts us 9 months or more!!

I have recently started selling doTERRA essential oils and decided to add them to my recipe. I have added Lavender oil to previous batches but this time I thought I would try using ones that have more benefit to washing laundry, duh! Why haven't I done this before?!?! OnGuard has many germ fighting benefits, and Lemon, aside from being a great cleanser in itself, has an amazing clean scent! You are welcome to add any essential oil of your choice. To find out more about oils or to purchase some for your home, you can go to my personal  doTERRA store and place your order. (I sound like an infomercial)

Anyways, on to why I am posting today!

You will want to purchase a box of Borax detergent booster, a box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing soda (NOT baking soda) and one bar of Fels-Naptha bar soap. All these items can be found in the laundry aisle of most stores. I find mine at Walmart. 

First, put 4 cups of water on to boil in a large sauce pan. 

While you're waiting, prepare your bar of soap. Most recipes call for you to grate the Fels-Naptha bar, I have done that before, and it takes FOREVER. I found a quicker way using a mini food processor! (plus in the end you will come out with a super clean food processor)

Add it to your boiling water on your stove top, lower the heat half way, and stir until melted. 

Add in Borax and Washing Soda until they have dissolved.

Your mixture will become frothy so make sure you stir it consistently, I like to use a metal whisk to do my stirring. 

Once everything is well blended, turn off the heat and add in your essential oils. 

Remove from the heat and in a large bucket (I got ours from Home Depot) you can mix it with hot tap water. Fill the bucket 3/4 of the way full and let it all sit covered over night. The next day you will need to mix it again, the top usually has a thick coat on it from separation. After that fill up whatever jar or container you keep in your laundry room and start using it! I usually keep the container from a purchased laundry soap and use it and the lid to it for measuring out a proper load amount of detergent. You can base that off of how well you think it cleans. For our laundry I tend to use a half a cup of my solution. Enjoy, and happy cleaning!

1 cup Borax Detergent Booster

1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1 bar Fels-Naptha Bar Soap

12 drops Lemon Essential Oil

12 Drops OnGuard Essential Oil

(if choosing other oils just make sure to use 20+ drops in your batch)

Making Muffins

Blueberry Streusel Crumb Muffins

Streusel Topping
3 Tablespoons white sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
4 Tablespoons melted butter

Muffins
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/8 cups sugar, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon water
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 425 with rack in the middle.

First make the streusel topping. Combine sugars and flour. Then slowly pour in the butter.

Slowly combine with a fork until it comes together in a crumb mixture.

Set the topping aside.


Place 1 cup of the blueberries into a small sauce pan. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and the water.

Heat over med high heat and mash potato masher (or a fork). Stir and cook for until mixture reduces and thickens. About 6 minutes. Set aside

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Whisk sugar and eggs together in mixer. Combine until thick completely mixed. Slowly mix in butter and oil until combined. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla.

Using a spatula, carefully fold egg mixture and remaining cup of blueberries into the flour mixture until the batter is just moistened.

Fill your muffin pan liners using an ice cream scoop with the dough mixture. 

Next, grab the blueberry sauce made earlier. Dollup about a teaspoon in the middle of every muffin. Then swirl it through.

Now it is time to top delightful with more delightful. Generously top each muffin with the streusel topping.

Bake muffins at 425 degrees for 17-19 (closer to 17 if using gas oven) minutes until tops are golden brown. Cool muffins for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and let them cool slightly longer before serving

Enjoy!

Thankful

 I am absolutely loving this Jesus Calling daily devotional. I've had it for over a year now and even though I come upon the same devotion a year later, it still hits home. It's so hard sometimes to remain thankful, especially in the storm. Things around us, situations we never wanted to be in, the victim or someone else's bad decision, whatever it is, seem so overwhelming. I have grown through a lot of difficult situations starting at a young age. Through it all God never took his eyes off of me and even though my eyes would fall he so graciously picked my head back up. 

As a mom, I know how it feels to want my child to make eye contact with me. When I praise them for doing a good job they have no problem looking me straight in the eye and beaming with joy...but it's in the hard times, whether they get in trouble or even when they have gotten hurt and they are afraid, they drop their faces to the ground. It's heartbreaking to see them not have faith. In me. That I can take care of their situation, or that if they are being scolded I am not disappointed in them, just their choice. I take their chin and lift it up, asking them to look me in the eye, see that I still love them. That I'm still there for them. That's the picture I see of myself when God is trying to tell me he is still here, helping me through life's situations. 

One thing that I find helps me to keep my eyes on God through it all, is remaining thankful. If I find just one thing that I can say "Thank you God" for, it changes my perspective on the day. Rejoicing through the storm gives you a grateful heart. 

When you don't trust someone, look up. Trust the one who is control of it all. When you get hurt, look up. Look to the one who can heal. When you feel like there is nothing to be thankful for, look up. You can always be thankful that He is still by your side.

Rejoice in your situation no matter what it is. You will come out stronger in the end for it. So throw on some worship music and conquer today!

 I'll leave you with this today....no matter what you are going through remember WHO you are.

Baking to end a long week.

