Honey Oat Bread
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
3/4 cup oats (either old-fashioned or quick)
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (almond or soy for vegan/dairy free)
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/3 cup honey (agave for vegan) if you like sweeter bread, just add extra
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp honey (or agave), warmed (can mix with a bit of butter)
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp oats
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.
In a small bowl, or two-cup measuring cup, warm the milk so that it's hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.
Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. If the dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to soften it up.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. If the dough is too sticky, lightly flour the surface before continuing. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9x5-inch loaf pan, cover with a clean towel, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place an empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats.
Place the bread in the oven and pour boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190 degrees.
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap (Front or Top-Loading Machines)
4 cups hot tap water
1 fels-naptha or Ivory soap bar
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
Grate the bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
Fill a 5 gallon bucket halfway with hot tap water. Add the melted soap, washing soda, and borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken. It will get quite thick.
Stir again in the morning and mix it well. Dump half of the soap into a second 5 gallon bucket and fill both buckets to the top with water and stir well. Or don't dilute it at all and only use half the amount called for in each load.
Optional: add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once the soap is cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, or tea tree oil.
Top-Loading machine: 5/8 cup per load (approx. 180 loads)
Front-Loading machine: 1/4 cup per load (approx. 640 loads)
Powdered Laundry Detergent (Top-Loading Machine)
1 fels-naptha soap bar
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For a light load, use 1 Tbsp. For a heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tbsp. Yields 3 cups detergent (approx. 40 loads).
Stain Remover
2 parts hydrogen peroxide
1 part Dawn dish soap
Combine in a spray bottle and use on laundry stains (even ones that have been dried in the dryer).
Strawberry Freezer Jam
4 cups mashed strawberries
5 Tbsp instant pectin
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Mix sugar and pectin together so there are no lumps. Mash strawberries to desired consistency. Add sugar and lemon juice and mix for 3 minutes. Jam needs to refrigerate for 3 hours to reach desired consistency. place in containers and freeze for up to 2 years.
Peach Freezer Jam
4 cups mashed peaches
5 Tbsp sure-gel pectin
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
Skin the peaches and mash to desired consistency. Follow directions on box of pectin.
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