DIY Recycled T-Shirt Bag Tutorial
This GENIUS and nearly free recycled t-shirt bag from One Good Thing by Jillee and Instructables would be a fun thing to make for gifts, to use at the grocery store, or just to carry a lunch instead of a paper bag.
What You’ll Need:
- Heavy weight cotton T-shirt (heavy weight fabric is best)
- 3- 5 straight pins
- Pencil or pen
- Dinner plate
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
Here is a picture tutorial. If you want the full step-by-step tutorial, visit Instructables.
DIY Laundry Powder Detergent
You can save tons of money by making your own laundry detergent. It is surprisingly easy to do so, and actually pretty fun! Here’s how to make laundry detergent at home. This recipe makes approximately 5 cups.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 cups (finely) grated castile soap in scent of your choice (peppermint is a great one!)
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup soda ash (washing soda)
Directions:
- Using a cheese grater, grate the castile soap into a powder.
- Mix everything together and store in a tight jar.
- Depending on your washer, you may need to adjust the soda a bit, and the measurements per load. Try using about 1/8 cup and adjust from there. Also, be sure to shake a little every once in a while to shake the soap back into the powder.
Thanks to SouleMama for the recipe!
Recipe: Easy Ragu Stuffed Peppers
It’s nearly fall and we’re all looking for warm, simple, and filling meals. Here’s an easy recipe for Ragu Stuffed Peppers from The Food Channel that can also be great to be in a tailgating potluck!
Ingredients:
- 4 bell peppers (red, yellow or a mix), halved lengthwise with seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- About 3 cups Ragu sauce (or equivalent)
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 3/4 cup grated asiago or fontina cheese
- 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 450*F. Toss the bell pepper halves with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Cover bowl and microwave them until the peppers soften, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Mix the Ragu (or other sauce), couscous, raisins, 1/2 cup cheese, 3 teaspoons vinegar, the parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
- Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar, the tomato paste and 3/4 cup water in the bottom of a large nonreactive baking dish.
- Carefully move the peppers, cut-side up, to the baking dish & fill with the couscous mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, or about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the stuffed peppers to plates and drizzle with the cooking liquid from the dish.
Recipe: Turtle Cheesecake Dip
I had another idea for today’s blog, then I found THIS recipe. I am going to hurry and share it and hopefully forget about it or else I can see this being my “hiding in a corner so my kids can’t see me eating it” meal tonight. This delicious dip is from Bubbly Nature Creations. She has a ton of yummy recipes over there. Just a fair warning in case you are trying to watch what you eat. :)
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 box of cheesecake pudding mix
- 2 cups whipped cream
- ¼ cup and 1 Tbsp. chopped and toasted pecans
- ¼ cup of Hershey’s™ Spreads in Chocolate
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
Directions:
- Place cream cheese, powdered sugar, pudding, and whipped cream in a mixing bowl and mix on high until light and fluffy.
- Add ¼ cup of the toasted pecans and mix on low speed until evenly incorporated.
- Place the mixture into your serving bowl and drizzle the Hershey’s Spreads and caramel sauce on top.
- Sprinkle on the remainder of the toasted pecans on top and serve immediately or place in refrigerator up to 2 days.
Homemade Fabric Softener
You may already be making Homemade Body Wash and DIY Hand Soap… but if you’ve been wanting to cut costs on Fabric Softener you might want to give this a try. I love my homemade fabric softener and it saves me a ton! I have to say… you’re going to love this Homemade Fabric Softener from Food.com because it is quick and easy. Plus, you can pick your own scent, which is nice! I love apple in the fall!
What You’ll Need:
- 6 cups hot water
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups hair conditioner
How to Make & Use:
- Mix water, vinegar, and hair conditioner in a 1 gallon container; stir. Do not shake it – it will cause foaming.
- Use the same amount you normally use in a rinse cycle or spritz it on a wash cloth and throw in dryer.
This is a frugal way to save on things that you use every day! We love our homemade fabric softener and have even given it as gifts!
Recipe: Gluten-Free Coconut Banana Bread
From the book, Food Matters, comes a delicious and wheat and gluten-free bread that can be used for breakfast and dessert! In my opinion, you could toast it and also use it as french toast!
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas; at least 1 heaped cup of chopped banana
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 4 organic free-range eggs
- 4 fresh dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or raw honey
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp aluminium-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Mash bananas with the chopped dates.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy and then combine with the mash. Stir through the oil and maple syrup or honey. Add the dry ingredients and combine well.
- Transfer the batter to a loaf pan, greased and lined. The mixture will be quite thick; flatten and smooth with a spatula.
- Bake 35-40 minutes. Ready when a knife comes out clean and the edges are browned. Eat while still warm, or allow to cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.
Note:
It’s best to use overripe bananas in banana bread! Coconut flourit doesn’t have the glycemic load of grain flours, has no gluten or anti-nutrients, but it also doesn’t yield the ‘fluffiness’ of regular glutenous flours, so it might take some getting used to. This recipe gives the best bread texture without using wheat.
