Monday, July 30, 2012

Homemade Fabric Softener

Whenever I see something easy and useful on Pinterest, I pin it for later...for a day when I'm feeling like doing something...but nothing too creative or involved.  So last week I made fabric softener.  Why make it at home when it's so easy to use those sheets you pop in the dryer???  Well, maybe you want to make a different scent than what's available on the laundry shelf.  Possibly you ran out and you're desperate.  If you're like me, you're just curious, bored, or like mixing things together that have a purpose.

The hardest thing about this project is just gathering the supplies.  I had to buy some Suave hair conditioner because I wanted to use something cheap and that's also what the original recipe suggested.  Also, have a container on hand.  I just happened to be in possession of a bleach bottle but you can use whatever you want.

First, gather the supplies:

White Vinegar
Hair Conditioner {I used Suave--it's cheap and comes in many different smells}
Bleach container {recycled}
Measuring cups
Large mixing bowl
Funnel
Water

First of all, I measured 2 cups of hair conditioner and poured into a large mixing bowl {I used one with a lip on the side for pouring}.  Then slowing add the vinegar {3 cups}using a whisk to combine.  Last, add the water {6 cups}and whisk gently.  DO NOT POUR ALL THIS INTO THE BLEACH CONTAINER AND SHAKE. YOU WILL GET LOTS OF BUBBLES--that's what it said on the website so I didn't try and find out.  You are ready to use your funnel to pour into the rinsed out bleach container.  Be sure to label your container so other people who do laundry won't use it to brighten their whites!

P.S.  I think I would add more conditioner next time. Or soak a rag or dish cloth in the stuff and throw it in the dryer.  It didn't work well on synthetics--they were still clingy. 

Original Pinterest Recipe

Monday, July 9, 2012

Pita Pizzas

It's summer and I'll eat about anything for lunch as long as it's not a sandwich!  I eat A LOT of sandwiches during the school year.  I saw these whole wheat pitas on sale at the grocery store and thought they'd be an interesting ingredient for something.  I bought pizza sauce planning on using it for a zucchini recipe but never used it.  I got the pitas out today and had a look at them and, well, they just look like pizza crusts. 



I spread the pizza sauce on the pitas and added HOMEMADE {yum}ricotta cheese chunks, pepperoni, black olives, thinly sliced green peppers, and grated Romano.  I baked them on a baking stone at 400 F for about 10 minutes.  The pita crisped up and it was scrumptious!

Super Easy Homemade Ricotta Cheese


Saturday, July 7, 2012

A Place I Love to Be

Even when everything else is dry, crackling and turning brown, the spring is ever green.



Tuesday, July 3, 2012


Country Club Chicken

Country Club Chicken

This was a recipe I couldn't pass up!  It's chicken breasts in a cream sauce with mushrooms, served over pasta.  I found the recipe on Pinterest {of course} because Aldi had chicken breasts on sale last week.  I wanted to make something more inventive than chicken tenders.

I had to alter the recipe because I didn't have cream of mushroom soup on hand--I had used it the night before to make tuna casserole--so I made a cream sauce instead with half-n-half, flour, and butter.  I think it turned out delicious, served over linguine with green beans on the side.


Here's the recipe link:  Country Club Chicken Recipe