All-Natural Cleaning Kit

Presenting the All-Natural Cleaning Kit: the perfect homemade Christmas, birthday, housewarming, or hostess gift.

I'm going to tell you what's in it, how to make or find what's in it, where I got my ideas, and what it costs.

This kit contains the ingredients for 3 different kinds of household cleaners.

All-Purpose Citrus Vinegar Cleaner
This has been floating around Pinterest forever, and I believe you can find the original source here. I am so happy I found this idea. Truly all-natural cleaning solutions are expensive and don't last long. I'll be buying citrus and vinegar from now on. There are numerous sources that claim the antibacterial properties of vinegar, and overall benefits of using it both in your cleaning routine and diet.

Carpet Spot Remover
A paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can remove even stubborn stains from carpet. I used this solution on my nearly white bedroom carpet and it worked like magic. Two different sources explain this method.

Scrubbing Cleaner
I put off cleaning my oven for over a year, and it was pretty disgusting. I found this simple lemon juice and baking soda paste to be the best thing for cutting grease and scrubbing off caked-on oils and spills. You may have to let this one sit for a while, but it's worth it.


What's In It (complete supply list to recreate photo)

• basket
• shredded paper filler or tissue paper
• silk flowers or other ornamentation (optional)
• microfiber cloth
• hydrogen peroxide
• baking soda
• lemons
• citrus vinegar cleaner in a spray bottle
• "laminated" instructional cards

How to Make or Find What's In It

Basket, filler, spray bottle, and flowers: Michael's
Microfiber cloth: Eurow Microfiber
Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, lemons: grocery store

How to make citrus vinegar cleaner:
In a large (about 2-gallon) container such as a pickle jar or plastic pitcher, combine the peels of 6-8 citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, limes, and/or grapefruits) and plain white distilled vinegar. I don't worry too much about putting in clean peels--I just juice the fruits so I have fresh citrus juice to use for other purposes and throw the roughage into my vinegar container, seeds and all. Let container sit in a dark, cool place for 2 weeks, stirring or shaking every few days. Strain liquid through cheesecloth; discard any pulp/seeds. You now have a gorgeous, citrus-colored, naturally antiseptic, naturally grease-cutting cleaner concentrate. If you wish, you may add 10-20 drops of a citrus essential oil to boost the scent; this is completely optional, however. To prepare for this basket or to use for yourself, mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part filtered or distilled water in a spray bottle. Label if desired. Note: I use a 1-1 mixture of water and citrus vinegar for cleaning countertops and other non-wood surfaces. Some people do recommend a greater dilution if you're cleaning wood.

How to make "laminated" instructional cards:
This is pretty simple. I "laminated" some note paper with packing tape. Just stick it on both sides and then trim the edges. I made 3 cards, one for each cleaner. I recommend trying each of these cleaners for yourself before giving to someone else, and creating your own instructional cards based on how you used the products and what your results were. Basically, though, just write down how to mix the solution and what to use it on.

What It Costs
Basket: $5.00 (half off at Michael's)
Filler: $1.00 ($3.99 bag that will fill at least 4 baskets)
Silk flowers: $2.00 ($3.99 sprig that will fill 2 baskets)
Microfiber cloth: $1.33 ($16 pack of 12)
Hydrogen peroxide: $.85
Baking soda: $2.00
Lemons: $.67 (6 for $2 at my store)
Citrus vinegar cleaner: $.50 (very rough estimate, assuming it takes about $8 to make a large batch of concentrate split into 8 portions, and then each portion diluted to 16 bottles)
Spray bottle: $3.00 (cost varies widely depending on source)
Instructional cards: free, if you have paper, pen, and packing tape
= $16.35

You could put quite a dent in even that reasonable cost by finding a basket at Goodwill, foregoing silk flowers, and finding a cheap spray bottle (beware, though...if it costs cheap, it sprays cheap).

I'm so excited to give my first cleaning kit to my friend this evening. I hope you'll consider making a few of these cleaners to use for yourself, and perhaps sharing with a friend as well.

Whiskey Sour

(Image from http://blog.fashionandyou.com/easy-cocktail-recipes/)

The whiskey sour. I've had only three in my life, but I'm pretty sure they're going to stay near the top of my mental Favorite Cocktails list. I love the combination of sweet, sour, and that kicky whiskey bite. Sadly, most bars use sour mix, which is mostly high-fructose corn syrup, and for people throwing parties, picking up the mixer bottle from the supermarket is much easier than trying to juice that many lemons. But my goodness are you missing out by not making whiskey sours from scratch. The good news, however, is that they're really easy with a little preparation.

Whiskey Sour

1 1/2 oz. bourbon whiskey
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice*
1/2 oz. simple syrup**
1 maraschino cherry

Use a jigger to measure ingredients into a shaker and pour over ice in a rocks glass, or simply measure right into the glass and stir. Garnish with the cherry.

