HOMEMADE LAUNDRY and DISHWASHER SOAP

WHAT YOU NEED FOR LAUNDRY SOAP:

NOTE:  I like the "Zote" best--I like the smell, the price and the fact it cleans the mess made by toddler boys.  Zote comes in white and pink, only the pink is sold where I live.  You can also use Fels Naptha or even regular bar body soap.

 Begin by grating the bar of soap onto a clean surface.

 I love the smell of freshly grated soap!

 Measure out four cups of hot water from the tap.

 Mix the grated soap and water in a large pot.

 Using a whisk (be careful not to let it get too frothy) heat and combine the soap until it is completely melted.

 Add one cup of washing soda (NOT baking soda!) and one cup of Borax (not shown).

 Stir and cook gently until washing soda and Borax are dissolved. 

 Add hot water to a five gallon bucket.

 Pour the soap mixture into the water in the bucket and stir to combine.

 Fill the bucket the rest of the way up with hot water, stir well.

The bucket will be heavy and full of hot soap.  Be careful!  Let the soap sit for at least 24 hours.  It will form a thick gel.

The easiest way to use the soap is to scoop it into a plunger style pitcher.  Use the plunger to mix it up before using 1/2 cup per load.

NOTE: You may want to soap your hand and arm up well and mix the gelled soap in the bucket to avoid the water separating.

I have been making my own laundry soap for over a year and a half. I have also been making my own dishwasher soap for nearly a year.  I find that they work GREAT, are fun to make, and save a ton of money.  I figure I spend about $6.00 per YEAR on laundry soap and about $15 a YEAR on dishwasher soap (for a family of four).  Give it a try!

Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe

What you will need:

1 Box Borax Natural Laundry Boost (found in laundry soap aisle)

1 Box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)

1 bar laundry soap (Zote (the pink bar) works the best, but you can use two bars of Fels-Naptha instead)

Scented oil of your choice (optional)

1 Five gallon bucket

1 plunger style pitcher

1.     Grate the bar of laundry soap with a cheese grater.

2.    Put the grated soap in a large sauce pan with six cups of water.  Heat soap and water until the soap melts.  Use a wire whisk to really blend it.

3.    Add one cup washing soda and one cup borax and stir until dissolved.  Remove from heat.

4.    Pour one gallon hot water into the five gallon bucket.  Add your soap mixture and stir well.  Add 3 ½ more gallons of hot water into the bucket and stir well.

5.     Add scented oil now, if desired.  Use about two teaspoons of oil or until it smells good to you.

6.    Let the mixture stand for 24 hours.  It will thicken into a dense gel.

7.    Scoop some of the gelled soap into the plunger pitcher and mix it up well

8.    Mix well before each use.  Use ½ cup per large load.  Makes 160 loads.

Dishwasher Soap

What you will need:

1 Box Borax Natural Laundry Boost (found in laundry soap aisle)

1 Box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)

Citric Acid OR Kool-Aid style lemonade (the little packets without sugar)

Kosher salt

Plastic Container

1.    1 cup borax

2.    1 cup washing soda

3.    2 Tb. citric acid or 2 packets dry lemonade mix

4.    ½ cup kosher salt

5.    Mix well.

6.    Use one Tablespoon per dishwasher load.  Makes enough for 50 loads.  Please note that it will start to clump up, this is the citric acid.  It will still work fine!

7.    Use white vinegar as a rinse agent to prevent a cloudy residue.

ENGLISH TOFFEE

This incredible recipe is originally from my mother's best friend's mother.  Our family has made a few changes to it over the years, and now we consider it perfection!  Making English Toffee every Christmas has been a family tradition for 35 years--and I'm sure will continue to be a tradition for generations to come.

You will need a pot or Dutch oven that can safely withstand high heat, a candy thermometer, a high heat spatula or wooden spoon, and jelly-roll pans (aka cookie sheets with sides).

WARNING: English Toffee gets VERY HOT.  Be sure to wear shoes (dropped toffee on your toes will cause serious damage!) and to not have children around.  It's best to have two people helping, at least until you have made it a handful of times.

INGREDIENTS

(That's right!  You only need four items!)

 Sugar, sliced almonds, butter and chocolate chips.

 First, place one pound of butter (no substitutes) in a dutch oven.  Start to melt the butter.

 Next, place almonds in a colander over a plate.

 Crunch the almonds up with your hands until there is a nice amount of almond dust on the plate.

 This looks about right! 
(Yikes!  I didn't realize how much the grout needed bleaching!)

 Your crunched almonds should be fairly uniform in size.

 Add sugar to the butter...

 And start cooking!

Once the butter has melted and the sugar and butter are well blended, put the candy thermometer into the mixture and keep and eye on it.  Stir the candy constantly!
(Yes, the pan was my grandmothers and is over 50 years old...I can't get the stains off the side!) 

 When the sugar and butter reach 200 degrees, add the almonds.  (It really helps to have two people at this point.)

 Keep stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 300 degrees.  If your mixture begins to separate--usually around 270 degrees--add about 1/2 cup of VERY hot water and stir like crazy.  It should come back together.  In high altitude places I've had to add the water twice--it is a pain but does work.

 Keep stirring, the mixture will become darker and will let out a "poof" as it reaches 300 degrees.

 Immediately pour into a cookie sheet.  (Be VERY careful!)

 Spread within 30 seconds with a high heat spatula or wooden spoon.

 Looking yummy!

 Sprinkle with chocolate chips...

 When the chocolate chips begin to "glisten" spread the chocolate with a high heat spatula.

 Looking good, but be careful!  This is very hot!

 Sprinkle the soft chocolate with the almond dust.

 Done!  Now all you have to do is let it cool.  I let mine cool overnight, you want it completely cooled!!!

Flip the cookie sheet upside down and break the candy apart into bite sized pieces.  Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

RECIPE:

1 lb. butter (no substitutes)

2½ cups sugar

1 cup (or more) chocolate chips

2½ cups sliced almonds

Place almonds in a colander placed over a plate.  Crunch the almonds and shake off the almond dust (save).

Cook sugar and butter together until 200° on a candy thermometer then add almonds slowly to prevent curdling.

Stirring constantly cook to 300° on a candy thermometer or hard crack.  A hard crack test is when you drop a piece of toffee into cold water and it instantly becomes hard enough to crack.  (As opposed to soft, chewy etc.)

Pour into jelly-roll pan.  Wait 3-4 minutes then sprinkle on chocolate chips.  Spread chocolate with a high temperature spatula when melted and sprinkle on almond dust.  Cool completely; break apart into bite sized pieces.  The cooling process will take several hours at the least.  Do not let cool too fast or the chocolate will turn white.

NOTE:  If the butter and sugar begin to separate, add ½ cup very hot water and stir until well mixed.  The mixture will go back together. 

CAUTION:  Because of the very high temperatures it is best to have two people helping.  Make sure you have on shoes!  Burned toes are not happy toes.  Also be very careful to keep children away while cooking and cooling