Fun & Frugal Summer Activities for Kids #30 Make Candy & Cream Freezer Pops

Here is a quick and easy treat, that also allows the kids to have a little fun in the kitchen.  Candy & Cream Freezer Pops are sure to have your kids saying "Mom, your the best!" or "Mom, you go relax, I'll do all the laundry today."  Ok, maybe I am getting carried away, a mom can dream, right? 

Photo Source

Don't these little babies look yummy, Candy & Cream Freezer Pops are sure to be a hit!

Ingredients

{this recipe makes about 15 pops}

• 1/2 package sandwich cookies {about 12 to 14 cookies}, crushed
• 15 peanut butter cups, crushed
• 10 ounces M&M's {about 1 cup}, crushed
• 1/2 gallon vanilla or chocolate ice cream, slightly softened {Breyer's All Natural is my favorite}
• Fifteen 5-ounce paper cups - you know, Dixie cup size
• 15 Popsicle sticks

 Directions

1. You have two choices, you can either add a spoonful of the crushed cookies, PB cups and M&M's to have a mixture of flavors going on or you can just do one fixin' per cup.  So, fill your cups about 1/3 -1/2 way full of your goodies.  
2. Next, fill your cups almost to the top with your softened ice cream.  
3. Place a popsicle stick into each cup.  Place your cups on a platter or cookie sheet, then place into the freezer until the ice cream has re-frozen.
4. Once they are completely frozen, tear off the paper cup and ENJOY!  

There are sooo- many different variations that you could do with these. Here are a few more ideas:

• Banana, Strawberries and Chocolate Ice Cream
• Hot Fudge, a Cherry and Nuts in the Bottom with Vanilla Ice Cream
• Peaches and Vanilla Ice Cream
• Your Favorite Candy Bar with Complimenting Ice Cream Flavor  

 Click here to see more Fun & Frugal Summer Activities for Kids.

  Have Fun!

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Rotisserie Style Chicken

 

This little baby is one of my crew's favorites!  We love store made rotisserie chickens, but unless you can catch a good sale they can be a bit pricey.  And we need to buy two of them to really have enough for our family.  When I came across this rotisserie chicken recipe that I could make at home I was VERY excited. 

When I make this I double the seasonings and cram two fryers into my large oval crock pot.  I have also made this with chicken legs, which is also great!  

This recipe is so easy, tastes great and is perfect for a busy day!

Here's what you need:

1 small chicken (I usually get a 4-6 pounder)

3 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp of Italian seasoning -OR- 21 season salute from Trader Joe's

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp pepper

4 whole garlic cloves

1 yellow onion, quartered

Directions:

Rinse and dry your chicken.  Place in the crock pot.  

In a sperate bowl, mix together all of the dry seasonings.  Rub the dry mix on the inside and outside of your chicken.  

Place the garlic and onion inside the chicken.  Put the chicken breast side down in your crock pot.  DO NOT add water.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8 hours.

I know that your first thought will probably be that you need to add liquid.  I promise you do not need to do this.  The chicken has enough juice and will not be dry, trust me!

Quick and Easy Taco Salad

We had this last night for dinner, it was amazingly simple and delicious!  I think it took about 30 minutes from start to finish.  

 

 

Quick and Easy Taco Salad

Serves about 8-10

 

• 2 lbs. of ground beef
• 2 cans of pinto beans, drained
• 1 can of diced green chilies
• 2 small OR 1 large can of diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 bag of frozen corn
• 2 cans of tomato sauce
• 1 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp of cumin (I love this stuff so I use a lot more than a Tbsp)
• salt and pepper to taste
• romaine lettuce
• toppings of choice - tortilla chips, shredded cheese, fresh tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream
 

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet or pot, then drain.

2. Return meat to the pot.  Add beans, chilies, diced tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, water and spices.

3. Mix and cook on low-medium for about 15-20 minutes.

4. Serve over top of shredded lettuce. Top with toppings of choice. 

Everyone loved this!  We will definitely be eating this again.

