Laundry on a dime

In an effort to avoid harsh chemicals by substituting with natural products we have switched to homemade laundry detergent.

I have also attempted homemade dishwasher detergent but have yet to find the right recipe.  If you have one please share in the comment section.

Below is the recipe that we used for laundry detergent and it turned out great!  This recipe not only avoids chemicals but is incredibly inexpensive (about $2 for 5 gallons!)

One bar of Fels Naptha
1 C borax
1 C washing soda
5 gallon bucket

Grate the 5.5 oz bar of Fels Naptha and place on heat with 4C water until the soap is dissolved.
Pour warm water into 5 gallon bucket until half way full.
Pour water/soap mixture into bucket.
Add essential oils if you would like to add a fragrance.  (1/2 to 1 oz.)
Fill bucket with additional water until full.
Mix thoroughly.

Place lid of bucket and let sit for 24 hours.  The detergent will have the appearance of egg drop soup.
Use 1/2 C to 1 C of detergent per load depending on your machine.

Substitutions

Now that my greatest resource is time rather than money I have been able to cook much more.  This is a gift to me because I love to cook and try out new recipes.  I remember when I was newly engaged making a meal for Nathan at my apartment.  I made one of my favorite dishes I had in Greece, Moussaka.  The recipe I used has many ingredients and by the end I'm pretty sure I had spent over $30 just to make the dish.  Doh.

When I make meals now I often just use substitutions and short cuts where I can based on items I may already have in the pantry.  Here's tonight's dinner with substitutions noted:

Lasagna-Stuffed Portabellos

Yield: 5-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

4-6 large portabello mushrooms * one sale this week at our grocery store
3 cloves garlic, minced * I usually have fresh on hand but also buy the frozen cubes of herbs that I love.  Who ever uses up all of their fresh herbs?
1½ tbsp. olive oil
Coarsely ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup ricotta cheese * I substituted with cottage cheese because we are more likely to use the leftovers.
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided * I buy whole and shred myself.  Much cheaper.
2/3 cup drained frozen chopped spinach * I had fresh spinach left over from another meal last week
½ tsp. Italian seasoning * Just added my own spices.
1 cup tomato sauce * recipe can be found here.

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Remove the stems from the mushrooms and carefully scrape the gills from the caps with a spoon or paring knife; discard.  Place the mushrooms caps on the baking sheet.  In a small bowl, combine the garlic and olive oil.  Brush the garlic-oil mixture over the inside of the mushroom caps.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Roast the caps about 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, maintaining the oven temperature.  If excess liquid has collected inside or underneath the caps, blot it away with a paper towel.
• Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, about ¾ of the mozzarella, spinach, and Italian seasoning.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix until evenly incorporated.  Divide the mixture into the roasted portabello caps, spreading gently to fill them evenly.  Top each with 1-2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce.  Sprinkle the tops with the remaining shredded mozzarella.
• Return to the oven and bake 10-15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and the filling is warmed through.  Serve with additional tomato sauce, as desired.
  
  This recipe comes from annies-eats.com

Spring Cleaning

I know I'm a little behind on this but I'm finally using up all of our chemical sprays and replacing them with homemade cleaning supplies.  Not only is it a cost savings but it feels like such a healthier option.  Who wants to breathe in all of those chemicals while cleaning the bathroom?

This weekend we got to cleaning our windows which were in serious need of some love.  The joys of living in the city leave us with very dirty windows come spring.  Here is the solution we used along with additional recipes -

We were really pleased with the streak free results of this cleaner.

What are your favorite recipes for cleaning supplies?

Story Time

One of the great things about living in a big city is the crazy amount of free things to do with your kids. Below is a list of free story times throughout Chicago as shared by Red Tricycle.

Read All About It! Free Story Hours Every Weekday

Some days, you need a pinch hitter when being a parent gets too overwhelming. Scratch one more duty off your list; we found people who will take over story time — for free.

Every single weekday in Chicago, there’s a playful story hour to discover.

MondayNature-themed stories and hands-on activities get young explorers excited about the outdoors at Chicago Botanic Garden‘s weekly story time.

When the book closes, pick up an activity card at the Information Desk and take a walk through the garden and greenhouses. Tailored to ages 2-5, with caregiver. 1000 N. Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, 847-835-5440. Held through May 20 at 10:00 am.

