Zucchini Bread

I actually made muffins using this recipe for breakfast the other day and it was a hit. The kids loved it!

Zucchini Bread

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups zucchini, grated (about 1 med zucchini)

3 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup  pecan nuts, chopped

Combine sugars, oil and eggs until well blended. Add zucchini and vanilla. In separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Mix with wet ingredients. Add nuts. Grease and lightly flour 3 small loaf pans. Pour into loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Makes 3 small loaves. 

*For muffins, I baked them at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. 

Makes 24 muffins. 

Homemade Laundry Soap

I thought I'd give homemade laundry soap a try. I have always used Tide and some yummy smelling fabric softener or dryer sheet. I appreciate perfectly clean - non-stained - clothes & perfectly white whites 100% of the time. I have to admit though that my standards have dropped. Either, Tide wasn't doing its job or my kids are crazy dirty... And I truly think it's the first! I don't call myself a laundry pro but I certainly appreciate laundry done right. Since laundry detergent is super expensive I thought I'd give this recipe a try and I must say that I think that it does exactly what Tide did or better. And by that I mean it gets 99% of everything out at a small fraction of the cost. Here's what I do and the glorious thing is that it's pretty flexible, so feel free to adjust to your desire (just keep the Felsnaptha, washing soda and borax):

Homemade Laundry Detergent 

1 shredded bar of Felsnaptha (I grate it and then run it through the blender to make it super fine)

2 cups Borax

2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

1 cup Oxi Clean

*I've also added salt, a shredded bar of Dial soap, commercial powder detergent and/or Gain unstopables... This is the part that you can customize!!

I was told to use 1-3 Tablespoons per load for a regular washer...1 for small loads, 2 for regular & 3 for large or really dirty loads. I have an HE machine and a water softener so I use about half that. 

My only complaint is that it is scent-less (if that's a word!) So, I just make sure I use fabric softener or a dryer sheet. I liked the Gain Unstopables but they are super expensive and it wasn't worth it!

*This has ALWAYS taken out fresh/new stains!!

*I usually double this recipe... it costs about $4.50/recipe and it lasts about 5 months. 

*It is super easy to make...once I shred & blend the Felsnaptha all I do is scoop and mix. Easy, peasy!

*It works with a regular washing machine and an HE machine (I put it directly with the clothes just to prevent any clogs in the machine. I have never heard of it happening and I don't think it will happen but I don't want to risk anything!)