More Soap Results

The wonder box is on the way!!! The directions are a little vague, but I think I have it figured out now. I am taking pictures so hopefully, I can put them on tomorrow (dare I say that?). I can't even blame having the grand kiddies over, just have to many irons in the fire!! Please be patient, I am anxious to use it myself!!

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It cost $1.30 for 1 quart of dry laundry soap. If you have a regular capacity washer and average soiling on your laundry, that will take 1 Tablespoon. That would give you 64 loads of laundry. I have been using 2 T. per load because I have the largest capacity washer, made by Maytag about 1998 0r 1999. I did use 3 T. on an especially dirty stinky load. I should get 30 loads for $1.3o. I am pretty pleased with that.

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1. This spot has been washed, bleached with a Clorox pen, soaked, treated with a grease buster, you name it! It got the color out finally, but never would just disappear for me. 2. Today it did!

1. This stain had not been treated or washed before today. 2. It is lighter, but not completely gone. I'm going to bleach it now with the bleach pen, wash it one more time and see if the discoloration can be wiped out.

TOMATILLO SALSA . . . under the tutelage of a really great cook!

To make the Salsa Verde, you will need:

• Tomatillos (Ihappened to have 3/4 pounds, so Maria gave me amounts according to that)
  
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 6-7 Tepin chiles
• Salt, to taste, I used 1/4 teaspoon

All of the recipes I found on the internet didn't seem quite right. I went to my friend Maria and found out why! The ingredients needed to be roasted! She grew up in Sonora, Mexico and knows the real thing. I have never tasted anything that she has cooked, Mexican or American, that wasn't out of this world. She has agreed to let me document her making the best tortillas in the world for the blog. You will see that she is a beautiful person, through and through!

1. Pan roast the 3/4# tomatillos, for the best flavor, roast them on the BBQ. I have never BBQ 'ed tomatillos, but it sure makes green chiles fantastic! It's easier if the tomatillos about the same size. Mine were very different and it made it a little tricky to get them all done without burning any of them.

2. Pan roast the 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced and 6-7 tepins for mild (Maria uses 10-12!). 3. Cut the little cores from the tomatillos. 4. Put everything you have toasted into the food processor or blender and give a good whirl! ( I used the highest speed) It made 2 full cups of salsa. 5. Time to do the "QC" (quality control) test! 6. Salt to taste, I used 1/4 t. Most would want more than that.

Before and After Pictures . . . sorry, I couldn't post the smell of CLEAN!

These are my hot pads, yes I actually use them  . . . .  that is why they look the way they do. They go well with my poor old stove  ;-)  They have gone and done some serious cooking at girls camp, turkey looking (I camp while Jon goes hunting), other camping and at home on a daily basis.  Even though you can see some difference in the two pictures, it really doesn't do justice to the difference.  They were really greasier than you can see in the first pic.

My and Rob's work clothes are very fresh, with no odor left at all.  I had been wearing mine every day for a week working outside.  The best thing is that they smell clean . . . as in, nada!  Can you tell that I have never bought into the "fresh scent" line?  The only thing that could be better would be if they had hung our on the line . .  . sunshine is the best!  Too bad it fades everything at the same time. 

LAUNDRY SOAP . . . the Results!

1.  These are the ingredients you need:  

• Borax--1 cup -- found in your laundry soap aisle
  
• Washing soda--2cups-- this is the baking soda from Costco, I have used it for years in my laundry for blasting odors, and conditioning the water.  I used again in this experiment.
• Ivory bar soap-- 2 bars, 3.5 oz to equal 7 oz.-- I found Fels Naptha at Ace Hardware and Fry's grocery store.  the "scent" (more like stench!  NOT a floral smell, unless it was stink weed) was so strong it gave me an asthma attack in the car, even though it was wrapped in a grocery bag and heavy duty ziplock bag.  = {   Had my daughter return it so I could stay away from it . . . she put it into her trunk so that she didn't have to smell it!

1.  Take your little hammer to the bars of soap.  (Do you just love my "little" hammer?  I use it to drive rebar into the hard caliche we have for soil.)    2.  The bars break up easily if you start on the edges and work you way into the middle of the bars.

1.   The pieces were all under an inch when I put them into the processor.  2.  After 20-30 seconds of whirling.  I did it for  a minute to minute an half until it was very powdery.  Don't open it right away.  It floats into the air, not so good if you have asthma or allergies!  Sure glad that I returned the Fels Naptha!  

I forgot the last step!  I put all three ingredients into a big bowl and stirred them with the whisk, while standing outside to avoid breathing the dust.   The whole process took about 5 minutes. 

I washed my very dirty, smelly work clothes and my son's very dirty, sour smelling work clothes to test it.    We had spent most of a day working outside and they were really "ripe".  They came out of the washer smelling clean!  I also put in my hot pads that have been camping.  I will share the total results, including some before and after pictures tomorrow.

Thanks to Liz for letting me know what I had forgotten to put into this.  Now you know why my daughter has appointed  herself my editor!!

Bountiful Baskets . . . again

Today was adventure in Produceland again.  It has been fun to anticipate and then finally see what was coming for the next two weeks of menu planning.  Mariah & I went down early and helped distribute everything.  Most seemed to know what they were doing, so it was no big deal.  It was pretty fun though.  I always enjoy getting to know new people, especially when they are those who enjoy pitching in.