Tuesday
Earn points whenever you come to Pottery Barn Kids’ story hour. After you attend five, you get a coupon for $10 off a book. Reads like Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann are always a big hit with the preschool crowd. 2111 N. Clybourn Ave., 773-525-8349. 11:00 am.

Wednesday
Northsiders are known to make the trek to 57^th Street Books, a cozy Hyde Park fave that holds story time in the back of the store. Little bookworms adore the booming voice of the yarn spinner who has a magical ability to speak louder than kids cry. You may hear gems like Karen Beumont’s Where’s My Truck or Roger Priddy’s B is for Bear. Since the bookstore is across from an elementary school, attendees tend to be tiny siblings of “graders.” 1301 E. 57^th St., 773-684-1300. 10:30 am.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s look into books focuses on animals, naturally. But themes also include learning the alphabet, numbers and colors. After a few good cover-to-covers, kids get inspired to experience the real deal and check out the nearby animal exhibits.

The small barn where storytelling takes place fills up fast, so get there early. Main Barn, 2200 N. Cannon Dr., 312-742-2000. 9:15 am and 10:00 am (also held at those times on Fridays).

Thursday
After attending the gratis music show at Lincoln Park’s Whole Foods at 10:00 am, walk a few blocks over to The Land of Nod, where story time starts at 11:00 am. If your child liked listening to Oliver Jeffers’ The Incredible Book Eating Boy, you can buy it when the reading is over. 900 W. North Ave., 312-475-9903.

If you’re on the Southwest Side, register for free story time with Ms. Jenna at Roosevelt Library in University Village. She captures the attention of even the smallest readers (including babies) with songs, puppets and books.Call for info on ongoing registration dates for these free sessions. 1101 W. Taylor St., 312-746-5656. 10:30 am.

FridayIf you haven’t heard Nili Yelin (aka: The Storybook Mom) yet, then push that stroller as fast as you can to The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square to meet one of the best storytellers this side of the Atlantic.

Her voice morphs as different characters spring to life on the page, and interaction with the crowd is a given. Nili grabs books off the shelf, which means each week holds a new surprise. One of her favorites is Bedtime for Mommy by local scribe Amy Krouse Rosenthal.4736 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-293-2665. 11:00 am.

Mystery Solved

Many readers have asked me how we keep such a low grocery budget.
Here's an example of this week's menu planning and grocery purchases for our family.

I'm a creature of habit and like to go each Wednesday morning to Mariano's when it's quiet.  It's also double coupon day so when I do have a coupon it's a great deal.  Ivy gets a donut if she behaves in the produce section so everybody wins.

Wednesday
Breakfast - Ann Sather's Cinnamon Rolls (splurge) and champagne mangos
Lunch - bagels and cream cheese, orange slices
Dinner- Portabella mushroom burgers with english muffin buns and sweet potato fries

Thursday
Breakfast- homemade bran muffins and cantaloupe
Lunch - peanut butter and jelly, apples
Dinner - dinner at church every Thursday night ($10/family)

Friday
Breakfast - homemade granola and yogurt
Lunch - bagels and cream cheese, cantaloupe
Dinner - Mama Cozzi's pizza and roasted broccoli
(pizzas are $5 at Aldi - we add our own veggies and have it with a salad).
Fridays are always dinner and a movie night at our house.

Saturday
Breakfast - eggs and potato sausage (made at Thanksgiving and frozen)
Lunch - grilled cheese and tomato soup
Dinner - kids - mac n' cheese, adults - wilted spinach salad with balsamic onions and craisins *

Sunday
Breakfast - cinnamon rolls (I made these a month ago and froze the dough), yogurt
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - Shepherd's pie and brussel sprouts, salad

Monday
Breakfast - leftover bran muffins and fruit
Lunch - peanut butter and jelly, fruit
Dinner - Spaghetti and french bread (bread was made and frozen a month ago)

Tuesday
Breakfast - cereal and fruit
Lunch-  bagels and cream cheese, fruit
Dinner - soup from the freezer


Groceries purchased for this week's meal
ranch dressing - to get the kids to eat salad
1 gallon almond milk
graham crackers - family size
pasta sauce
organic, grass fed beef - 2 lbs.
gardein veggie burgers - 2 packages, 8 burgers total
bananas - 1 1/2 lb.
kiwi - 3
cantaloupe
broccoli - 1 lb.
red potatoes - 2 1/2 lb.
yellow mangos - 3
bartlet pear - 1 1/2 lb.
brussel sprouts - 1 lb.
portabella mushroom - 1 1/2 lb.
white onions 1 3/4 lbs.
on the vine tomatoes 1/3 lb.
avocado - 1
sweet potatoes - 3/4 lb.
blueberries
spinach - 1 package
unsalted butter - 2 packages
colby jack string cheese - 12
cage free eggs - 2 dozen
mountain high yogurt - 2 cartons

Total $59.89 y'all.