*By squeezing two lemons by hand, I got about 4 oz. of juice. So figure about half a lemon per drink. You may get more juice by using a juicer. Take shavings of the lemon peel for additional garnish if you like.
**To make simple syrup, simple combine 1 part water to 1 part sugar in a saucepan and heat on low, swirling occasionally, until sugar is melted. Put aside to cool and then transfer to a pourable container. I poured it into a labeled squeeze bottle, and it worked great. I've made great simple syrups with both plain granulated sugar and raw cane sugar.

Roasted Broccoli and Vegan Whipped Cream

Two things today, because they're both so good.

1. Roasted Broccoli
My mom has always grown her own broccoli and frozen it, so as a child I ate a lot of broccoli. I've always liked it, but it never turned my life around or anything. I just thought that was broccoli's fate: to be good, but never revolutionary.

Until I realized something.

We were cooking it the wrong way.

Until a few months ago, the only way I had ever eaten broccoli was raw or steamed. Either cold, firm, and kind of grassy-flavored, or steamy, mushy, and... still grassy-flavored.

And then I discovered the joy of roasting. Roasting brings out a level of sweetness in broccoli that I never knew existed. Adding a bit of sugar to the dressing caramelizes and crisps the delicate crowns, and a splash of fresh lemon wakes up the whole dish. THIS broccoli has literally turned my life around, because I don't know if I will ever steam broccoli again. THIS broccoli is revolutionary. I recommend following this recipe with just a few modifications: use only 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Be sure to toss the broccoli with the oil and seasonings to thoroughly coat each piece. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil (clean up is so easy--sometimes I don't even have to wash the pan). Lemon is optional, but boy is it good.

 

2. Vegan Whipped Cream
Don't worry, I'm not actually going vegan. But I do recognize the benefits of eating less dairy, and some people can't eat dairy at all, lest they suffer an upset stomach the rest of the day. For these people, this little trick is a dream.
Buy a can of full-fat coconut milk and store in the refrigerator overnight. Open the can and scoop out the top solidified layer, leaving any liquid in the can (save and use in smoothies or whatnot). Whip the solidified coconut milk with a hand or stand mixer until thick and fluffy. Add powdered sugar to taste. You could use a natural sweetener, but I do recommend using something dry, or the cream may get too soupy.

I am ridiculously impressed with the texture of this cream. It's thick and luscious, virtually like real whipped cream in almost every way. The only caveat here is that it does taste like coconut, so if you're a coconut hater, this may not be for you. Fortunately, I learned to like coconut some years back, and even though I'm not giving up dairy any time soon (or ever, let's be honest), I'm really excited to have an interesting, flavorful alternative to whipped cream. Tonight, I'm serving it with homemade chocolate pudding.

Easy Dessert: Donut Ice Cream Sandwiches

Need a dessert for company? (Or, let's just be honest... need a dessert for your Friday night alone?) Don't feel like cooking? Still want something awesome? Would rather not break your calorie bank?

I've covered all those bases.

Donut Ice Cream Sandwiches
Approximately 260 calories each!

• Plain Entenmann's donuts (if you choose sugared or frosted, calories go up)

• Any flavor ice cream, slightly softened (I chose chocolate)

• Chocolate chips (or white, or peanut butter, or whatever)

Slice donuts in half. Scoop about 1/4 cup ice cream onto half of the donuts; top with other half. Smooth ice cream edges with spoon. Freeze sandwiches for 30 minutes. Put chocolate chips in a freezer storage bag, and microwave on high in intervals of 30 seconds, until you can squish and melt the chips with your hands. Remove sandwiches from freezer and drizzle melted chips on top. Refreeze for at least 1 hour before eating; less time will result in a still delicious, but melty sandwich. (If you have a particularly cold freezer, allow to sit on the counter for 5 minutes or so before eating.)

Meadow Tea

When I was young, my mom would take us to my aunt and uncle's old farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania to pick peppermint, spearmint, and wooly leaf tea in their creekside meadow. All kinds of mint grow very well in moist, well-drained locations, which makes meadows, which often have a water source of some kind, excellent harvesting locations for wild mint.

Once home, my mom would boil water in three of her largest pots, steep the tea, sweeten it to taste, and pour it into old glass milk jars purchased from a local dairy. While there was tea in the refrigerator, we hardly drank anything else. It is one of my favorite beverages, and one of the most refreshing drinks for summer. Various people have asked me how to make meadow tea, and the truth is that everyone's procedure differs, but I'll try to give you the gist here.

Meadow Tea

• One bunch peppermint, spearmint, or woolly (apple) mint (about as much as you can hold in one hand, and a combination of mints makes the best tea)

• Approximately 64 oz. water (more if you have a particularly large bunch of leaves, or much more if you have shopping bags full like my mother)

• Your choice of sweetener (white sugar, raw sugar, and honey have all worked well for me; I imagine agave would be good too)

In a large pot, bring water to rolling boil. Immediately remove from heat. Toss in the bunch of mint and steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove leaves and discard. Sweeten to taste. Pour while still hot into heavy glass storage containers. When cool, refrigerate. Tea should taste fresh for up to 2 weeks.
























