Resurrection Rolls are a fun cooking activity for you and the kids with a built in lesson about Easter.  It’s one of our family favorites.  Pin it now so you’ll have it handy in a few weeks for Easter.  Hope you enjoy!

Here’s what you’ll need:

An 8-ct package of Crescent rolls
8 marshmallows (plus a few extras for snitchers )
Melted butter–a few tablespoons
cinnamon or cinnamon sugar
and…

a few of your favorite pint-sized helpers!

Tell this story as you make your rolls:
The white of the marshmallow stands for Jesus being pure and without sin when He was crucified.  After He died, his friends took his body down from the cross.

They anointed his body with oil…

…and spices,

wrapped him in burial cloths,

and placed him in the tomb.

On the third day, they looked in the tomb…

…and found that it was empty!  Jesus had risen, and had given the world the sweet gift of salvation!

Aside from being super delicious, these little rolls are a great object lesson for sharing the real meaning of Easter with the special little ones in your life!

A few notes before you bake:

* Make sure your little helpers pinch the crescent roll dough tight.  Otherwise the marshmallow will ooze all over the cookie sheet, which isn’t quite as cool with the whole metaphor story   You can also place them in cupcake liners in a cupcake pan, which will help contain any melted marshmallow.

(…oops)

*Just follow the baking instructions on the crescent roll can for times and temperatures.

*If you’re making this with a group of kids, bake each child’s roll on their own little piece of foil or parchment paper with their name on it so they can get their own to eat.

Happy Easter from our family to yours!

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Cleaning Dream Team: Vinegar and Dawn

****** Follow our DIY Home Cleaning Pinterest Board ******

You’ll too become a believer in Dawn and Vinegar! Sisters and Misters, I’m in love, and not just with the handsome Mister who stole my heart more years ago than I’m willing to admit.   I’m in love with a dynamic duo that will allow you to replace half the store-bought products in your cleaning arsenal with two simple and inexpensive ingredients: Dawn and vinegar.

I had a few Sisters and Misters who sang the praises of this power couple in the comments and on Facebook when I asked for more suggestions for DIY cleaners, but they were using it for different things.  Then Sara mentioned she uses this combo to clean her floors.  So I started investigating, and found tons of sites and pins that mentioned using Dawn and vinegar together, in different concentrations, to tackle just about every corner of your home.  Here are the ways I used it, all with fantastic results!

Soap Scum Remover: 1 part Dawn to 1 part Vinegar

If you have soap scum in your tub or shower, this duo is your new best friend.  Add equal parts Dawn and vinegar to a spray bottle and shake gently to mix.  If you have really tough deposits, you can heat the vinegar in the microwave before mixing for a little extra power.  Spray all over the tub/shower and let it sit for a few minutes to a few hours, depending how yucky the target.  Since the spray is thicker, it clings to the walls and shower doors rather than running right down.  After it sits, scrub if you need to, but you’ll probably just be able to spray it off and have sparkly surfaces.  It’s a little stinky while it sits, but I much preferred the vinegar smell to the nasty chemical smell of Scrubbing Bubbles, and this worked a ton better!  Once you rinse, the leftover smell is more like Dawn than the vinegar.

Toilet Cleaner: 1 part Dawn to 1-2 parts Vinegar

After you do the shower/tub, use what’s left to clean the toilets.  The thicker concentration will cling in the toilet bowl, and you can add more vinegar to clean the rest of the toilet.  Vinegar has some natural disinfecting properties too!

Carpet Spot Treatment: 1 part Dawn to 2 parts Vinegar

Words cannot express how thrilled I was with the Dawn and Vinegar spot treatment.  Regardless of my rules about food & drinks on carpet, somehow my children have managed to stain up much of the house.  I had stains that included mystery blobs, trails of random sippy-cup beverage, and (as much as I hate to admit it) what might have been spots of ground-in Pop Tart filling.  Ugh.