* We feel it's important to all eat the same food at the table but once and a while make an exception when I really want something and know it's going to cause a total drama for the kids.

** If you're interested in any of my recipes just let me know in the comment box.

Eating with the seasons

Can you imagine living in a place where the food you ate was based on the seasons?  We don't even flinch when we see a red tomato at the grocery store in the middle of winter.  Nathan and I have done the produce boxes and we've attempted to eat local but have found that if we truly ate local, since we live in Chicago, we would be eating kale for a better part of the year.  One way to extend our seasons is to freeze and preserve.  Nothing compares to homemade canned pears from last summer to be consumed in the middle of winter.

This summer, since time is now our greatest resource, we hope to pick and freeze a ton of berries, peaches, pears and sauce apples.  Especially because our little girl Nilsa will be eating solids in the coming months.

While not local or organic, I also can't resist the produce trucks found on Kedzie or Foster.  True most of the produce found on the trucks are not organic and have probably traveled from Mexico (not exactly local).  But they are sold by families in our community and are fresh and economical.

Today we purchased by favorite - champagne mangoes.   If you have never had them run don't walk to the grocery store.  They are SO good.   If we don't eat them all this week I plan to dice and freeze to enjoy in the colder months in our smoothies.  Here is a recipe for Mango Lassi that we enjoyed tonight for dessert.

Mango Lassi

1 C diced mango, preferably champagne
1 C yogurt (if you use plain add a few tspns of sugar)
1/2 C milk (we used rice milk but cow's milk would work just fine)
a few dashes of cardamom - clutch

Throw in the blender and enjoy.

I also made a batch but didn't blend for the morning to enjoy with cardamom buns and honey butter I made earlier in the day.

Keeping Food Fresh

Sometimes even when I have the best intentions fresh food seems to go bad.  I'm learning to be more intentional about examining the fridge to find things that are ripe when I menu plan or when I give the girls snacks.  I've read a good tip to keep a small storage container in the fridge to place things that are on their way out so you can be sure to eat those items first but I've yet to do that.

Below is a list of tips for keeping food fresh from onegoodthingbyjillee.com.  You can subscribe to her blog and receive emails with great tips on a variety of topics.

What are some of your tricks for keeping food fresh longer?  One of my favorite items is the lettuce keeper.  Now that we are on a tighter budget I buy red and green leaf lettuce in bunches rather than mixed greens in a container.  The lettuce keeper keeps my lettuce fresh for over a week and encourages me to make a salad for every dinner.

37 TIPS FOR KEEPING FOOD FRESH LONGER

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

• Line the bottom of your refrigerator’s crisper drawer with paper towels. They’ll absorb the excess moisture that causes veggies to rot.
• Wash berries in water with just a bit of vinegar before popping them into the fridge.  Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) should be stored in their plastic container or a resealable plastic bag in the back of the refrigerator.
• Lettuce needs moisture to stay fresh and will quickly wilt if it dehydrates. Wrap lettuce in damp paper towels and store in a plastic bag. If salad greens begin to wilt, soak them in ice water to crisp them up before fixing a salad.
• To keep fresh celery, carrots and radishes around at all times, chop them and store them in water in the fridge, which keeps them crisp for a surprisingly long time.
• Prevent mushrooms from getting slimy by wrapping them in paper towels before refrigerating.
• Roast slices or chunks of about-to-go-bad tomatoes, then store them in olive oil in the fridge, where they’ll keep for about a week.
• After trimming the ends, store kale, collards and Swiss chard in the fridge in a glass of water with a loose bag over the top.
• Rub whole summer and winter squash with vegetable oil and store them in the pantry, where they’ll last for several months.
• Keep apples away from other foods. Apples give off ethylene gas, which can cause foods to spoil. If they get too soft, just cook them!
• Avoid separating bananas until you plan to eat them – they spoil less quickly in a bunch. Store bananas at room temperature until they ripen. Freeze over-ripened bananas for use in banana bread and other baked goods.
• Triple the life of scallions by storing them in a jar of water on the counter. The green onions will keep growing as you snip the tips for fresh eating.
• Asparagus will last longer if its thick ends sit in cold water.
• Do not store garlic in a sealed container. Fresh bulbs can be stored in a wire or mesh basket or even a paper bag.
• Store avocadoes unbagged in the refrigerator.