1.  What they call the conventional basket.  It costs $15.00.  2.  This is the 9-grain bread that comes in a 5-pack for $10.00.  It just has the five basic ingredients, no fillers, etc.  It usually costs over $4.oo per loaf.  3.  They usually have a special pack or two that are good in ethnic food.  This was the Mexican pack for $5.50.  It has tomatillos, limes, jalapenos, garlic, scallions, yellow onions, cilantro, and tortillas.

The adventure is when we get something you've never cooked with and get to find new recipes.  The green tomatillas are going to be made a into salsa, new to my family.  Tomorrow we'll use the mangoes, pineapple and ginger to make a dish with chicken and a sweet & sour type sauce dish over rice.  A gal who was also helping to day, has a mango salsa recipe that she is going to email to me.   YUM! 

Wish me luck!

For the Love of Beans . . . WITH Pictures!

PINTO BEANS   ala  6-QT CROCK POT STYLE

You will need:

•  6 cups beans
  
• 1 t. salt
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2-3 T. lard or bacon grease

1.  Pick through 6 cups of beans.  2.  Pull out the funny looking beans, rocks, dirt clods.  3.  Rinse in colander. 

1.  Pour the rinsed beans in the crock, fill with water, stir around to allow the floating beans and any debris to rise to the top.  2.  Scoop out the "undesirables".  3.  Strain and rinse several times until the water is clear.

When the water is clear, place the beans in the crock. Add: 

• one medium, chopped onion 
• one minced garlic clove
  
• one teaspoon of salt
• 1 good scoop (2-3 T.) of lard  
  

Fill with water. Cover, with the lid and a towel folded in half.  Set to high and go find something to do for a couple of hours.   Check to see if it needs more water, mine usually does.  Add water, stir the bottom beans up to the top.  Cover again and check again in another 2 hours.

REFRIED BEANS

1.  Melt enough bacon grease or lard in your skillet to make it about 1/8 inch depth.    Pour in the drained beans and stir them around to fry them.  2.  I try to brown them a little before mashing them with the good old fashioned potato masher for nice chunky texture.  You can also use a mixer if you want, for a little smoother texture.  Be careful, they can be flung out and they are hot!! This method usually keeps some of the beans whole or at least not as smooth as if you did it in a blender or food processor.  3.  Getting a little browned.  Time to add some liquid.

1.  Add some bean juice if they are too dry.  2.  Some milk instead of bean juice can make them so nice and creamy while adding some more calcium.  Another way to get that powdered milk down your family if they don't want to drink it!!  3.  Don't forget the VERY critical step, quality control, AKA as "QC".   This is good to do with a salty chip so that you can judge if you need to add any salt while adding the other seasonings you decide to add . . . it's time to do that!

IN A HURRY?  

Here is the way to make them.  You can use a mixer, for a little more texture, a blender or food processor for very smooth texture.

1.  Drain the beans the same way that you do for refrying them.   2.  After whirling them, add bean juice, a little milk or salsa to make them the consistency you would like. This will make very smooth dish that will have no whole beans left unless you add a few.   3.  And then don't forget . . .   the big "QC".   Now decide what seasonings you would like to add, and of course, QC again . . . to make sure you have it just right!

Seasonings For Beans and other Mexican Foods

As I said in my original post about beans, falling on financially tight times taught me a lot.  I would cook 6 qts of beans each week.  The first night would have just plain beans with a little cheese.  I would split the rest into half and make refried beans with some and chile beans with the rest.  Oops, I forgot the liquid smoke and canned diced tomatoes.

Since I put the directions above for refried beans, I will just give some tips for chile beans.  This will depend on your taste, so I won't really give exact amounts.  It usually changes from week to week for me, depending on my cravings and how much ground beef,  I have on hand.

• Cooked beans--If you don't have some left-over, get a #10 can of the ranch style beans from Costco or Wally world.  These already have the red chile powder in them.
• Ground beef--cook  while scrambling it up.  ***Chorizo-- I almost forgot to mention this!  If you don't know what it is, try Mexican sausage.  It has actually become fairly common and not too hard to find, at least in the western US.  It can add quite a bite and really lots of flavor.  Use it instead of ground beef.
• Onion--I will usually add medium, diced onion
• Garlic--yes I cheat, I keep the minced garlic in a jar in the fridge.  BUT, if I was using fresh garlic, I would use 1 clove, minced
• Canned green chile--I always buy the big #401 cans (27 oz.)  I use about 1/4 can, diced.  Sometimes I go wild and use about half a can.  they are very mild and don't add much bite to the mix, just a nice peppery taste.
• Bay leaf-- I just like the taste of them and it seems to bring out the beefy flavor of the ground beef.   If someone gets in their bowl at the table, they get to wish for something.  My 4 yr. old grandson is waiting for his rhinoceros
• Canned petite, diced tomatoes--I use a #401 can
• Red chile powder-- I use about 1 t. of the mild kind.  Sometimes, I use the crushed red chile flakes.  Since there are seeds, they usually add more "zest".
• Tomato paste--This will make the "broth" thicker.  I have found that those of you in the colder climates seem to prefer this style ;-) 
• Liquid smoke--1/4-1/2 t.--I do love a little bit of a smokey flavor.  Some left-over home smoked salmon I snagged out of my brother's fridge years ago had me hooked.  I love to smoke my own meats, etc. now.  This is a quick "fix" when I can't afford to do that for lack of time or good ribs, chicken . . . Nuts! . . . now I'm hungry!!
• Cumin--This can add such a nice subtle flavor.  Just use a sprinkle.  I have had a fair number of dishes that got overdosed on cumin ,  takes all the fun out of it!