THS
The Homemakers Society
Homemade 'Clorox' Wipes
I'm really liking this website, she has so many good tips and recipes!
Radish Recipes
I looked up recipes with radishes figuring i could make a few dishes with them and freeze the whole dish because i read that if the radishes are cooked they freeze better. Here are some recipes i found that look possibly yummy to me.
How to Make Chocolate Vessels
I've been waxing
I always like to plan ahead and prepare early, but this recipe requires little of that. It's great for those of you who have little time to bake or fuss over a special occasion dessert.
First, I'd like to talk about making the chocolate vessel. It is SO easy and fun. You'll need to buy a pack of water bomb balloons (some of you may know where I'm going with this) or if you can't find this small variety, any balloon 5" or less with do nicely.
To prepare, you should have a few balloons blown up and resting on a clean surface. Balloons can be full of static, and are prone to pick up any stray fiber, hair, or particle on a seemingly dust-free surface. I gave both my table and platter a good wipe-down with a damp cloth. Lay out a large piece of parchment for the dipped balloons.
I used a small bag of Ghiradelli semi-sweet baking chips, melted in the microwave at 30 second intervals. You'll want to be careful to not overheat your chocolate, or the completed cups will develop a chalky white film in the drying process. My advice would be to stir very well between heating intervals.
You can also melt your chocolate in a saucepan on top of the stove on the lowest heat possible. This takes a bit longer, but your chocolate is less likely to develop the chalky white film.
Transfer chocolate to a small bowl. Your chocolate should not be hot. If you find that it is hot, let it cool slightly. Dip bottom of balloon into the melted chocolate and transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Continue to dip balloons until all chocolate is used.
Allow to dry for approximately 20 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the previously glossy chocolate coating has taken on a matte finish.
Now for the fun part. After the chocolate has set, carefully cut the balloon at the top just below the knot. Allow the air to escape slowly. The balloon will pull away from the chocolate and leave a beautiful cup!
Occasionally you may experience a sticky balloon that doesn't want to let go of the chocolate. If this happens, then imagine your vessel as a clock, and gently pull the balloon away at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00. Pull from the knot upward. Your balloon should release.
Now you can fill them with anything your heart desires. My heart desired some Chai Latte whipped creme. This is very simple to make. All you need is some heavy whipping cream, dry, instant Chai mix and a little sugar.
I made some of the vessels into teacups (see above). For the handle, just pipe some melted chocolate into a small candy-cane shape and allow to dry. The handle can be adhered with additional melted chocolate.
I don't think I've ever had so much fun playing with chocolate. I think this would be a great recipe to make with the kiddos, especially since the chocolate doesn't get too hot. It's almost magical when the balloon pops and you are left with a perfect chocolate bowl. I think I may use my leftover bowls for ice cream, or perhaps a fruit and cream parfait.
Easy Homemade Citrus Scrub
What You Will Need:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup sea salt
- 1-2 slices of lemon
- 1-2 slices of orange
Directions:
- Put the oil and salt in a bowl or blender.
- Chop up the orange and lemon slices and put them in your bowl or blender. If you’re using a bowl, chop them as finely as you can or omit them entirely.
- Blend everything together and put in your container. That’s it!
Dryer Sheets
From: http://searching4hiddentreasures.blogspot.com/2011/02/home-made-laundry-detergent.html
DRYER SHEETS:
Ingredients:
1 container of your favorite fabric softener (or better still, click here to learn how to make your own!)
a bucket
water
2 sponges
Directions:
Pour fabric softener in bucket. Add 2 parts water. (Fill your fabric softner container with water twice and add to bucket.) Mix well. Throw in your sponges. Ring your sponge out and add it to dryer with your clean, wet clothes. Return sponge to mixture when clothes are dry.
There you have it!! Life is easier already! =)
Homemade Fabric Softener
- 8 cups white vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 1 cup baking soda
- Essentials oils of your choice (like lavender, lemon, orange...)
In a big bucket (this will be fizzy) mix vinegar and water. Slowly add baking soda; stirring constantly. Use a funnel to pour this mixture into a gallon size container. Add 1/3 teaspoon of essential oil to the gallon container. For a stronger smell you can add more. Shake before each use. Add about a half a cup to a whole cup to the fabric softener dispenser depending on the size and content of your load.
You can add 3-5 drops of eucalyptus or tea tree oil to the dispenser along with the fabric softener to kill bacteria, mold, and viruses.
Dish Washing Detergent
From: http://searching4hiddentreasures.blogspot.com/2011/06/dish-washing-detergent.html
Homemade Liquid Dish Soap
- 1 quart (8 cups) of water
- 1/2 bar of your favorite soap (I use Ivory, but you can use castle or whatever you like best.)