I really liked this one because it was good and easy enough to make at the end of a long day.  I think you could even make this earlier in the day and crock pot it on warm or low until dinner time.

This would be a great recipe to serve when having company!

Menu Plan Monday 3/18/13

 

 

I think we are finally getting back on track.  The kids are better, other than a few runny noses, thank you Lord!  Life goes on and so do the hungry bellies at the LSG House.  Here is what we have planned for this week. 

Breakfasts

• Cereal & Banana Slices (2)
• Waffles & Fruit
• Oatmeal (2)
• Egg Wraps
• Scrambled Eggs, Toast and Orange Slices

Lunches

• PB&J's, Chips & Fruit - some how my kids never tire of PB&J's.  They actually prefer them over most things.
• Turkey & Cheese Roll Ups, Baby Carrots & Apple Slices
• Cheese Quessadillas, Salsa & Pears
• Hot Dogs, Smiley Fries & Fruit
• Hot Ham & Cheese, Celery Sticks & Fruit
• Egg Salad Mini Pitas, Pretzels & Fruit

Dinners

• Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes, Bacon & Oranges
• Spaghetti & Fresh Bread
• Simple Chicken Enchiladas, Green Beans
• Sliders, Tater Tots & Broccoli - my family asks for this e.v.e.r.y. single week.  Seriously!
• Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup - The Hubs requested this one.  Best soup EVER!
• Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes - if you have not made these easy, kid friendly little guys - GET ON IT!
• BLT's & Tomato Soup - not sure what took me so long to pair these two goodies together. 

Trying anything new this week?



Tasty Tuesday: Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

 

 

Usually the chicken soups I make are chicken noodle or chicken tortilla, but this time I wanted to do something different.  As I was meal planning last week {whoops I think I forgot to post that one} I found a new recipe to try, Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.  Doesn't that just sound delicious!

 

Let me start off by saying that if you are on a diet spare your self, run fast and run from away from this one! Move on from this post immediately, unless you are willing to modify the recipe {smile}. 

 

This is one of the most delicious soups I have ever had!  It is very rich and creamy, not really good for the waist line, but great for a once in a while meal.  It is a real crowd pleaser! 

 

This time I followed the directions pretty closely, but I think next time I am just going to use plain old milk and not heavy cream. 

 

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Serves 8

 

4 cups chicken broth 2 cups water 2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded 1 package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter 4 carrots, chopped 4 stalks of celery, chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 cups heavy cream (or milk)

    

Directions

1.	In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
2.	In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and saute carrots, celery and onion.  Next, stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream or milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
3.	Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.  ENJOY!

Tasty Tuesday - Slow Cooker Taco Soup

 

 

We had this waiting in our crock pot when we got home from church on Sunday afternoon.  Everyone loves it, the girls and their friend all went back for seconds.

 

I assembled it the night before, put it in my crock pot dish. and then into the refrigerator.  I stuck it in the crock pot on low before we left for church.  It was ready and waiting when we got home. 

 

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

 

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 can of black beans

1 can of light kidney beans, drained

1 can of dark kidney beans, drained

1 small bag of frozen corn

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 large can of diced tomatoes

2-3 bell peppers - you can just use what you have on hand.  I used a bag of frozen mixed peppers (red, green, yellow) that I had in the freezer.

2 cups of water

1 cup of salsa

1 packet of taco seasoning

 

Optional                 

Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Sour Cream

Tortilla Chips

 

Directions

Brown ground beef and chopped onion, then drain.  Add to crock pot.  Add all beans, corn, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, peppers water, salsa and taco seasoning.  Either place in the refrigerator to cook tomorrow or set crock pot to cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours

 

Before serving top with shredded cheese and sour cheese.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Enjoy!

 

What is your favorite soup?

