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Laundry Detergent

I have made laundry detergent a few times through the years and recently started making it again. I ran out of detergent this week and I had all the ingredients to make up a new batch. So I thought I would share this simple recipe with you. This is a low sudsing detergent. I was really surprised at how soft my towels are. It is my understanding that this is good for HE washers as well as regular.

**Here is the recipe!

1 bar Zote (grated) You can see in the picture that I used the pink bar this time.

2 cups washing soda

2 cups borax

1 cup OxiClean (optional) For extra cleaning power!

I mix these ingredients together and place them in a container. I use 1/3 cup per large load of laundry.

Here is where I found my recipe. You will find other laundry soap recipes on her site as well as this one.

https://wellnessmama.com/462/homemade-laundry-detergent/

 

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Mixed Veggie Casserole

In 1980 when I was a new bride and a college student at Freed-Hardeman College I was part of the Preachers’ Wives’ Club. We had a cookbook and it included a recipe very similar to this one. I have long since lost it but I have tried to re-create the recipe here.

20-24 oz. frozen mixed veggies (steam in the bag) Steamed according to package directions

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup onion chopped

2 cups crushed crackers (Ritz or Saltines) Ritz crackers probably add more flavor but I use whatever I have on hand.

1/2 cup butter

 

Steam veggies, mix together in a large bowl veggies, mayo, cheese, and onion. Spread in buttered 13X9 pan. Crush crackers mix with melted butter and sprinkle on top. Bake 350° for 30 minutes.

The picture below doesn’t do it justice. It is a creamy colorful dish. I wish I had taken a picture of the inside!

 

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Taffy Bars

I have been making taffy bars so long that I cannot remember where the recipe came from. Probably more than 30 years. One thing I like about this recipe is how fast it is! It mixes and bakes fast and uses just a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

Topping:

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4-1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts

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Directions:

Mix together and pat crust into a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with an edge.  Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. As soon as you remove it from the oven, pour 12 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips over the crust. Let it set for a few minutes until soft and spread over crust and sprinkle with nuts. Cut into squares. I get at least 32 squares. These are rich and you may wish to cut them smaller. The chocolate needs to set a bit before serving. You may wish to cool 5 minutes in the fridge or freezer to speed this process up. 

 

Update:  My favorite pan size is actually 17X11. Here is a picture of it with the taffy bars just made.

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Jumbo Semi-Sweet Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Jumbo Semi-sweet Chocolate Walnut Cookies

My local Publix store is having a clearance sale in their baking section. It is common for them to change items frequently so out with the old and in with the new.  I love chocolate so it was very obvious time for me to try new products and stock up instead of sticking with my old favorites! I purchased semi-sweet jumbo chips, Butterfinger crumbles, and mini Hershey’s kisses. So I came up with a new recipe!

My new favorite cookie! (this week)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
2 eggs
2 ¼ all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 bag of jumbo semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

I do the one bowl shortcut method of mixing. Cream butter with sugars and then add flavorings and eggs. Mix well. Dump the flour on top and dump the soda and salt on top and slightly stir them into the flour. Mix all together until well blended. Add the chips and walnuts. I use my medium scoop and put about a dozen balls onto my cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Depending on your oven it may require 2-3 minutes more or less. I remove them from the oven and let them stay on the cookie sheet a minute or two before removing them to the cooling rack.

Extra notes:

You may shape these as you wish. I have a very hard time timing baked goods. I can tell by smell and sight when they are done.

 

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What Temperament Are You?

What temperament are you? Our ladies’ class is studying Spirit-Controlled Temperament by Tim LaHaye. This has been an interesting study.  First, we studied the basic 4 temperaments: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy, and Phlegmatic. It was very easy to pinpoint which temperament my husband has but not so easy to see mine. If you are curious you can find your temperament by taking the FREE printable test found here: http://59384.inspyred.com/images/Personality%20Temperament%20Test.PDF

So what is my temperament? I am a Choleric – the test describes this temperament as focused; extrovert; goal oriented; the achiever. I found out that my husband and I have the opposite temperaments. Is that a surprise? No!  Many people marry opposites.

As we studied further we covered the 12 blends. The blends really helped me to see myself even better. My blend is a Choleric – Sanguine. My husband says it fits me well. I found the description of driving and lawn care habits of each temperament to be fitting and comical. This study has helped me to understand myself better as well as my family and co-workers. For fun and to gain understanding, you might have your teens take this test too! So far we have identified our temperaments. Next, we will study our strengths and weaknesses after that we will study how to have a Spirit controlled temperament. I’ll let you know what I discover!

If you take the test let me know what you find!

I am including a chart I found on Pinterest. I will be happy to give credit if anyone knows who should receive it!

 

 

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Lawrence and Reda

Lawrence and Reda engagement. This is the photo we sent to our parents. They had NEVER met our future mates.

When I transferred to Freed-Hardeman College January of 1979 one of the first people I met was Lawrence. He was my first date at the school and then he waited a long time to ask me out again! I got to know him through shared classes, devotionals and trying to match make him with several friends and family members. I thought he was such a wonderful guy! I still think so too!