This magic combo did an amazing job with almost all the spots in the house (there were a few marker stains in my daughter’s room that it didn’t completely get out, but it faded them some).  I’m not sure what it is in the combination that got things out so well, but it even loosened the sticky ground-in stuff and took care of the dark stains.  I sprayed, let it sit for a while, then scrubbed and blotted with a towel.  It also worked well as a pre-treater for using the SteamVac–on milder spots I just sprayed, let it sit, then let the carpet cleaner do the scrubbing for me.  Excellent results!  (Thanks, Eight Muddy Shoes!)

For sickies on carpet, I’ve had a lot of luck with the Dawn, Baking Soda, and Peroxide combo.

General Surface Cleaner and Floor Cleaner: 1 part Dawn to 2-4 parts Vinegar

For general cleaning, like kitchen and bathroom counters, you can use a little Dawn with more vinegar.  You can play around with the proportions to see what works for you–more Dawn in the mix can lead to a little more sudsing, which can require a second wiping after cleaning.  If the vinegar smell is a little strong for your liking, you can dilute it with a little water too (although I found that the smell went away pretty quickly and it just smelled clean).

To do my floors,  I used the same bottle of spray, spritzed down the floor, then went over it with a damp mop.  If you have some leftover Swiffer pads, you could use them with this as well!  I’m also intrigued by the new microfiber mops that have a removable, washable pad, and a spray reservoir for your own cleaning solution.  I’ll wait for a deal on one, but I think they would be awesome with this cleaner.

Wood Floors – 2 Tbsp. Dawn 

To do my wood floors, I just add about 2 Tablespoons of Dawn to a bucket of warm water. I’ve only used blue Dawn for the last six years on my wood floors. They remain clean and shiny! They’re not too slick either!

A few notes…

Most of the information I saw on this cleaning combo specifically mentioned using blue Dawn.  I don’t know if there’s something magical about that color, or if it was just a way to distinguish the Original Dawn from the kind with ingredients for hand-softening that might not be as effective for this cleaning recipe.  I suspect other dish soaps would work fine in this recipe, but I happened to have cheap blue Dawn in my stockpile, so that’s what I used.

**Update** I did this with the Hand Renewal type, and it worked just fine.  The odor was a little easier to take too, so it might be worth a shot if the smell of the blue Dawn with the vinegar is too strong for you.

The spray bottle in the picture was less than $2 at Lowe’s but you could use any spray bottle.  Just make sure to rinse it thoroughly before using if it had something else in it first.  Always label your homemade concoctions so others know what’s in the bottle!

Have you used this wonder pairing to clean at your house?  Any uses I didn’t discover?  Let us know in the comments, and we’d love it if you’d share or pin this post!

Right now, you can snag our FREE Spring Cleaning Printable Checklist!!! 

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As excited as I am to share this stain removing/deodorizing DIY home cleaning recipe with you, I really wish I hadn’t had the opportunity to test it quite as thoroughly as I did.  But, if it can help clean and deodorize my son’s  tummy-bug mess from a new mattress and new carpet…rest assured it should work for most anything you’ll throw at it.  (Don’t worry–no before/after pics for this cleaner!)

In the aftermath of my kiddo getting sick, I remembered seeing something passed around on Facebook for using hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and our old trusty cleaning pal Dawn; all mixed together as a stain remover.  I thought I remembered seeing that it would deodorize too.  Considering I was facing both stains and odor, I thought it would be worth a try.

For the bed and carpet, I mixed about ¾ cup hydrogen peroxide, a few teaspoons of baking soda, and a little squirt of Dawn (maybe about 1 tsp–I didn’t take the time to measure!).  I swished it around, dipped my cleaning cloth in it, and started scrubbing.  (This was after I’d removed the rest of the…um…residue.  Sorry if that’s TMI, but figured that was important to mention!)

With a little scrubbing and blotting , I was able to get the rest of the stains out of both the carpet and the mattress, and more importantly, the smell too.  My guys have sensitive noses, and I was worried that either the smell of tummy sickness or the strong smell of a cleaner would bother them.  This ended up smelling slightly of Dawn, but mostly just CLEAN.  Hallelujah!

