Homemade Laundry Soap

Ok for all you Preppers out there, here is a homemade laundry soap recipe.  My friend swears by it, and said she actually really likes it and prefers it to what she used to use from the store.  (Which was basically whatever soap was the cheapest that day.)  I'll admit, I am a little bit pickier.  OK a LOT pickier.  So I will stick with my Melaleuca detergent for now.  But I think its always good to know how to do this kind of thing if you needed to.  I also keep all the ingredients on hand in case I run out and can't order more of my favorite detergent.  

This is the liquid recipe:

1 bar grated Fels Naptha soap

5 gallon bucket

1 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)

1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

4 1/2 gallons hot water

Put grated Fels Naptha in saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and 1 cup borax and mix well. As it cools, it will thicken. About 24-48 hrs. If mixture becomes too thick, add hot water to thin it to desired consistency. May be used immediately. Mix well before each use. Use 1/2(normal) to 1 cup per load (heavy).

This is the powder recipe:

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap

1/2 cup washing soda

1/2 cup 20 mule team borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

To make a large batch - grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and then add 3 cups of Washing Soda and 3 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in covered container.

TIP: The above recipes will NOT make suds in your washer so don't be alarmed. Fels Naptha Soap is a pure soap and typically makes little or no suds in the water. This makes it perfect for use in the new HE washers as well as tradional washers. You will also notice the need to either reduce your laundry softener or in most cases you can even eliminate the use of softener completely.  -site unknown

Tres Leches Cake, Happy Mothers Day!

My husband is from Mexico, and there is nothing he loves more than a good Tres Leches cake.  If you haven't brushed up on your spanish lately, Tres is the number 3 and Leche is milk.  So it is essentially a 3 milk cake.   The cake is a basic sponge cake, but its the 3 milk syrup that makes this cake divine!

My father in law was so excited to eat this at the family party yesterday, he could hardly stand the wait, and was chanting "I want cake, I want cake!" while we were getting everything ready.  :-)  After the first bite he was shocked and surprised by what is little whitey DIL could pull off!  :-)

This recipe came from my cousin Rachel, who also married a man of latin decent.   She is photographer, prepper, chicken owner, and a cake baker extraordinaire! Theres nothing this girl can't do.   If you are in Idaho, check out her site:  PortraitsbyRachel.com


(I have to admit though, I cheated and took shortcuts all the way through it, and my cake Still came out!  See her tips at the bottom for a perfect cake.)

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease and flour your pan(s) (this will fit in two 9 inch pans or  an 11x13, or even a bundt pan works nicely--  I doubled the recipe and put it in a 1/4 sheet cake pan, 11 x 16).

Sponge Cake for Tres Leches

1c. Sugar 

5 lg. Eggs, separated 

1/3 c. milk 

1 tsp. Vanilla extract 

1 c. flour

Beat 3/4c. sugar and egg yolks until light & fluffy (I used my Bosch with the wire beaters)

Pour Mixture into a separate Mixing bowl and rinse your Bosch.

FOLD milk, vanilla and flour into yolk mixture. (Be gentle- it doesn’t need to be mixed perfectly, just sort of integrated) 

Beat egg whites in the Bosch (or other stand mixer) until soft peaks form. 

Add leftover sugar and beat until glossy and firm. 

FOLD egg whites into mixture.

*Bake 30-45 minutes until firm (Depending on your pan sizes,  baking time might be different. You could check it at 20 minutes to be sure. Test with a cake tester or think sharp knife and see if it comes out clean, and the cake begins to pull away from the sides.)

Milk Syrup

12 oz. Evaporated milk 

1c. sweetened condensed milk 

1c. heavy or whipped cream 

1 tsp. Vanilla extract 

(Mix all ingredients together well.  I used a blender for ease of mixing and pouring.)

Cool completely and pierced liberally with fork. You can dump the cake out and cool it on a baking rack if you want, and then put it back in the pan for the milk syrup part.

When cooled and pierced, pour syrup over cake.  Pour in small amounts, waiting for liquid to absorb.  The first photo below is after pouring most of the syrup over the cake.  The second photo is after the syrup has soaked in.  You can keep any extra in the fridge. 

Ice the cake with whipped cream or cool whip. (I used cool whip) Top with sliced strawberries, Kiwis, Pineapple, or any fruit you like.

Some tips from my cousin Rachel:
"Yeah, it’s a sponge cake. It waits for no one. Have EVERYTHING ready. The key to getting this to rise well is to be quick, but gentle- especially with the eggs- they are your leavening.  Have your pan and oven ready.  Room temp ingredients work nicely. You can run the eggs under hot water in a bowl in your sink for 3 minutes or so- that should get them warmed up but not cooked! You can also beat the whites over a bowl of warm (not hot) water. Milk can go in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to slightly warm to room temp. I would also sift that cup of flour in. Take pictures! "

I just had to include some of these fun shots from the last time we made this cake.  Dad's Birthday!  My little helper was thrilled about her accomplishment, and the look on dad's face says it all!

    

Heres a closeup of the cake:

Preparing a 72 hour kit - Do you have one?

Many preppers begin the journey by focusing on food storage.  While this is a worthwhile pursuit, I would say its almost MORE important to have a well-stocked 72 hour kit FIRST.  When emergencies or even regional disasters strike many people are unable to get to their food storage and other preparations as quickly as they would like to either due to building collapses (earthquakes), or in the case of an evacuation for fire or flood.  For these reasons, it is necessary to have a 72 hour kit within easy access that you can grab on your way out.  This food and other necessities will sustain you during the most stressful time of an incident, which is thought to be during the first 72 hours.

There are many different kinds of kits you can make, and also several available for purchase in emergency supply stores, warehouse stores, and even online.  The 2 I choose to have are as follows:  1) A large Emergency Kit with enough supplies for the whole family, tucked into a rolling garbage can for portability.    2) Several small individual kits in backpacks kept in garage or cars.

What items should I have in my 72 hour kit? Below is a list I've compiled of many different things.  You may consider some of these things optional, I am just including a comprehensive list of ideas for things you may possibly need.

9 meals for each person.  Ideas include:
Soups, canned or dehydrated
Instant Oatmeal packets
Applesauce/Fruit Cups
Canned pastas in sauce
Hot Cocoa Mixes
Granola Bars
Protein bars
Cereals/Crackers
Trail Mix
Dried Fruits
Candy/Gum
Canned Tuna, Beans
Beef Jerky
Water for 3 days

Dishes/ Untensils, and Napkins
Can Opener if your food requires it
Pocket Knife
Rope
Duct Tape
First Aid Kit
Emergency Radio
Medications, inhalers, etc.
Portable Stove & Fuel
Fire starter (Matches or Flint and Steel, lighter)
Flashlight & Extra Batteries
Change of Clothing
Blankets/Sleeping Bags
Tarp or Tube Tent
Sanitary Supplies for Women
Toiletries, soap, shampoo, razor, brush etc.
Roll of Toilet paper (Can be flattened and put in a zip loc)
Extra diapers for Infants
Formula for Infants
Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Notebook & Pen
Coloring book & Crayons for young children
Personal Documents - Copies of Drivers license, Marriage & Birth Certificates, Insurance Policies, etc.
Cash and Emergency Credit Card
Recent Family photo
Emergency Rain Poncho

For more ideas, see:
FEMA Disaster Supplies List
2 Person 72 Hour Kit in Backpack
Augason Farms 11 Day Grab and Go Emergency Food Supply

Just so you can see, the outside of my can was pretty dirty from hanging around the yard for several years.   But everything inside was clean and dry because I vacuum sealed most things, and Packed clothing and blankets in "Space Bags."