Sunday, June 14, 2009

I'll try anything once...

For the last year or so, I've come across blogger after blogger who has made homemade laundry detergent. Honestly, my first (and second and third...and fiftieth) thought has always been, "Ummmmmm, NO. I really like my Tide, thankyouverymuch."

A few weeks ago I read Chickadee's post about it and at the end she linked to a woman who crunched the numbers and figured out that it cost a penny per load. The tightwad in me read that and was convinced enough to give it a try. I mixed some up this weekend (haven't used it yet though) and I must confess that I'm a little tentative. 

John is even more tentative. 

When I told him what I was doing, he gave me a weird look. I asked him if he thought I was crazy, and he said, "Yeah, a little." 

Great. This could be interesting.

I suppose if we despise the concoction, then I can just pitch it and use the borax to make homemade silly putty, and the washing powder to soak things before our next tie-dye project. Stay tuned.

Speaking of making things from scratch...

I tried making hummus this weekend. It was DELICIOUS! I got the recipe from my friend, Tim, who got it from the Naked Chef cookbook. Seriously, it was as good if not better than the kind I buy at my health food store or Whole Foods. So much cheaper too and SO stinkin' easy. The hardest part was finding tahini paste at the store. 

Look out you guys. 

Next thing you know, I'll be making homemade cream of chemical mushroom or chicken soup! (Actually, I've been meaning to try this. Have any of you done this before?)


And homemade cheese crackers. Like Goldfish or CheezIts.

I'll try anything once. Well, almost anything. ;)

16 comments:

Kendra said...

Oh, I am totally a hummus addict. Even my 3 year old knows what it is, not that he'll eat it. Though he did try it, good boy. I eat it many times a day with carrot sticks and flat bread. YUM! I'll try homemade, if I ever can hunt down that elusive tahini!

Jackie said...

I LOVE homemade cream of mushroom soup - it is SO good. And super easy too. I started making it maybe a year ago, and I don't think I've gone back to the storebought stuff since. It freezes great, too. Let us know what you think when you make it!

So sorry I missed the 10 on the 10th again! I was out of town, but I'll try to join back in next month.

Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt said...

Well. I'm firmly claiming pregnancy to stick to my lazy ways. :)

Mary said...

Please let us know what you think of the laundry detergent. I've been thinking seriously about making some but I haven't been brave enough just yet.

I've never had hummus. I don't really even know what it is. I should probably try it though if everyone loves it so!

Tiffani said...

I like hummus..only a recent convert but Kroger every now and then has it for $1..I'm sure the homemade is MUCH tastier!!!

I'm proud of you for trying the new detergent!! Keep me posted on how it works!

Amber said...

I feed my kids mac and cheese out of the blue box.

I don't make my own anything.

Not because I wouldn't want to. But because I don't trust myself. I'm not too handy in the kitchen department.

But hooray for you!!

jeanie@mageditor.blogspot.com said...

I've made homemade cream of mushroom/celery/chicken (it's kind of interchangeable) soup before. I've forgotten exactly how to do it though. I know it was dry and used powdered milk (which I used to buy at Aldi CHEAP) and then you mixed water with it to hydrate it. It was better for some things than others. For example, if the cream of soup was the main ingredient for the sauce it wasn't so good but if it was just the base..it was fine.
I have to admit a freakish fascination with the homemade laundry detergent ever since the Duggars made it on their show. I'll let you be the guinea pig and see how it works. I am scared it will be too soapy?.

JenB said...

I really considered making the detergent after her post. Then we went on vacation and I forgot about it. So now, I'm just going to wait to hear from you how it goes. I know you'll be honest! ;) I'll let you guys be our guinea pigs, 'k? hahaha

Tami said...

I've been wanting to try the laundry detergent too. I might have to actually try it, but I just bought new Tide at the store today.

Stephanie Kay said...

There are some things I put under the title of "Worth paying money for the convenience": laundry soap is one of them. ;) But I hope your experiment works for you. :)

Carpool Queen said...

I used to make my own hummus. The key is getting is super smooth. I don't do chunks in the 'mus.

I make my own cream sauce, but it's not flavored. It's just creamy and I add chicken to it.

Robin said...

I have used cloth diapers and made my own baby wipes, but never laundry detergent.

Gretchen said...

Two things I lurve: hummus and pesto. Two things I hate about them? The expense. I mean, really, what is the deal with $5 for a jar of olive oil, basil and pine nuts? Or a container of garbanzo beans with a little of this and a pinch of that. Trouble is...I don't heart making them. Let me know what you think of the work involved, etc. b/c I'm almost ready to leap. :)

Christen said...

i just made a batch today too! as easy as throwing together a pb&j! i make it every other month for the past 4 years! the only thing that is hard to get used to is not having bubbles. but it's ok, you don't have to dump a bunch in, it works, really. and if you don't like it you can send the phels naptha this way :)

*carrie* said...

Mer,

Hope you made it safely to AR. Thanks for the links--I'm starring this post to try your hummus recipe. I've made several different versions, and not found one I love.

Also, thanks for all the recipes you sent. I've been too busy to look at them more thoroughly but will do so soon.

Michelle@Life with Three said...

I've never had much luck making my own hummus -- but I'll have to try your recipe. I just started making my own cream of chicken soup for casseroles and such. It is beyond easy and makes me feel better than using that stuff from the can. I've been using this recipe and it works like a charm: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_cream_chicken_soup