I also had the “opportunity” today to use this on a sizeable grape juice stain on my light tan living room carpet.  This was less than 24 hours after discussing with the kids why we don’t bring grape juice into the living room, even in sippy cups… but stuff happens and children ignore their mothers’ wisdom, so at least we have a good tool to deal with it.  I blotted as much of the grape juice as I could with dry towels, then scrubbed the mixture into the carpet.  It looked like it needed to be rinsed, so I squirted a little hot water onto the stain, the used my shop-vac to suck the water out (you could also use a carpet cleaner, or just some towels for that step).  After one round, the stain was pretty faint, but still visible, so rubbed on some more of the mixture and let it sit about 1/2 hour.  After rinsing and vacuuming again, the only problem was that the scrubbed area was a little cleaner than the rest of the surrounding carpet.  I’ll take it!  (and the preschoolers in the household breathed a collective sigh of relief…)

After I had a chance to do more research on this combo, I found out that hydrogen peroxide and dish soap are a bit of a dream team when it comes to stain removal, especially tricky ones like red wine.  Mix two parts peroxide and one part dish soap (many recommend blue Dawn, but most soaps should work fine), and use it to pre-treat stubborn stains on clothing.  Be aware that peroxide can be a bleaching agent, so if you’re concerned about color-fastness of clothing or carpet, test it on an inconspicuous spot.

The addition of the baking soda to the combo helps in both deodorizing and scrubbing for stain removal.  This is especially helpful in those yucky armpit stains that can pop up on shirts.  I tried my leftover mixture on some pit stains, and I was super impressed with the results.  (I’ll spare you the Before & After pics of those too…just use your imagination.  Before: gross…After: awesomely clean).  The peroxide/Dawn/baking soda has also proven useful for stubborn grease stains in shirts and tablecloths.

This is something you’ll want to mix up and use in smaller quantities as needed, because hydrogen peroxide is basically water with an extra Oxygen molecule attached (“H2O2” rather than “H2O”).  It can break down into plain water when it’s exposed to light or mixed with other ingredients for a while.  (That’s why peroxide bottles are opaque brown, so sunlight doesn’t cause it to break down!)  There’s also a chemical reaction that happens when you add the baking soda, so a fresher cleaning solution will be most effective at stain removal.

This will definitely be an addition to my stain-fighting arsenal.  And considering you can buy all 3 ingredients for less than $2 total (especially with a sale and a coupon for the Dawn), it’s not only effective, but also super frugal.

A quick recap:

• Stain treater for clothes: 2 parts hydrogen peroxide to 1 part dish soap

• Add a few tsp. of baking soda for extra deodorizing/scrubbing power, especially for pit stains and grease stains

• Use a higher ratio of peroxide (3 or 4 parts peroxide to 1 part Dawn) for places you’d want less sudsing (like my examples above with the mattress & carpet, which are harder to rinse)

• Mix it up as needed in smaller quantities, so the chemical reaction is fresh and most effective at fighting stains.

If you try it, let me know what you think!  I really hope you only need to try it on crusty undershirts or spilled juice instead of my other example…but if the need arises hopefully it’ll be a handy trick to know.

Have you tried our other DIY Cleaning recipes?  They’re low in chemicals, super frugal, and do a great job.  Check them out:

Vinegar & Dawn: Soap Scum cleaner, Carpet spot treater, and much more!
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

How to Clean a Dirty Oven Without using Harsh Chemicals

Easy Microwave Cleaning with Dawn

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade Wrinkle Release Spray

Versatile Vinegar: tons of uses for vinegar all over the house, plus a recipe for great-smelling Orange Infused vinegar

Make your own Washing Soda from Baking Soda!

Natural Weed Killer: No Harsh Chemicals!

 

Chemical-Free Insect Control

Pin this post so you’ll have it handy for later use, and don’t forget to Follow Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring on Pinterest to see all our best tips & tricks, along with the things we love from around the web!

The post Homemade Super Stain Remover & Deodorizer: Fights tough Red Wine, Grease, Yellow Armpit Stains, and more! appeared first on Sisters Shopping Farm and Home.

With as many zucchini as I’m getting out of the garden this year, you would think it would be easy to tire of zucchini.  Not this gal. I love how versatile zucchini are!  Zesty Ranch Zucchini Chips are another great example of creating a tasty side without the kiddos knowing that you’re serving up veggies!

