Homemade Fabric Softner

Do you want to save money in the laundry room? Then this article is for you! After making my own laundry detergent, which I love, I knew I needed to make my own fabric softner and went searching for recipes! Many people make their own laundry products to save money and to use more natural products. This recipe calls for vinegar (this is pretty cheap), a bottle of conditioner (I get the 78 cents one or a free one after rebate or ECB from CVS or Rite Aid.), and water. so, this can definately reduce your laundry cost! I found it to be quite easy to make and I stored mine in a gallon milk jug and then pour it into a baby wipes container. I then take an old sock that has lost it's mate forever and dip it in the fabric softner. I squeezed some of the liquid out and then threw the sock in the dryer. I washed sheets first and I found no staining, which is a common question people ask about the homemade fabric softner. My fabric softner made my clothes smell like the conditioner I used. So, if you are wanting to save some money in the laundry room, give this recipe a try!

Homemade Fabric Softner
2 cups hair conditioner [one regular size bottle is almost 2 cups - close enough]

3 cups white vinegar

6 cups water

Mix these together and use as you would store-bought softener.

Note: I stored mine in a gallon milk carton and then pour into a baby wipes container for use.

Easy Pizza Sauce

Easy Pizza Sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
4 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups water
Combine tomato paste, garlic, parsley flakes, onion, oregano, basil and water in 2 quart saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Cool a little and spread on your pizza crust and proceed with remainder of your toppings.
Makes 4 servings
Calories 80 Fat 0.5 Fiber 4.5
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This was really good on the pizza. I don't know about the serving size, but I can get at least 2 pizzas out of this one batch of sauce and maybe a third one.
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Note: This pizza sauce freezes really well too.

Easy Pizza Dough

Cooking from scratch is a great way to save money. Here's a pizza dough recipe that is so easy. I found this recipe on Mom Advice.

Basic Pizza Dough (from"How to Cook Everything,")

1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea slat, plus extra for sprinkling

1 to 1 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

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To make this dough in food processor: Combine the yeast, flour, and 2 teaspoons salt in the container of a food processor. Turn the machine on and add 1 cup water and the 2 tablespoons of oil through the feed tube. Process for 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. If it is dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for another 10 seconds. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand a few seconds to form a smooth, round dough ball. Grease a bowl with the remaining olive oil, and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours. You can cut this rising time short if you are in a hurry or you can let the dough rise more slowly in the refrigerator for six to eight hours.

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To make this dough by hand: Combine half the flour with the salt and yeast and stir to blend. Add 1 cup water and the 2 tablespoons olive oil; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add remaining flour a bit at a time; when the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, begin kneading, adding as little flour as possible- just enough to keep the dough from being a sticky mess. Knead until smooth but still quite moist, about ten minutes. Proceed as above.

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To make this dough with a standing mixer: The machine must be fairly powerful or it will stall. Combine half the flour with the salt, yeast, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 cup water; blend with the machines paddle. With the machine on slow speed, add flour a little at a time until the mix has become a sticky ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl (switch to the dough hook if necessary). Knead for a minute by hand, adding as little flour as possible, then proceed as above.

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To make this dough with the bread machine: Add ingredients as follows- warm water, olive oil, flour, salt, and then add yeast at the top. Turn machine on and select the dough setting. When the machine beeps, you can roll out the dough onto your pizza stone/pan.

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I made this dough in my bread machine. I watched it and it seemed really wet so I added some more flour to it. It was still a little sticky when I took it out of the machine so I added some more flour. This was really good and once I took care of the stickiness, it was easy. I added a sauce, cheese and other toppings and cooked for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Some people like to pre-bake there crust before putting on toppings and you can do that too.

Making my own Maple Syrup

With a family of 6, I am always looking for ideas to save money on my grocery bill. A few months ago, I found this recipe online for homemade pancake syrup and thought, I just have to try that! I ran out the other day and remembered that recipe and decided to give it a try. All I did was fill the old pancake syrup bottle up. Nobody even noticed. It is a super easy recipe to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand! Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Homemade Maple Syrup

4 cups white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups water

2 teaspoons maple flavoring (or vanilla)

Mix the water and sugars in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the flavoring. Cool and pour into container. You do not need to refrigerate the syrup.

Pilsbury Crescent Roll Coupon and a Recipe!

I love Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and they even have them in reduced fat! Here is a new $1.00 coupon. Since it is Thanksgiving time, I have found these on sale in a lot of stores. Add a coupon to that sale and you have a better deal! You could have these with your Thanksgiving Dinner or you could try this yummy recipe!

CHICKEN BASEBALLS
3 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
2 tsp light margarine, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
one half chopped onion
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 8oz can reduced fat crescent rolls
2 Tbsp skim milk
In a blender (or by hand) combine cream cheese, butter, salt, pepper, milk, onion. Blend. Pour mixture over chicken and stir. Separate crescent roll dough into four rectangles and seal perforations. Spoon 1/2 cup mixture into center of each. Pull opposite corners of dough to center and seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Calories: 235.5
Total Fat: 10.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g

My Comfort Breakfast and a Coupon!

This is the breakfast I have been enjoying on these cold winter mornings. It just makes me all warm inside so I call it my comfort breakfast. Quaker Weight Control Banana Bread and Cinnamon Instant oatmeal are a great addition to my Weight Watchers plan. Here's what I do:

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Banana Bread Oatmeal

I make 1 package as directed on the box and then I add a packet of Splenda and I cut up a banana and stir it in. So easy and yummy!!!

5 Weight Watcher Points

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Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

I make 1 package as directed on the box and then I add a packet of Splenda and I add several dashes of cinnamon and then add 1/2 cup applesauce and stir. So easy and yummy!

4 Weight Watcher Points

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You can also get your $1.00 off any one box Quaker Oatmeal to save you some money!

To read more about my Weight Loss Journey go visit my other blog, Honey I Shrank Myself!