Lawrence and I both shared an interest in mission work and still do! We were part of a group called Campaigns Northwest. In 1980 we traveled to the northwestern part of the United States to work with small churches. These works had been pre-arranged with the churches by Obert and Juanita Henderson. During our preparation meetings, camps, and travel to our locations, we spent a lot of time together. I remember taking a hike in Colorado and realizing he was for me! We were both to work with a small congregation on the Oregon coast. Ranch Road Church of Christ in Reedsport, Oregon. It was during our time serving this church that Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Washington state on May 18, 1980, and Lawrence asked me to marry him! That was 37 years ago! We completed our time with that congregation and went home and got married. And now you know a little more of our story.

 

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Annual Fish Fry

 The Smyrna Church of Christ held the Annual Fish Fry yesterday. (and I almost missed it! Thanks to Val for the reminder!) This has been going on for many years. It is a fun time and everyone brings friends and family to this event. The fish and hush puppies are provided and the rest of us bring sides and desserts. I made my GIANT pan of Blueberry Crunch Pie. I received this recipe from a lady at the Adamsville Church of Christ just before I got married almost 37 years ago. If you have eaten at my house chances are good that you have tried this dessert. Earlier this year I tried a lemon version. You can find that one here:   http://www.redaredding.com/lemon-crunch-pie/

 

PHOTOS: The top picture is a part of the group lining up to fill their plates, under the blue tents are the fish cooks! Esther wanted to take a picture of me holding my blueberry crunch pie for some reason, so I humored her this time! The bottom picture is my 1/2 sheet size blueberry crunch pie!

Blueberry Crunch Pie  12 X18 size

Ingredients:

2 ⅔ cup self-rising flour

2 cup nuts (pecans preferred but walnuts are fine too) divided – reserve 1/4-1/2 cup to garnish

2 sticks butter or margarine softened

22 oz cream cheese

1 lb. powdered sugar

2 cans blueberry pie filling (or make your own)

Whip topping 16 oz. – 24 oz. I like a lot!

nuts to garnish

Layer 1  Combine flour, nuts, and margarine

               Press into 18X2 pan, bake until lightly browned

               about 15 minutes at 350°

               cool 

Layer 2  Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar and fold in some

               whipped topping at least 8 oz. or a little more. Sorry I

               don’t measure it 🙂

               Spread gently on the cooled crust

Layer 3    Spread 2 cans blueberry pie filling

                evenly over layer 2

Layer 4    Spread with whipped topping

Layer 5    Sprinkle with nuts.

Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. This will make 54 small servings (2-inch squares). Most of my family will eat a larger serving! So maybe only 30 Redding size servings.

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Asian Turkey Bowl

Asian Turkey Bowl

In 1981 my husband and I went on a mission trip to Singapore and Malaysia, with a group of students and faculty from Freed-Hardeman College. It was an amazing trip! I developed a great love for the Asian and the many Indian people we met as well as their food. I have cooked a lot through the years but I haven’t cooked a lot of Asian dishes. Lately, I have really been trying to develop my skills with Asian-influenced recipes. With the exception of stir fry and sweet and sour I have only enjoyed this type of food on date night with my husband! I do not have a wok either (YET) so I used my iron skillet for this one and it worked pretty well.

Ingredients:

1-2 teaspoons of dehydrated ginger (or fresh to taste)

1-2 Tablespoons of sesame oil

1 cup chopped green onions

1 ¼ lbs. ground turkey

4 Tablespoons chili sauce with garlic

4 Tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 steam in bag frozen broccoli or fresh

1 cup of grains ( I used Organic Sprouted Blend of brown rice, quinoa, millet by Nature’s Earthly Choice) cooked as directed

Instructions:

Put the broccoli in the microwave to steam. Add the sesame oil to your skillet. Saute your onions 1 minute and add your turkey and cook until it is no longer pink. Add your ginger, hoisin sauce, chili sauce with garlic and cook a bit until the sauce thickens and then stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, broccoli and grains and serve. You may serve the turkey mixture on top of the grains if you prefer. I like mine mixed. Serve in bowls with more soy sauce! This is a quick and easy meal.

CREDIT: This recipe is my tweaked version of Publix recipe, Asian Turkey and Green Bean Saute.

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Questions?

I have a little favor to ask today?

Do you have any questions for me? Years ago when my older boys were teens they had their own magazine – Redding Magazine. Some of you may have heard of it – it was world famous (well not exactly but nationally maybe). The boys wrote about many topics and it even featured columns by both grandmas and I had my own column! For my column, people submitted questions and I would answer them. It was fun and interesting especially for me. I did get a lot of questions everywhere I went. Probably because a 5-foot tall woman running around everywhere with a van load of kids was a spectacle. I was asked if I was a school, daycare, boy scout troop! So here is your opportunity. You may ask your question in the comment box or you may send it privately to redaredding@gmail.com. I will choose some questions to answer, just for the fun of it! If you do not wish your name to be published let me know. Thanks!