My girls will enjoy this recipe, Zesty Ranch Zucchini Chips.  Make sure to stop over and snag the recipe for Ranch Zucchini Chips from Coupons and Freebies Mom.

Other Garden Dishes:
Old Fashioned Green Beans 
Mandarin Orange Spinach Salad
Cheesy Broccoli Bake
German Cucumber Salad
Tomato Salad with Mozzarella & Salami
Slow Cooker Green Beans Potatoes and Sausage
Yellow Squash Cheddar Biscuits 

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Nothing beats FREE when you’re on a shoestring budget, and the black raspberries growing wild in our back yard and the surrounding farm fields definitely fit the bill.  We pick as many as we can, and I use them to make homemade jam (see a super easy jam recipe HERE), then flash freeze whatever’s left to use in muffins, coffee cake, or smoothies.

By far, our favorite black raspberry recipe is the one for these cheesecake bars.  They’re simple to make, but are so pretty and delicious that they make a special dessert to take somewhere to share with friends.  These could also be made with store-bought jam, or with other flavors of jam if you don’t have black raspberries handy.  Enjoy!

Black Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar

Mix ingredients together in a food processor to form a crumbly mixture (or cut the butter in by hand).  Set aside 1 cup of the crust mixture, and press the remainder into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 300° for 15 minutes.  While it bakes, make the filling:

Cheesecake Filling

• 2 8-oz packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (secret ingredient–makes it sooo yummy!
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup black raspberry jam (or any other favorite flavor)

Blend together all ingredients except the jam until smooth (I just use the food processor after the crust mixture is done).  Spread jam evenly across the baked crust.  Pour cream cheese mixture on top of the jam and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crust mixture over the top of the cream cheese mixture.  Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes (top will be lightly golden brown).  Cool and cut into squares.

*As I looked over the ingredient list, I realized that most of the items in this recipe (besides the jam) I usually buy at Aldi–cream cheese, butter, eggs, flour, sugar, brown sugar, sometimes milk (if it’s less than Rite Aid)…all those are on my Aldi shopping list when I go once or twice a month.  Any other Aldi shoppers out there?  What to you like?

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Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Ahh, I can almost taste summer! The time when the windows are open, school is out, and family get-togethers are aplenty. I think we can all agree that there isn’t much not to love about summer. This cauliflower salad is the perfect accompaniment for any picnic, church carry-in, or family reunion. This recipe is from my mother-in-law, and she always knows which “salad” we are referring to when we request for her to bring it to every family function. It has the perfect balance of fresh vegetables, salty bacon, and a creamy homemade dressing. Like most summer-type salads, it is ridiculously easy to prepare and loved by all. Although I love the cauliflower, I’ve often thought it would be equally delicious with broccoli. Also, red onion can be added to the salad for an extra zing.

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Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Prep time:  30 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 10

This cauliflower bacon salad is the perfect accompaniment for any picnic, church carry-in, or family reunion.

Ingredients

• Serves: 10 (when served with other foods)
• 1 large head of iceberg lettuce
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 pound of bacon (thick-cut), diced and fried until crispy
• Red onion, to taste, optional
• Dressing:
• 1 ¼ cup Miracle Whip
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add diced up lettuce, cauliflower, bacon, and red onion (if using).
2. Toss ingredients until well incorporated.
3. Whisk all dressing ingredients in a medium size bowl, add dressing to salad and toss when ready to ready to serve.

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Vinegar Window Cleaner

This homemade vinegar cleaner is a winner! It’s easy to make, super cheap and WORKS!  That’s a pretty perfect combination!  Here at Sisters, we share the love of all things simple and frugal!  There’s a reason that Ohio is ranked the most frugal state  -(article )!  Many from our community, are like-minded!   I was first told about this cleaner from fellow Sister, Nadine.  I thought I’d try it out right away. I already had everything needed to make this phenomenal window cleaner (can you tell I’m impressed?).  I was so impressed that I kept trying to find a window that would show the vinegar window cleaner’s shortcomings.  I even moved out to the glass deck furniture – amazing!  I did use Vibrawipe Microfiber Cloths (not sure that makes a huge difference, but I like them).  I purchased those about a year ago for window cleaning and have not been disappointed.