 

 

Menu Plan 2/11/13 {w/ Recipe Links}

Here is what we are cooking at the LSG house this week:

Breakfast

• Yogurt & Fruit - I am making my own yogurt now and LOVING IT!
• Cereal (granola), Banana
• Eggs, Toast & Fruit
• Waffles, Oranges
• Oatmeal
• Egg Wraps
• Pancakes, Bacon & Fruit

Lunches

• Turkey & Cheese Wraps, Carrots & Apples
• PB&J's, Chips and Pears
• Hot Dogs, Tots & Melon
• Mac & Cheese
• Cheese Quesidillas, Celery Sticks
• Hot Ham & Cheese, Carrots, Fruit
• Left over soup!

Dinners

• Taco Soup
• Homemade Hamburger Helper
• Quiche - I am goign to make two of them.  One will be this Country Quiche, which I make a few weeks ago and everyone loved it.  The Hubs is a huge fan of spinach, it is actually his favorite veggie, so I am going to try a Crustless Spinach Quiche. 
• BBQ Pork, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
• Breakfast Night - Eggs, Bacon & Pancakes
• BLT's w/ Tomato Soup
• Cowboy BBQ Bake

I generally try to come up with my menu for the week on Thursday evenings, and then grocery shop on Friday morning.  My menus tend to run from Friday to Thrusday, so by the time this gets posted I have already made several of my meals.

I wanted to share something that I have been doing for the past several weeks that has really been a blessing.  On Saturday when I am making Saturdays dinner I go ahead and cook for Sunday as well.  I cook all the meat at the same time, assemble both dinners at the same time AND clean up ONCE!  Sunday dinners are usually a big pot of soup, spaghetti, chili or stew.  Not only is it nice to not cook AT ALL on Sunday, but it is delightful to come home to a crockpot of hot soup.  We eat it for lunch and then when the people get hungry in the evening I send them to the crockpot for seconds and maybe a PB&J. 

This is a little different for me.  I grew up with my mom and grandma always cooking on Sundays.  Just about every Sunday we would have a big dinner together.  While there are times that I really miss that, I have also come to love to rest and relax with my family on Sunday while not having to cook in the middle of it. 

With all of that said, I am totally on board for cooking once and eating twice!  I think I am even going to start incorporating that into my weekly cooking. 

What are you cooking this week? 

Cheese and Tamale Pie

This is another new recipe that has been added to our family favorites.  The Lil' Chef actually made it for us, she has become quite the little helper in the kitchen.  She has really been a blessing!

The great thing about this little recipe is that you can make it and eat it right away or you can freezer it for another day.  Better yet, I say make two - eat one and freeze one.

Sorry that I don't have a picture of this to post.  It got plated and eaten so fast that I didn't even get a change to take one. 

Here it is...

Cheese and Tamale Pie
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

1lb of ground
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
1 can of pinto beans, drained
1 large can of diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Cornbread Topping
1 1/3 cup self rising yellow cornmeal mix
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1.) Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink.  Drain thoroughly.Return meat to the pan and add salsa, beans, tomatoes, and salt.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.Spoon mixture into a greased 11x7 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.

2.) Whisk together cornmeal, milk and egg in a medium sized bowl.  Stir in remaining 1 cup of cheese. Spread batter over the meat mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the cornbread is lightly browned. 

3.) Serve immediately or completely cool, completely cover and then freeze.

If have frozen your dish to serve it take it out of the freezer, uncover and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until thoroughly heated.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday - Slow Cooker Swiss Steak {Recipe}

While I do have several tried and true recipes that have become family favorites, I still love to try new recipes.  Don't you?? 

Sometimes when life is crazy and busy it is much easier for me to just stick to what I know.  While I do plan on doing that, to some degree, I am also looking for new recipes.  My goal is to try at least one new recipe a week.  The recipes that I am leaning towards are family friendly, fast and frugal. 

We have tried several new recipes lately that have gone into our favorites box.  The Honey Mustard and Bacon Smothered Chicken is definitely my new favorite, well one of them anyway. 

Have you ever had Swiss Steak before?  When I told a friend of mine, the same friend that I got that awesome meatloaf recipe from, she said her mom used to make that all the time.  I told her I could not believe she had not given me this recipe before!