- 2 cups of vinegar to cut the grease (I suppose lemon juice would do the trick too, but citrus takes the shine out of your silver ware too, so I use vinegar.)
(You probably don't need to mix as much as I did, but I didn't want it to seperate and I already had the mixer out - so why not?? You can play with it and do your own thing.)
There will not be any bubbles. We have grown so accustomed to seeing bubbles that we don't feel we've cleaned anything without them, but we must remember bubbles don't clean things. Soap does!
Also ~ If your soap ends up a little too thick, you can simply dilute it with a little water until you like it.
Diary Of A Coupon Addict
I started a new blog dedicated to couponing. Deals and ad matches are for local deals and stores in the Kansas, Wichita area.
Powder Homemade Laundry Soap
Recipe @ http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html
Found in the comments that you are suppose to use 1 tablespoon a load but some do 2 tablespoons.
Going to try this since i have quite a lot of laundry soap supplies built up. They say it’s cheaper then the wet laundry soap.
My modified version of the chicken salad wraps found here: Santa Fe Chicken Salad Wrap, Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad
For the Chicken Salad
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 - 2 tablespoon minced cilantro
2 – 3 green onions, sliced thin
2 cups poached, diced or shredded chicken (or grilled is great)
¼ cup tomatoes, diced
¼ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup corn kernels
I just throw everything in a bowl and mix… and slop it on a shell and your ready!
Spinach Salad Wrap
I usually pass by recipes that are in a magazine but this one i decided to try. It was AWESOME! One of our new found favorites. Of course i change the recipe to make it my own (and better).
Super simple! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
I used only 1 Tbsp. and i used white vinegar… i don’t like vinegar very much
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. snipped fresh parsley
I didn’t have this
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
I used plain o’mustard from the bottle… but i used the same amount as above.
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 5-oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach (about 5 cups)
We didn’t use near 5 cups! I just put it in the as if it was lettuce or something… not piles of it!
- 6 10-inch flour tortillas
- 6 slices mozzarella cheese, torn in half
Shredded works fine too…. once again no measuring needed just sprinkle on your shell. Think taco!
- 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 12 slices bacon, crisp cooked and drained
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Bacon is the main ingredient! As far as the toppings, do your own thing if you don’t like mushrooms or eggs. I had it with mushrooms, tomatoes and green pepper…. were as my Husband only had tomatoes and loved it! I would suggest tomatoes!
Directions:1.For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together vinegar, sour cream, sugar, parsley, salt, garlic, and dry mustard until combined. Whisk in the olive oil; set dressing aside.2.Divide spinach among flour tortillas. Top with cheese, mushrooms, bacon, red onion, and sliced eggs. Drizzle with dressing. 3.Roll up tortillas. If necessary, secure with toothpicks. If desired, wrap in waxed paper and cut in half to serve. | Nutrition Facts
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Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe and a Hot Chocolate How To
I was craving some hot chocolate and i had used the last of my store bought chocolate syrup the other day. I got the bright idea ‘why don’t i make some? i bet i can find a recipe online!’
So i searched and easily found it!
(My Homemade Chocolate Syrup)
The recipe:
From The Complete Tightwad Gazette.
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Mix the cocoa powder and the water in a saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa. Add the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Be careful not to let it get too hot and boil over! Add the salt and the vanilla. Let cool. Pour into a clean glass jar, and store in the refrigerator. Keeps for several months, but trust me it will be gone before then. Yields two cups.
The result is very rich and yummy!
These would make cute hostess gifts or party favors!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So then i went on to make my hot chocolate.
What I used: Homemade syrup and stove top frother for that ‘coffee shop’ quality.
Purchasable @ http://www.organic-vida.com
Measure out your milk using your mug. Keep in mind to leave some room for your syrup plus room for the milk to expand when frothed.
Pour milk into frother and put on stove on medium heat without lid. Heat until desired warmth. Can test with your finger. Take off heat and put lid on.
Froth by pumping the handle on the lid. You don’t have to pump very fast to make great thick foam. Pour your desired chocolate syrup into bottom of the mug. Pour a little of the frothed milk in, using a spoon to hold back the foam. Stir the chocolate into the milk, the pour the rest of the frothed milk in.
Yum! Even better if you can top with some whipped cream and drizzle with more chocolate!
Bacon Potatoes
Now, this is how I want my potatoes from now on! Do you really need a recipe? All you do is peel whole potatoes, cut them all across, not too thin, and not all the way through, sprinkle with some salt, but not too much, the bacon is salty. Then fill with small bacon slices in between. Bake in a pan with some oil until potatoes are fully cooked, and serve!
In the original recipe, the potatoes are first cooked half way, and I guess this is done to cut the baking time, which I didn’t do, and they took a while to be completely baked, but I didn’t mind waiting.