So the first week on here and I wasn't able to post like I planned...3 of my kiddos got the stomach flu. It was a long week of up all nights and trying to prevent myself, my husband, and my other child from getting sick as well. So I played nurse, soother, cuddle-er for a few days and then spent the next couple of days catching up on housework. Not so fun. And Lord knows it tried my patience. Lack of sleep and three whiny kids vomiting every time they tries to eat definitely wore me out. I prayed. A lot. Thank goodness the use of essential oils helped to calm them and their stomachs a little. I will be blogging about how to make the most of your essential oils on a later date. As for now....

One good thing did happen this week, I got my birthday present a week early! My wonderful, amazing, handsome, funny, smart, loving, kind, super-dad hubby got me my very own KitchenAid! And I am in love! With my husband of course ;) but also this mixer!

It's so pretty, and of course, I put it to use within 24 hours. I made some amazing Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies, I got thumbs up from all of my kids so I have to say they all agree they are delicious. I could only eat one though because I made them pretty big and they are very filling. Here's the recipe so you can make them yourself. Enjoy!

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookie

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

3 1/4  cups old fashioned oats

1 bag of butterscotch chips

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy.

 Step 2: Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Step 3: Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

Step 4: Add oats and chips; mix well.

Step 5: Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet

Step 6: Bake 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. 

Enjoy while warm with a full glass of milk!

Prepared!

Crock-pot Meals

So, we have an army of 6 to feed everyday, and I am pretty much the only one who cooks in this house! As I'm sure most of you are also. Occasionally my kiddos will cook a meal or two, with little supervision, and that is completely okay with me! It is just too rare...and the hubby, well, he is good with the grill (sorry babe). I am tired of having to spend hours everyday in the kitchen. I don't prepare crock-pot meals nearly as much as I should, but I feel so accomplished when I do, This round I made 7 meals, and it took me only two hours to prepare them. When the day comes I just have to pull them out of the freezer the night before, throw everything in the crock-pot with seasonings the next day and let the slow cooker do all the work!! It gives me more time to sit back and read a book or sip a warm cup of coffee...yea right. More like, take the kids to soccer, or baseball, or dance, or church...Never ending busy life right here. But it definitely makes my evenings go a LOT smoother and less stressful. So here they are. I doubled two of the recipes so there are 5 here to choose from. I will post others when I make them and I am ALWAYS willing to try new ones if you have any suggestions. When you prepare the bags, I suggest writing out all the names and any other cooking directions on them before filling. Then, line them all up on the counter open so that as you chop, you can easily add all of the ingredients.           

::Hint:: ::Hint:: I try to sneak in as many veggies as I can for my picky eaters and usually there is no fuss. My oldest is the worst. She takes after her Nanni. 

Teriyaki Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast - sliced

1/2 head of cabbage - chopped

1 Zucchini - chopped

8 oz Mushrooms - sliced

1 cup Soy Vay Teriyaki Merinade & Sauce 

(you can use whichever you prefer)

On the day of, place thawed ingredients into slow cooker and set on High 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours

You can also make steamed rice that evening to go with it or if you are watching carbs just skip it all together and you have a healthy, yummy meal!

Chicken Fajitas

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast - sliced

1 onion - chopped

1 of each green, red, yellow bell peppers - chopped

Place thawed ingredients in the slow cooker, add your favorite Fajita seasoning. (I listed mine below) and set High 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast - sliced

1 onion - chopped

1 of each green, red, yellow bell peppers - chopped

1 jar Alfredo sauce

2-3 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning

 Place thawed ingredients into slow cooker and set on High 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours

Cook fettuccine pasta that evening according to directions. I usually make salad and garlic bread to go along with this meal. This is a favorite of my families!

Chicken Alfredo

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast - sliced

4 cups fresh spinach

8 oz Mushrooms - sliced

1 jar Alfredo sauce

 Place thawed ingredients into slow cooker and set on High 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours

Cook fettuccine pasta that evening according to directions

Chicken Pot Roast

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast 

(you can substitute meat with pork or beef)

6 medium red potatoes - chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 pkg of baby carrots (or more if you eat them like my hubby)

1 pkg french onion soup mix

Place thawed ingredients into slow cooker and set on High 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours

Fajita Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder (I use Ancho Chili)

1 tbsp white pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

A daughter of the most high.

So many times we get wrapped up in the everyday titles we forget who we really are. We call ourselves wife, mother, chauffeur, cook, nurse, cleaning lady (about a million times a day), teacher, etc. We need to stop and remember who we are above all of that. I started out wanting this to be a blog centered around Proverbs 31 and all of the ways I try so hard to make that my life. Then I realized what matters even more than that. I am HIS daughter! There will always be so many things surrounding us, making us go through our lives one day at a time, like little robots, but when will you start truly living? I've decided to start blogging to be an outlet for myself as well as give tips on bible studies, recipes, home made cleaning products, DIY activities for kiddos and more. But if I can give even just one person hope, I have done my job. Always remember, you are loved, you are more than your own titles, you are his daughter. 2 Corinthians 6:18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."