I made Swiss Steak last week, by accident really.  I had set out to make Beef Stew, but realized I didn't have any potatoes.  Beings that there was snow on the ground, it was cold and I was to lazy to run to the store I improvised.  I grabbed my trusty crock pot cook book and set out on a mission.  I came across Swiss Steak and the rest is history.  The WHOLE family loved it, SCORE!

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Serves 6

1 cup of chopped onions
1/2 cup of chopped celery
2lbs. 1/2 inch think round steak (I used 1lb. of stew meat and 1lb. of venison -that is what I had on hand)
1/4 cup flour
3 Tsp. oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 pepper
16 oz can of diced tomatoes


1.) Place onions and celery in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2.) Cut steak into serving size pieces.  Dredge in 1/4 cup of flour.  Brown on both sides in oil.  Add to slow cooker.
3.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4.) Cover and cook on low for 9 hours (I cheated and cooked mine for 5 hrs on High).

I served this over brown rice, one because brown rice is good for you {smile,} and two because it helps to stretch a meal.  It would also be delicious over noodles or mashed potatoes. 

Have you tried any new family friendly, frugal recipes lately?

           

Honey Mustard and Bacon Smothered Chicken

Last week when I gave you all that Easy Cheesy Kielbasa and Beans recipe, I mentioned that we had another new family favorite.  Here it is.... Honey Mustard and Bacon Smothered Chicken!  Doesn't the name of the recipe alone just make your mouth start to water?!!!

When I saw this recipe it reminded me of my favorite Outback dish, Alice Springs Chicken.  This recipe doesn't call for mushrooms (like the one at Outback), but adding them makes this dish really close to the $15 entree that they sell.

This recipe is very simple and quick.  Once you try it you will agree that it is definitely a keeper!

photo source

Ingredients

• 4 (6-oz.) skinned and boned chicken breasts 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey-mustard dressing (I used the Hot & Sweet Mustard from Trader Joe's mixed with a little bit of honey)
• 8 fully cooked bacon slices
• 1/4 cup (1 oz.) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend 
• sauteed mushrooms (optional)

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Melt butter with oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and cook 8 minutes on each side or until done. Reduce heat to medium-low; brush chicken with honey-mustard dressing. If you are adding the sauteed mushrooms, add them on top of each chicken breast. Top each chicken breast with 2 bacon slices, and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Great served over brown rice with asparagus or green beans as a side.  ENJOY!

Easy Cheesy Kielbasa and Beans

I few weeks back, while I was searching for a specific cookbook, I came across one that I had forgotten about.  I decided to pull it from my shelf, dust it off and take a peak.  While there are a lot of recipes in this book that looked great for some reason I had not yet tried them.  Until now.
 
So far, we have 2 new FAMILY favorites! Plus several more on my list to try out.

This one that I am going to share with you is delicious, even the Hubster said it was a new family favorite! It is very hearty and fits quite nicely into the comfort foods category.

Ingredients  

Makes about 20 cups

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 lb sausage (the recipe calls for thinly sliced kielbasa, but I used cooked Italian sausage)
• 2 (10 oz) cans tomato soup (undiluted)
• 2 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 (10 oz) can tomatoes and green chiles (undrained)
• 4 (16 oz) cans pinto beans (undrained)
• 4 (15 oz ) cans pork and beans (undrained)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook first 3 ingredients in a stockpot over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove from pot, and drain.
2. Brown sausage in stockpot; drain and return to pot. Add ground chuck mixture, tomato soup, and next 6 ingredients.
3. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in cheese.  Enjoy!

I served this over rice.  The rice went really well with it and also helped to stretch this into 2 meals.  

NOTE: To prepare in a slow cooker, brown ground chuck and sausage as directed. Place ground chuck mixture, sausage, and next 7 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook, covered, at LOW 8 to 10 hours. Stir in cheese just before serving.

Have you all found any new family favorites lately? 

Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

Yes, you read correctly, Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes!  or you could just call them Mini Chicken Pot Pies.  Whatever you decide to call them you absolutely M-U-S-T make these little babies and eat up!They are scrum-diddly-umtious!!  Not sure if that's a word or not but it seems to fit. 

