DIY All Purpose Cleaning Spray

A couple years ago now I started following a YouTube channel about cleaning and cleaning products. My husband, Jayme, got REALLY excited, thinking that it meant I was going to start cleaning more or better but mostly I just liked the idea of cleaning made easy. I hate cleaning. It sucks. I hate the nasty smelling cleaners and the vacuuming and unloading the dishwasher so you can load it and run it and then start all over again. In any case, when the lady that runs the channel, Melissa Maker, came out with a book, I put it on my wishlist and when I got it I read it cover to cover! Poor Jayme, he just keeps thinking I am going to step up my cleaning game. One thing I did start doing after reading the book is using her recipes for DIY cleaning products! This one is my absolute favorite and I keep one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen.

The recipe calls for 10 drops of essential oil (optional) and I have tried a few and settled on peppermint. I like the way it makes the cleaner smell.
All you do is mix together 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol (I use 91%), 1 teaspoon of gentle dish soap (I use Dawn) and the 10 drops of essential oil. Put into a spray bottle and get to cleaning!

Homemade Condensed Soups

If you are anything like me, you LOVE casseroles! I make about one a week, which  means I usually have Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom or Tomato soup on my grocery list. Lately I have been trying to cut down on the sodium and preservatives where I can and those condensed soups that go into my beloved casseroles? LOADED with both!! What's a moderately lazy girl like me to do? Google a suitable replacement! And I found a great set of recipes for each. I have only made the Cream of Chicken so far but I will include all three recipes here and add the pics when I make the others.

CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP
**Recipe will yield the equivalent of two cans of condensed soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used seasoned flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp celery seed (optional)

1/8 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup diced cooked chicken

      Since I was going to immediately use this in a chicken casserole, I left out the diced chicken.

In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil over medium high heat. Mix together the milk and flour in a bowl until the flour is dissolved.

Slowly pour the milk mixture into the boiling stock and whisk to combine. Whisk in all the seasonings and reduce heat to medium. Bring the mixture back to a low boil and stir constantly. Boil and stir for about 3 minutes or until thickened. If using chicken, add it now. Use immediately in a recipe or store in an airtight container for up to one week in the refrigerator.

CONDENSED CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

**Recipe will yield the equivalent of two cans of condensed soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/3 cups vegetable stock

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup finely diced fresh mushrooms

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp celery seed (optional)

1/8 tsp dried thyme

In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil over medium high heat. Mix together the milk and flour in a bowl until the flour is dissolved.

Slowly pour the milk mixture into the boiling stock and whisk to combine. 

Whisk in the mushrooms and all the seasonings and reduce heat to medium. 

Bring the mixture back to a low boil and stir constantly. Boil and stir for about 3 minutes or until thickened. Use immediately in a recipe or store in an airtight container for up to one week in the refrigerator. I used mine right away in some Chicken Spaghetti and it was fabulous!!

CONDENSED TOMATO SOUP

**Recipe will yield the equivalent of one can of condensed soup

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz tomato sauce

1-2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until well combined. Add to your favorite recipe!

Problem Solved!

About a week ago I was complaining on my Facebook status about baking soda containers. I can't figure out why  they don't seal back up. I understand the ones where you tear the cardboard sides then put them in the fridge or freezer for odor absorption. But I use a lot of baking soda in my BAKING and I am always worried that it isn't good or fresh as the box gets emptier. Occasionally I have used the rest in a box for cleaning and bought a new one for baking. Then there are the lovely times when the nearly full, but not sealed box falls out of the cupboard and spills all over the counter and the floor. Goo times!!
Anyhoo, just after posting, I was putting away some clean dishes. Among them were some half pint mason jars that I had used for peach jam at Christmas. They are the kind of squatty, pretty ones and I had the idea to put salt and pepper in them and keep them by the stove for adding seasoning to recipes!

They have a nice wide mouth so I can either use a measuring spoon or my fingers to pinch out what I need.

Well, last week I was at Target and perusing the kitchen gadgetry when I spied some pint-sized short squatty jars. A single sunbeam shined down from heaven and a lightbulb went on above my head. I bought them and came home and did this:

Now my cocoa powder and my baking soda have a lovely little jar to call home until I add them to something delicious. Next step is to get some of these awesome chalkboard labels and write the name of what is stored inside. I have two jars left, I wonder what I can put in them.....

Programming code all blog commentors should know...

Many, many, many thanks to my favorite geeks over at EPBOT (FYI: They are the same folks who do Cake Wrecks) for posting this little tip for all of us pretend-geeks who love to write blogs and read blogs and comment on blogs but sometimes want to put a link in them and don't know how to embed it so it ends up looking all kinds of awful. I have used it lately when posting my weekly menu to This Week For Dinner and it works PERFECTLY!! Since I would probably mess it up and type it in wrong for you, I will simply link you over to their post. Happy Commenting!!