Are you ready for this SUPER EASY Window Cleaner?
1/2 Cup of Vinegar
1/2 Cup of Rubbing Alcohol
2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
2 Cups of Water 

So for my home, homemade cleaners are a WIN/WIN.  You can cut down on the amount of chemicals used in your home, cut costs, and find a cleaner that surpasses store-bought cleaners.   I use Dawn and Vinegar for nearly all of my household cleaning.  You’ll also find that we’re big fans of this DIY Stain Remover  (yes, GRAPE JUICE –  tried it!).   You can also save a LOAD of money with Homemade Laundry Detergent and Homemade Wrinkle Releaser. 

Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Right now, you can snag our
FREE Spring Cleaning Printable Checklist!!! 

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Mexican Grilled Corn Recipe

Corn is plentiful and tasty this year!  Here’s an easy way to dress up corn on the cob. My family enjoys the Mexican Grilled Corn Recipe.  I know yours will too!

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Mexican Grilled Corn Recipe

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  25 mins

Serves: 8

Delicious spin on corn on the cob. Your family will love the taste!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 8 ears corn, husked
• 8 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• ½ lime

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Combine mayo, yogurt, fresh lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl.
3. Grill corn for 10-12 minutes. Turning occasionally, until marked and tender.
4. Spread each ear with 1 tablespoon of the sauce and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan and more chili powder if desired.

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When we need party food that won’t break the bank, this Stromboli recipe is a go-to crowd pleaser.  It’s basically a rolled-up pizza without the sauce, and can be filled with anything you’d put on a pizza.  It’s perfect for your Super Bowl party or any time you’re feeding a big group.  I won’t represent this version as “authentically Italian,” but it’s authentically yummy, and would make a great addition to any party menu.

Stromboli

• 1 loaf frozen white bread dough (like Rhodes, or the Giant Eagle brand works fine too)
• 1 1/2-2 cups cheese (mozzarella or a mix of your favorites)
• Pizza toppings of your choice: pepperoni, cooked sausage, olives, mushrooms, peppers, bacon, ham, onions, or whatever else sounds good
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Parmesan cheese
• Pizza sauce or pasta sauce for dipping

Completely thaw frozen bread dough and allow to come to room temperature and rise a little (this will make it much easier to work with).  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and stretch the bread dough to cover the pan.  Top with cheese and other pizza toppings, just as you would for a pizza (but without the sauce).  Sprinkle with a little garlic, oregano, and parmesan cheese.

Starting on the long side, roll the dough, tucking in the ends as you go.  Place it on a cookie sheet with the seam on the bottom.  With a knife, make a few slits on the top to let steam out.  Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes–the more toppings you have, the longer it may need to bake.

Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting into slices.  Serve with sauce on the side for dipping.

*Note: This recipe is for one roll, but you can fit two on a cookie sheet once they’re rolled up.  One will usually feed 4-6 people, depending how hungry they are and how much other food there is.

Use your leftover pepperoni in this YUMMY Pepperoni Cheeseball!

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Fluffy White Frosting Recipe

Here’s a standard frosting recipe in our home.  This is a just a plain old-fashioned fluffy white frosting that has been handed down throughout the generations.  Perfect for any cake or cupcake.

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Fluffy White Frosting Recipe

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  5 mins

Total time:  20 mins

fluffy white frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together sugar, water and cream of tartar
2. Cook until sugar is dissolved and bubbling.
3. In mixer bowl, whip egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks.
4. Add sugar mixture while whipping until stiff peaks form
5. Typically takes about 10 minutes
6. Needs to be used on a cooled cake

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Pepperoni Cheese Ball Recipe

What is not to love about a cheese ball? Nothing! I promise you, this one does not disappoint. It has the simplicity that you need in a recipe, with just five ingredients, and it is the quick fix that will make any party prep a breeze. Don’t let the simplicity fool you, these ingredients blended together make the perfect companion to a salty cracker. In my family, nary a holiday goes by without this cheese ball gracing the table, and we’ve even been known to break into the bowl for an early morning snack. Yes, it’s THAT good. A great recipe to make ahead the day before and then break out just as your guests start to arrive.