Here's whatcha need:

2 cans of Refrigerated Biscuits
2 cups of cooked and diced chicken (breast or thighs)
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 cups of Frozen Mixed Veggies
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
1 Tbsp Rosemary
1 Tbsp Thyme

Preheat to 350 degrees. 

Lightly grease muffin tin/s.  Flatten biscuit in your hand and then place inside of the muffin tin, press down in the bottom and up the sides.  Make like a little bowl inside the muffin tin and set aside.

Mix all other ingredients.  Scoop mixture into the well of bisuits. Bake until biscuits are a light golden brown, about 15 minutes or so. 

ENJOY!

Homemade White Castle Sliders

I have never had a true White Castle slider but from all the hype, I am guessing they are pretty good.  I found this super easy recipe one day from over on Smockity Frocks, it quickly became a family favorite.  This is one of the few meals that my family would eat every single week. 

First, I sprayed my 9x13 dish with my handy dandy olive oil spray.

Then, I mix up 2lbs of Ground Beef  along with salt, pepper and about 1/2 of chopped onions.  I believe the original recipe calls for onion powder but I prefer the real deal.

Next, I simply press the meat mixture into the pan and bake at 400degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Add a few slices of cheese and stick the pan back in to melt for just a few minutes.

Cut'em like you would cut brownies. 

Plate them up.  With whatever fixin's you want, ketchup, mustard, pickles, mayo. 

Aren't they just adorable?!

ENJOY!

Family Feasts for $75 a Week Review

I am very excited!  I believe I have found a new favorite cook book, yay meee!  I was blessed with a copy of Family Feast for $75 a Week, which was written by blogger mom Mary Ostyn, to review.

So far we have tried several of the recipes in this cookbook and they have ALL been WINNERS!  That is no small feat considering how picky my lovely little crew is. 

I love that Mary is a mom just like me, well almost like me - she has 6 more kids than I do.  I feel like the more kids you have the better cook you are : )  Being a stay home mom of many Mary has learned many tricks to pinch pennies and cut hundreds from her food bill each month.   

In the begin of Family Feasts, Mary shares her frugal wisdom, as well as many of her kitchen secrets to cut down on food costs and time spent in the kitchen.  I especially like her chapter on Menu Planning! 

Here are the chapters in Family Feasts for $75 a Month:

1. What Would You Do with an Extra $100 a Month?
2. Come Shopping with Me?
3. Guerrilla Shopping
4. Efficient Cooking, Good Eating
5. Breakfast & Lunch
6. Casseroles & Oven Meals
7. Stir-fries & Skillet Meals
8. Perfect Pasta
9. Soups, Stews & Chili's
10. Sides & Salads
11. Breads, Muffins & Desserts
12. Entertaining on a Budget
13. The Homemade Pantry
14. Metric Charts

Now for the mouth watering part of my little review, here are the recipes that we have already had and LOVED:

• Eggy Breakfast Muffins - The Lil Chef made these.  She doubled them so that some could be eaten and some frozen to eat later.
• Easy Pizza Rolls - These were pretty amazing!  Have you ever had cream cheese and pepperoni together?  If not, you are totally missing out.  I promise!
• Chicken Pot Pie with Cheesie Biscuit Topping - I think the title alone says it all!
• Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore - As you know, anything with slow cooker is right up my alley.  This was a yummy little comfort food dinner that everyone enjoyed.
• Chili Corn Pone Pie - I frequently write in my cookbooks because I can and because I am forgetful.  I will always write yuck next a recipe that is, well yucky.  Next to this recipe I have written, "Excellent1 Enjoyed by Everyone!" 
• Mexican Tortilla Skillet - This might be my new favorite meal ever!  It is totally company worthy and it's super easy.  It reminds me of the Taco Bake but much better!
• Baked Ziti Casserole - YUM-MEE!

Mouth watering yet??  Mine is : )  We have several other recipes on our Menu Plan for the week that I am sure will just add to my love for this cookbook. 