  


Additional notes:

•  I know some people will want a specific amount of sweetener to add. I can't help you there. The level of sweetness is the most variable part of this recipe. Some little Amish ladies make their meadow tea as sweet as Southern sweet tea, which is entirely too much for me. Others use honey and others hate honey. Use whatever you find most palatable, and add gradually, tasting as you go along. I recommend sweetening while the tea is still hot, and stopping just short of where you'd like the sweetness to be, as I find the drink seems sweeter when cold.

• If your hot tea has a lot of sediment in it, let it sit for a few minutes and then ladle out into your containers. The dirt will settle to the bottom, and the boiling water will have neutralized any harmful elements. Especially if you collected your mint from a natural meadow or organic garden, you shouldn't have any issues, and bugs rarely bother mint plants.

• I've never tried adding fruit or any other herb to my mint tea, as the taste is too nostalgic for me to meddle with, but you should totally go for it. My first picks would be strawberries, raspberries, or lemon balm. 

Discount Grocery

I write this post with one sole purpose: to get you to find and visit a discount grocery store near you. I have a long history of visiting "scratch-and-dent" stores with my mom, some of them way off the beaten path, like that tiny Amish shop in eastern Iowa that didn't have any electric lights. Right after getting married, though, it was enough work to think about just stocking my own pantry and refrigerator with the resources I had close at hand, so it's been only recently that I've ventured beyond our local big-chain grocery stores.

Lucky for me, I don't live in Iowa anymore, so even though I didn't find a huge selection of discount grocery stores when I searched online, I did find one gem: BB's Grocery Outlet, with several locations in the southeast PA area. It's definitely the biggest discount grocery I've seen, and the most comprehensive. The milk is regular price and the produce is passable, not amazing, but still, they have milk and produce along with aisles and aisles of dry goods. Even though I have no prejudice toward generic products, what I particularly like at BB's are their numerous high-quality, name-brand items. We're talking Yoplait Greek yogurt w/ granola topping for a quarter a piece. Softsoap handwash for a dollar. Even a Martha Stewart all-natural carpet cleaner spray for less than two dollars.

I could keep going, but the most persuasive way to do this is to show you a picture:

This glorious load cost me...

wait for it...

Fifty dollars and change.

Just in case this still isn't clear (maybe you don't do large grocery trips very often, or maybe you cook too infrequently to know the relative cost of groceries), let me break this down.

Buitoni fresh four-cheese ravioli: At Giant, $4.49. At BB's, $1.79.
Fresh limes: Giant, $.50 each. BB's, $.25 each.
Kraft veggie macaroni and cheese: Giant, $1.50 each. BB's, $.50 each.

As far as high-quality, name-brand items go, this pile also contains:

Hilshire Farm smoked bratwurst
John F. Martin cheese dogs (quality local meat brand)
Townhouse Flatbread Crisps
Kleenex tissues
Turkey Hill chocolate milk
Terra sweet potato chips
Scott select-a-size paper towels
Post Great Grains cereal
Cascadian Farms organic frozen strawberries
Snapple Sorbet Pops
Annie's Naturals goddess dressing
Kotex product
Stubb's beef marinade

If I'd had the energy, I would have been tempted to go to Giant and price everything out to really wow you, but instead I'll give you a rough estimate. My best guess is that for this batch of groceries, I would pay between $80-$100 at most of our local grocery chains. And I took it off BB's hands for $50.

A few tips for shopping at discount grocery stores:

• First, find one. Google "discount grocery" with your zipcode, or ask that Mennonite lady down the street. If Google fails and you know no Mennonite ladies, ask a hippie.
• Plan to spend a substantial amount of time shopping. Discount groceries are notoriously unorganized, and you will likely have to sort through shelves of mismatched products to find the gold.
• Save discount grocery stores for stock-up trips, not quick errand runs. The potential inconsistency of the merchandise and long lines of insane, cart mountain, I-only-come-out-of-my-house-once-a-month-to-feed shoppers may frustrate you if you need to get in and out.
• Keeping the first two tips in mind, I recommend taking time to browse. Don't write a store off just because you don't see useful products on first glance. Poke around, shove things aside. Because discount grocery stores are not as pristinely organized as regular grocery stores, sometimes the good stuff is hiding. That being said, I do recommend choosing a store that, on first glance, looks like they use some kind of organizational structure.
• Check dates! Only two or three items in my pile above were just slightly past their Best By dates, and since I've read plenty about how those dates are conservative, I deemed them just fine. I did see plenty of product that was wildly out of date, however. Just be conscientious.
• Don't settle for bad food just because it's cheap. This will ruin your diet and enjoyment of food. I am sometimes tempted to buy food that's not very healthy or flavorful just because it's that darn cheap. But no matter how many Hamburger Helpers I walk out with, the price isn't going to make them taste any better. If you have to choose between settling for a mediocre-looking version of an ingredient you need or paying full price at a normal grocery store, suck it up: buy the better product. You're saving enough money elsewhere with those 45 packs of crackers for FIVE DOLLARS!!!

No-Knead Bread

I followed the now-famous recipe provided to The New York Times by Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery for no-knead bread, and created this beauty.

Can't wait to crack into it tonight and pair it with a cauliflower-cheddar soup, a bottle of wine, and good company! I'll post more after tasting.