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Pepperoni Cheese Ball Recipe

Prep time:  10 mins

Total time:  10 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 ¼ cups sour cream
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 6 oz. pepperoni, finely chopped

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
2. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Blend on medium speed until smooth
4. Fold in pepperoni
5. Put cheeseball into a bowl and chill at least four hours before serving.
6. Serve with favorite crackers.

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HoHo Sheet Cake Recipe

If you’re looking for a decadent holiday cake that will feed the masses, the HoHo Sheet Cake Recipe will meet both of those requirements! I have a large holiday party each year and this is always on the menu.  It can easily feed 20 people.

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HoHo Sheet Cake

Prep time:  45 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 20

Ingredients

• Cake
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1⁄2 cup melted butter
• 1⁄2 cup oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
• Filling
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1 cup Crisco
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• Icing
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons margarine
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 3⁄4 cup semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Cake: Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt & cocoa together.
2. Add remaining ingredients and beat well.
3. Pour into greased Jelly Roll Pan.
4. Bake at 350 deg for 15 minutes (check with toothpick)
5. Filling: Beat together 1 cup powdered sugar and all remaining ingredients for 5 minutes.
6. Add additional powdered sugar, one cup at a time until you get the consistency of icing
7. Beat until smooth and pliable
8. Spread onto cooled cake layer
9. Put in freezer while you make the frosting
10. Frosting: Mix sugar, butter, and milk together. Bring to soft boil for approximately 2 minutes.
11. Remove from heat
12. Add chocolate chips and vanilla
13. Beat until cooled and slightly thickened.
14. Spread over chilled filling layer
15. Let stand until frosting cools and sets
16. Chill until ready to serve

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How to Make Homemade Noodles Recipe

My husband says I’m a Thanksgiving snob…and he might have a point.  It’s not that I’m stuck up about Thanksgiving food, but I have a couple of Thanksgiving side dishes that I’ve adapted the recipes for over the years to the point that I like them the way I make them, and sometimes others don’t quite measure up  

I absolutely love pretty much everything that gets served for Thanksgiving dinners, but my favorite meal is the one I make at my house the weekend after Thanksgiving for my husband’s extended family.  That’s the one where I make these three recipes, just the way I like them.  Once all the kitchen work’s done, I just grab my plate and go to my Thanksgiving happy place…yum!

If you’ve never tried to make your own noodles, I encourage you to give it a try.  It’s not terribly hard, and it’s kind of a cool thing to know how to make from scratch.  I made mine today and took come pics to show you each step.

The other two recipes I haven’t made yet, but they’re ones that can be prepared in advance the day before, popped in the fridge overnight, then baked the day of your big feast.  If you’re looking for a little twist on sweet potatoes or stuffing, give them a shot!

Hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving—I’m thankful for all of you!

Homemade Egg Noodles

• 2 cups flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water

Put flour in a bowl, and make a well in the center of it.  Place egg yolks, whole egg, and salt into the well.

Use a fork to beat the eggs, pulling more flour from the sides of the well in as you mix.

Keep mixing until all the flour is mixed in–it will be clumpy like this.

Mix in the water a tablespoon at a time to form a thick dough.  You’ll need to use your hands to knead it a few times to mix in the last bits of flour.

Divide the dough into four pieces.  Roll each piece into a paper-thin rectangle on a floured surface.  Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut into strips.  (I like to use my plastic pizza cutter so I don’t scratch up my countertop!)

Arrange noodles in a single layer on a towel and allow to dry, about 2-3 hours depending on thickness.  Store in an air-tight bag or container until ready to use.  To cook: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, and cook to al dente, about 5-7 minutes.  For Thanksgiving, I put some bouillon cubes in the cooking water, then keep the noodles warm in a crock pot with a little chicken broth and parsley until dinnertime.  Yummy!  These homemade noodles are also awesome in soup.

Find our original post that also included Creamy MASHED SWEET POTATOES  with a sweet crumbly topping and HOMEMADE STUFFING.

We’d love a PIN – Thank You!