You can get your own fabulous copy of Family Feasts for $75 a Week right from Amazon, which is currently on sale for around $11.50 (with free super saver shipping I might add). 

I can given a free copy of Family Feast for $75 a Week for review purposes only.  I was not compensated in any way for my opinions.  The opinions expressed in this review are truly mine. 

Beth's Spicey Oatmeal Cookies

This is one of our favorite cookie recipes.  We made some just the other day.  A dear friend of mine shared this recipe with me a few years ago, I thought I'd share it with you all.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Enjoy!

Makes about 36 cookies

Loving my Homemade Laundry Soap

I am sure by now if you watch the Duggars or read any of the blogs out there, chances are you have heard of people making their own laundry detergent. 

Well, I have finally joined the ranks and am SO glad I have!  I have made about 3 batches now and plan to continue on as long as I can find the supplies. 

I actually made a batch of homemade liquid laundry many months ago and but didn't care much for it.  I had used Ivory soap instead of the soap the recipe suggests.  I also diluted it, like the recipe calls for, but it turns out I prefer to not dilute it so much. 

This recipe is so easy, so cheap and not full of harsh chemicals.  Here it is:

• 4 Cups - hot tap water
• 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar ( I have only been able to find these at Walmart and when I do I buy several now because evidently I am not the only homemade laundry soap maker round these parts : )
• 1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
• ½ Cup Borax

I start by boiling my water, then I grate the bar of soap (I use my handy dandy food processor for this). Once the water gets good and hot I add the soap into the saucepan. Then stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Next, fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.  This whole process takes about 15 - 20 minutes tops.

The most time consuming thing about making this laundry soap is that you have to let it sit overnight to gel, which is really not a huge deal at all. 

Once your soap has sat overnight it is ready to use.  Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser or empty milk jug.  The other option, which I didn't like as much is that you can half full with soap and fill the jug half full and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use.

Either way you do it, it will gel.  I feel like it gels more when you don't dilute it as much.  Depending on whether you decide to dilute it or not you will end up with either 5 ot 10 gallons of laundry detergent for a fraction of the store bought stuff.  Yippee, aren't you excited!  I know I am! 

I am sure that many of you are wondering if this stuff really gets the clothes clean, and my answer is a definite yes!  I have 2 little boys and it gets their stuff clean - that kinda says it all right?  You may also be wondering how it smells, well my husband has not complained.  When I would buy the store bought stuff, I'd get the fragrance and dye free stuff and he used to say that his clean clothes smelled like feet : ) So far no smelly feet comments so I aqm thinking we are doing good. 

Super Simple Summer Recipe Link Up

I am sure that some of you have noticed that I have not been doing Menu Monday's lately.  We are still eating over here but I have just been in a slump with cooking.   It has been really HOT! and I, truth be told, haven't really felt like cooking.  The other thing that has happened is that I feel like I am better at cozy Fall/Winter meals and not so good at Spring/Summer food. 

I know there is the standard hot dog, hamburger, cookout food stuff but really we can only eat burgers and dogs so many times a week before the peeps start complaining.  So, I was hoping you guys could hook me up!  Hook me up with your tried and true, absolute favorite, SIMPLE to make, Summer Recipes, PLEASE!!  It can be anything from a great main dish, side dish, pasta salad, dessert, frozen treat or something to throw on the grill.



Please make sure that you link back to LSG ; ) Thanks!!

Menu Plan 3/28/11

This week we are having a very simplified menu, I actually planned 2 weeks worth of meals in about 10 minutes. 

When you plan out your meals don't you just kind of recycle the everyone likes?  That is what I do.  I love trying new recipes but my little crew over here really prefers stuff that they already love.  I guess I should be thankful that they are simple to please : )

This is what will be on our plates this week:

Monday
Swiss Chicken Casserole and Green Beans - I was browsing Allrecipes.com because I just love that place and this recipe looked delicious. 

Tuesday
Breakfast Night - Homemade Blueberry Pancakes, Eggs & Cantaloupe

Wednesday
BLT's, Veggie Sticks and Fruit Salad- It probably doesn't get any easier than this right? 

