More Homemade $$ Saving Recipes

Do you remember my homemade laundry soap blog? We are still using that batch that I made way back then. It cost about $6 to make 5 gallons. And it works~! It's all we've been using on our laundry - daily wear, delicates, DIRTY DIAPERS, K's greasy garage and workshop clothes. It has been a great recipe. I was tired of spending so much on dishwasher detergent so I googled a recipe for that recently. I made up the first batch this afternoon and after 2 loads thru the dishwasher I am pretty sure we have another homemade winner! It's super simple, and costs about 3 cents (yes, you read that right!) per load! Cascade by comparison costs about 12 cents per ounce . To make this powder recipe you'll need an empty 40 ounce container (I used the old one that I had just emptied of commercial dishwasher powder).

• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
• 1/2 cup Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup food grade citric acid

Mix it all together, stir or shake well. Done. Yup, that's it! Add 1tablespoon per dishwasher load. Oh, and as for the expensive JetDry and other no spot products, just use plain white vinegar instead. Super duper cheap and spotless! This dishwasher powder will tend to clump, but that doesn't affect performance. Also, it's phosphate free, another bonus for your glasswear and crystal.

The next recipe I am going to try is for REAL vanilla extract. You do realize that you are paying a ton for a tiny bottle that is mostly alcohol and water when you buy vanilla, right? So, why not make your own? The recipe is easy and you can use either rum or vodka for the alcohol part.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

• 3 medium vanilla beans, or 1 1/2 fat ones
• 1 cup rum or vodka
• Have ready a 1-cup glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid; I used an empty (and clean, obviously) jar of jam. Pour boiling water into it, let rest for 10 minutes to sterilize, and pour out the water.

Using a sharp knife, slice the beans open lengthwise to expose the seeds. Tuck the beans in the jar and fill with liquor. Close the jar, shake it a few times, and place it in a cool, dark cabinet; you may have to whisper a few words of reassurance if the jar is, understandably, a little frightened.
Let the jar rest in there for 8 weeks, shaking it again once or twice a week, or whenever you remember to. The mixture will get darker and darker over time.

You can start using your extract by the end of the eighth week. Use however much you need, and when you notice that you're running a little low -- that you've used, say, 20% of the extract -- top it off with more liquor (preferably of the same type) and shake again. And every once in a while, when you're using a fresh bean in a recipe, you can add the empty pod (rinsed off and dried if it's been steeped in milk or cream) to the jar. If you continue to "feed" it this way, the extract will keep forever; just remove some of the older beans if the jar becomes too crowded.