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Meatball Stew Recipe

There are a few things that I think of when I want something comforting on these bitter cold days. While I think many of our minds usually wander towards a steamy soup or a slow cooked roast, mine often wanders towards food that my Mom and Grandma have made all my life, such as Meatball Stew. There is something even more comforting about it if I can talk them into making it for me!  Nothing says comfort like sitting at a table with loved ones around food that brings back so many wonderful memories. This stew is that kind of food in our family. My Grandma is not a fancy cook, she would tell you so herself. She had to figure out a way to feed seven people every night often on a very tight budget. That is the place this stew was born. It is simple, frugal, hearty and versatile. I make my own meatballs, but you could very easily buy frozen to make this even easier.

I also wanted to note that I realize many people are increasingly concerned with canned “cream of” soups. There are many very easy recipes to make cream of chicken soup from scratch on Pinterest. Here is a link to one that I made recently with great results from Gimme Some Oven. 

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Meatball Stew Recipe

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  50 mins

Total time:  1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• For the meatballs:
• 1 lb. of ground beef (I use 85% lean)
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 TBSP dried minced onion
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• For the Stew
• 2 ½ lbs. of golden potatoes, washed, peeled, and cubed
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ¼ cup milk

Instructions

1. For the Meatballs
2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl by hand. When everything is thoroughly combined, roll out balls into 1-inch balls. Heat 1 TBSP oil in a large skillet (I used my cast iron for this, but any will do), and brown the meatballs on all sides.
3. Once browned, transfer the meatballs to an aluminum foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until no pink remains in the center of the meatballs.
4. For the Stew
5. Boil the potatoes until fork tender, drain. Add cooked meatballs to the pot. Stir in cream of chicken soup and milk. If the mixture is a bit too thick, add a bit more milk.

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Easy DIY Laundry Soap Recipe

Let me start by saying I was a little skeptical about the whole DIY laundry detergent thing.  I don’t spend big bucks on detergent–I wait for a sale and use a coupon, and up to this point I was pretty satisfied with that.  But since so many Sisters and Misters seemed interested, I was willing to do some investigating to see if I could find an effective, inexpensive detergent recipe that wasn’t a total pain in the hiney to make.

That final criteria was important to me, because my time is every bit as valuable as my money.  One of the biggest complaints I heard from people who had made their own detergent was that it took too long, especially shredding the bar soap.  I found a few awesome hints that took the pain out of making it yourself–it took me about 15 minutes of active prep time to make this giant batch.  I made my first batch six months ago, and I’m just now ready to make a new one (that’s for my family of 6, and includes my bad habit of leaving laundry in the washer overnight and having to re-wash occasionally! )

Before you ask, this detergent can be used in front-load HE machines.  It can also be used in the older top-load kind.  Just be aware that it is very low-sudsing, so don’t expect tons of bubbles.  I found it to clean comparably with store-bought detergents, but you use a much smaller amount because it’s all cleaning agents and no filler.

So without any further ado, I am pleased to present:

The Easiest DIY Laundry Soap Recipe Ever

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Box of Borax (72 oz)
  
• 1 Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (55 oz)
  
• 1 Container of OxiClean (3 lb) *optional–see note later
• 2 Bars of Fels-Naptha Soap (5.5 oz each)
• 2-4 lbs Baking Soda (regular sized boxes in baking dept., or big box in laundry dept.)

You can find all these in the laundry aisle at Walmart, near the stain treaters.

Here’s the super cool time & energy-saving trick that makes grating the soap tons easier:  Unwrap the Fels-Naptha soap and microwave at 30-second intervals until it gets all puffy.  The puffiness makes the dense soap much simpler to grate to the fine texture that’s needed for easy dissolving.  Allow the soap to cool completely before grating or it’ll get clumpy.

Chop the cooled soap into chunks and place into a food processor one bar at a time.  Add about 1/4 cup of the baking soda to keep the soap from clumping together.  (You can also use a hand grater for this part, but it’ll take a little longer.  Still easier with the puffy soap than if you had a regular bar.)

Process until it’s really finely grated, resembling the texture of cornmeal.  The more finely grated the soap is, the better it’ll dissolve in your washing machine, especially in cold water.