Thursday
Crockpot Sloppy Joe's, Mac and Cheese and Mixed Veggies - I am carrying this meal over from last week because we didn't end up eating it.

Friday
PIZZA - Of course!

Saturday
Tomato Chicken Parmesan over Noodles with a Salad- I am going to try this recipe this week.  I have made Chicken Parm and my crew has liked it.  I am going to follow this recipe except I am going to use mayo instead of egg to coat the chicken and Panko bread crumbs instead of regular.  Have you ever tried Panko bread crumbs?  All I am gonna say is WOW!!

Sunday
Tacos, Corn and Black Beans - My kids love to assemble their own tacos. I just load up some small bowls with all the taco fixin's and let them go to town. I think they would rather do this than go out to eat!

Dear Mrs. Cardamom - I have some Eggcellent Egg Ideas!

I heard about all those eggs you have, what a blessing!  Like you, I wouldn't know what to do with 524 eggs.  WOW, those are some busy chickens you have there!  You know, I would LOVE to have some chickens of my own.  I even called City Hall last week to see just how many chickens I was allowed to have, after a hearty laugh from the other end of the phone I was told NONE!!  I was really BUMMED!

.
How stinky can chickens be, I mean REALLY!!  I am sure the neighbors wouldn't mind, as long as I promised to share our eggs.  The answer was still a big old NO WAY!!

Even though we don't have chickens we still eat eggs.  Here are some ideas to use up all those eggs:

• I know that you said you are tired of scrambled eggs, BUT have you ever made Oven Scrambled Eggs?  I make them pretty often, it is the lazy moms way to make eggs. 
• What about quiche?  You could Eat some and then Freeze some.  There are lots of great quiche recipes out there.  Like a Country Quiche, a Quick Quiche or even a Spinach Quiche.
• You could Mass Produce Breakfast  - that means stock pile some pancakes, french toast and  breakfast burritos and then FREEZE!!   You'll have breakfast covered at least for a while. 
• Of course there are Angeled Eggs and Egg Salad (this recipe uses 6 eggs for every 4 servings), but you've probably already done those.
• For dessert you could try your hand at making Homemade Flan or make Egg Custard Pie for you and all your neighbors!

Sincerely,
LSG Mama

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

I have not made this yet, but it sounds so very YUM-MEEEE!  I found it  in the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. by Beth Hensperger, and thought it would be great for a St. Patrick's Day Dinner.  I am really diggin' this cookbook, the recipes in this cook book don't all call for a can of this and can of that.  She uses fresh, healthy ingredients!  Major bonus!  

Corned Beef & Cabbage

 

Serves 8

Use a Medium or Large round or oval crock pot

 

6 med sized red potatoes - quartered    

4 medium sized carrots, cut into 2 in chunks

1 medium sized onion, cut into about 6 wedges

One 3 to 4 pound corned beef brisket with seasoning packet, rinsed

3 whole cloves

1/2 tsp of black peppercorns

2 tsp  firmly packed brown sugar

One 12 oz can of beer, your choice

1 medium sized head of white cabbage, cut into 8 wedges, each secured with kitchen twine so it doesn't fall apart in the cooker

1/2 cup of Dijon Mustard

 

1 - Put potatoes, carrots, and onion in the slow cooker.  Lay the corned beef on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with seasonings from the packet, the cloves, peppercorns and brown sugar.  If the meat is too big to lie flat in your cooker, cut it in half and stack it.  Add the beer and enough water to just cover the brisket.  Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 11 hours.

 

2 - Remove the corned beef and place in a serving casserole.  arrange the vegetables around the beef; cover with foil or lid to keep warm.

 

3 - Put the cabbage in the cooker with the cooking liquid and turn to HIGH.  Cook until cabbage is crisp and tender, about 20-30 minutes.

 

4 - Serve the beef, sliced across the grain, with mustard, vegetables and cabbage.  Pass the juices from the crock pot around in a bowl.

Doesn't this all just sound great!  Can't wait to try it!