Recipe: Homemade Baked Strawberry French Toast
My kids love breakfast. French Toast is one of their favorites. They will eat slice after slice, covered in fruit and drizzled with a little real maple syrup. I make homemade Challah Bread or other sweet bread and then slice it up, freeze it and then it is all ready to go when the kids want me to make this. It is super simple.
Sometimes when I am up at the crack of dawn, I will fix this up and put it in the oven about 45 minutes before everyone’s set to wake up. The house smells divine…it’s sort of like Christmas Morning…you have that warm fuzzy, it’s going to be an amazing day sort of vibe.
If you don’t have strawberries, peaches, blueberries and other berries work well. You’ll love the recipe…it’s so easy!
Baked Strawberry French Toast
1 loaf day old challah, sliced into 3/4” thick slices
1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced, plus more for garnish
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups milk
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh grated nutmeg
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon for dusting over the top
Butter a 9 x 13” baking pan. Arrange the challah slices so that they are overlapping, tearing a few pieces in half if needed. Tuck the strawberries between the slices.
In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the milk, sugar, salt, nutmeg, zest, and vanilla. Then pour mixture over the challah.
Make sure that all of the slices are just about covered by the egg mixture–add more milk or rearrange the slices until they are. If refrigerating overnight, cover and chill. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for a half hour, or longer if you have time.
Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees and take the baking dish out of the fridge. Once the oven is up to temperature, bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until the french toast is a light golden brown and has puffed up nicely.
Slice and serve immediately with maple syrup and sliced strawberries. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
Recipe: Red, White & Blue-Berry Trifle
If you’re looking for a delicious dessert for Memorial Day or Independence Day that has simple ingredients and LOTS of fresh and juicy summer berries, you will love this Red, White & Blue-Berry Trifle. Make it any time of year!
Ingredients:
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (Note: Instead of red velvet cake, use 1 box chocolate cake & a bottle of red food coloring)
- 1 (16oz) tub whipped topping
- 2 pints blueberries, washed
- 1 pint strawberries, tops cut off, washed
Directions:
- Bake red velvet cake mix according to package directions. Allow to cool.
- With a serrated knife, cut the cake into 1-inch square pieces.
- Line the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the cake squares.
- Using a spatula, spread about a 2-inch layer of whipped topping on top of the cake squares.
- Layer about 1 1/2 pints of the blueberries on top of whipped topping.
- Layer the remaining cake pieces on top of the blueberries to create a second layer of cake.
- Using a spatula, spread remaining whipped topping over the top layer of cake.
- Decorate the perimeter (along the bowl sides) with the strawberries by placing the strawberries cut side down.
- Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top of the trifle inside the strawberry perimeter.
Recipe: Frozen Strawberry Crunch Cake
This simple take on an ice cream cake will be a big hit at your next family get together, or even just for dessert tonight! The Frozen Strawberry Crunch Cake from Spoonful calls for Nature Valley bars, but regular granola would work just fine as well.
Ingredients:
- 1 box Nature Valley Granola Bars
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 lemon
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups freshly chopped strawberries
Directions:
- Unwrap and put the Nature Valley granola bars (or regular granola) in a food processor until you it becomes a course crumb.
- In a large bowl, add crumbs, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter, then mix together. Spread into an 8×8″ pan covered with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then divide in half and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine eggs whites and sugar, then mix on high. Add the heavy cream and continue to mix for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and softened cream cheese to mixture, then mix on low speed until completely combined.
- Fold the strawberries into the cream mixture until as evenly mixed as possible.
- In a glass cake pan that has been buttered fully, press half of the crumb crust mixture to the bottom, then top with strawberry mix, then add the rest of the granola crumbs to the top.
- Cover and freeze for at least three hours. ENJOY!
Layered Patriotic Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipe
When it comes to the beautiful layered drinks, whether they are adult beverages or not, the way to get the drinks to have the layered look depends on the sugar content of each of the types (colors) of beverages. The higher the sugar content, the lower it needs to be in the glass. Thanks to Made From Pinterest for the easy (and pretty!) recipe!
- To make this beautiful Red, White, and Blue Patriotic and non-alcoholic drink, you just need Cran-Apple juice (of any brand), Sobe White Pina Colada, and Gatorade G2 Blueberry Pomegranate (the last two drinks do make a difference for sugar content and color).
- Grab your pretty glass and fill it almost to the top with crushed ice.
- Pour the Cran-Apple juice down the side of glass as close as you can to leave as little red on the upper parts of the glass as possible. Fill the red juice as high as you’d like it.
- Then pour the Sobe Pina Colada with as much as you’d like of white. You’ll see the Cran-Apple juice stays low since it’s higher in sugar content.
- Finish off the top of your drink with the Blueberry Pomegranate Gatorade.
- Add the straws and any fun patriotic decorations you’d like. Enjoy!!