You can mix and store this in a large (3+ gallon) air-tight container with a lid.  If you plan to store it in smaller containers or want an easier way to mix it, just dump all the ingredients into a heavy-duty trash bag and shake it around.  Be careful with jewelry, fingernails, or other sharp objects, and don’t use a bargain bag–you don’t want this bag breaking!  If you mix in a large container, add the ingredients 1/4 of each at a time, mixing each layer before adding more of each ingredient; it’ll make for a more even distribution of all the ingredients throughout.  Store it somewhere cool without a lot of moisture, as moisture in the air could cause it to cake up.…and there you have it: Easy homemade laundry soap.  Store it in an airtight container, like the one above, away from moisture.  I used the OxiClean container for the detergent I’ll use on a daily basis, and filled two more gallon zip-top bags to store the rest until I give it to the people I’ll be sharing with (they can find their own containers! )

Use 1-2 tablespoons per load, depending on load size and soil level.  If your soap is grated finely enough, it should dissolve in any temperature of water.  It will work in HE washers–just make sure you have the dispenser adjusted for powdered detergent (if yours adjusts).  If you find that it doesn’t get adequately rinsed out of the dispenser, just put it in with the clothes.  For regular washers, start the water first then add detergent so it can start dissolving before you add clothes.

Was it worth it?

Depending on how much baking soda you use, this should yield around 30 cups of detergent.  If you use an average of 1.5 tablespoons per load, it should last you about 160 loads.  If your loads are smaller/less dirty and you stick to the 1 tablespoon, you could get as many as 240 loads out of one batch!  Like I said earlier, this has lasted our family of six just over 6 months.  This batch cost just over $18 to make, so an average of 7.5¢ to 11¢ per load.  Next time I’ll probably get the off-brand OxiClean, which would save a few bucks, and another 1¢-2¢ per load.  Occasionally I’m really lucky and find store-bought detergent at around that price, but those deals are few and far-between, and aren’t usually on fragrance-free products.  I didn’t spend any more time making this than I’d typically spend clipping detergent coupons and looking for deals, so for me it’s a reasonable trade-off.  As long as I continue to be satisfied with the way it cleans, I’d make it again!

A few variations:

• You can substitute Zote bar soap for the Fels-Naptha if you can’t find it or you prefer the scent/color.  (Zote is pink)
• If you’re making it for baby clothes or someone with very sensitive skin, you can substitute bars of Ivory soap.
• If you like more scent to your detergent, you can add a bottle of Purex Crystals or Downy Unstoppables.  (I didn’t because of sensitive skin in my family)
• The baking soda is optional, but helps to eliminate odors.  Add as much as you’d like–you can play around with the amounts.
• The OxiClean is also optional.  It’s the most expensive part of the recipe by a long shot ($7.52 at my Walmart, almost as much as the rest of the ingredients combined!)  If you’ve got a household full of relatively un-messy adults, I’d just make the recipe without, and keep some OxiClean (or other laundry booster) on hand to add to the occasional messy load.  But I have 4 kids ages 7 and under (3 soccer players and an independent-minded toddler who likes to feed himself) so most loads I do have messy clothes, and I don’t always catch things to pre-treat them individually.  The stain-fighting insurance was worth it to me–you can decide for yourself!

Have you tried our other handy DIY home cleaning recipes?  I might be a little biased, but I’m in love with them!

Homemade Wrinkle Release Spray

Vinegar & Dawn: Soap Scum cleaner, Carpet spot treater, and much more!

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Versatile Vinegar: tons of uses for vinegar all over the house, plus a recipe for great-smelling Orange Infused vinegar

Make your own Washing Soda from Baking Soda!

Pin this post so you’ll have it handy for later use, and don’t forget to Follow Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring on Pinterest to see all our best tips & tricks, along with the things we love from around the web!

**I searched tons of sites and Pinterest for what works best, but I found this recipe and comments from How Does She to be particularly helpful–thanks!

Coupons procured by Savings.com

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The post Easiest DIY Laundry Soap Recipe Ever! appeared first on Sisters Shopping Farm and Home.