 

Meat, Fish and Eggs

• Store eggs in their original carton. If you’re unsure of an egg’s freshness, see how it behaves in a cup of water: Fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
• Meat & poultry should be kept in its original package if you’ll use it within 2 days. (Re-wrapping increases the risk of exposing the food to harmful bacteria.) Otherwise, wrap it in foil and freeze. Wrap smoked meats (bacon, ham, etc.) in a vinegar soaked cloth then in wax paper and store in the fridge. Bacon can be frozen for up to a month.
• Fish should be kept in a bag on top of a bowl of ice and eaten as soon as possible. You can also freeze fish or broil it and store in the fridge.

Bread and Cereal Products

• Freeze flour for 48 hours to kill any insect eggs that might be present. Then, place in a tight-sealing container; and store in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight.
• To help ward off weevils, try slipping a bay leaf into your storage container. The scent of the bay leave will help repel the bugs.
• Contrary to popular belief, storing bread in the refrigerator actually makes it spoil more quickly. Your best bet is to store bread on the kitchen counter in a tightly sealed bag or container.
• Avoid tossing stale snacks, pasta, half-empty bags of cereal, pretzels and other dry foods by transferring into air-tight containers after opening the original packaging. Mason jars make great air-tight pantry storage.
• To revive day-old muffins, sprinkle them with water, place in a paper bag, and pop in a hot oven for five to 10 minutes. The steam created by the water will restore moisture.

Dairy Products and Cheese

• Keep milk in the main part of the fridge compartment if you have the space. When milk is stored in the door rack it’s warmed by the ambient air of the kitchen whenever the fridge door is opened.
• Make sure to wrap all cheese securely in wax paper or cheese paper before storing it in the refrigerator, which allows it to breathe without letting in excess moisture or odors from your fridge. You can also rub butter on the cut parts of hard cheeses to prevent them from drying out. You can also freeze cheese!
• In order to make cottage cheese or sour cream last longer, place the container upside down in the fridge. Inverting the tub creates a vacuum that inhibits the growth of bacteria that causes food to spoil.
• Store butter in its original packaging. Stock up on butter when it’s on sale – you can store it in the freezer for up to six months. Pack the butter in an airtight container, so it doesn’t take on the flavor of whatever else you’re freezing.

Miscellaneous

• Store coffee in an airtight, opaque container to preserver flavor and freshness. Buy coffee in whole bean form and grind enough for one pot at a time. If you buy more coffee than you can use in 3-4 days, store in an airtight container in the freezer.
• Anybody that lives in the south where the humidity is particularly high probably has had their salt shakers clog up. If you put a little bit of dry rice in the shaker it will stop the salt from hardening.
• Honey is the only nonperishable food substance, so don’t get rid of the stuff if it crystallizes or becomes cloudy. Microwave on medium heat, in 30-second increments, to make honey clear again.
• The best way to keep herbs fresh is to by storing them in whole bunches. First wash them, then seal them in zip lock bags and place them in the freezer. Storing them this way should keep them at peak freshness for up to a month. When you are ready to use them, you’ll find they are actually easier to chop frozen – and they’ll defrost in a hurry once you toss them into a hot pan.
• Keeping brown sugar in the freezer will stop it from hardening. But if you already have hardened sugar on your shelf, soften it by sealing in a bag with a slice of fresh bread or an apple – or by microwaving on high for 30 seconds.

GENERAL TIPS

• Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature. It should be kept between 38 and 40 F. to keep your foods as fresh as possible without freezing them.
• Keep your eye on expiration dates when you shop.
• Grow your own food! If you can’t eat it all yourself, pass it along to friends, family or your local food bank. Even if you fail to harvest the complete crop at its peak, it can still be fed to the chickens or composted so it doesn’t really go to waste.
• Buy locally. If you can grow them yourself, the next best option is locally grown produce. It lasts much longer than supermarket fare, which has already traveled long distances before it gets to your kitchen.
• Plan meals in order of what needs to be used up first.
• Keeping in mind the specific ways you like to eat it, clean and prep fresh food as soon as you get it into the kitchen, making it much less likely you’ll let it spoil.