Kickin' Garlic Chicken and Fried Rice

This "mock" baked garlic chicken has some spice. Easy homemade take-out. 

Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 tbsp. of brown sugar
1 tsp. of red pepper flakes
3 tbsp. of sesame oil
2 tbsp. of soy sauce
Salt & Pepper




Preheat oven to 450. Line a glass baking dish with foil. Line chicken breasts on foil. Season with salt and pepper. 
Heat sesame oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until browned. Add the brown sugar and stir to mix. Add the red pepper flakes and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly and pour on top chicken. Bake for 30 minutes. 
Remove from oven and remove burnt bits on top of chicken. Spoon liquid mixture all over chicken and serve. 




Fried Rice
3 cups of cooked rice
1 cup of frozen mixed peas and carrots
3 tbsp. of sesame oil
2 eggs
1 small onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste


Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the peas and carrots, breaking up frozen bits. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Move the veggies to one side and scramble the eggs on the other. Once eggs are cooked, pour in the rice and fry over medium-high heat your preference! Top with salt and pepper to taste. 

Carrot Vase

Happy Spring!

Natural Dishwasher Soap

I don't have the greatest dishwasher - it's one of the cheaper lots - and some of the natural dishwasher detergents I've bought have not fully cleaned my dishes, so I was wary when I found this recipe on Pinterest. But I tried it and it really does work! I have citric acid on hand for making bath bombs/fizzies that I order from a soap supplier, however I've read some blogs that say Lemi Shine (found in the dish detergent aisle) is simply citric acid scented with lemon. (Lemi Shine in photo). 


Ingredients:
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1 cup of citric acid (or use Lemi Shine found on dish detergent aisle)
1/2 cup of salt


Mix all together. Fill you dishwasher cap full. Also I use vinegar for the rinse. 

Ylang Ylang Rose Tub Fizzies

As much as I would love to take more baths, it seems like a luxury I don't always have time for....And I don't like to waste water all the time by filling up my tub. My tub fizzies usually end up being "foot tub fizzies." You can also use these as "shower fizzies" by placing one in the shower and breathing in the aromatherapy. I was inspired by this recipe from Anne-Marie at SoapQueen.com. 

Equipment:

• A mold. I used a silicone mold with heart shapes. 
• Large glass measuring cup
• Spray bottle

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of citric acid (found in some grocery stores in the canning aisle. I order from BrambleBerry.com)
• 2 lbs. of baking soda
• 1/4 oz. of Rose Otto Essential oil
• 1/4 oz. of Ylang Ylang essential oil
• Handful of dried rose petals
• Witch hazel

To make:

• Measure the citric acid and baking soda in your glass measuring cup. Mix thoroughly, removing any clumps.
• Add the rose petals
• Pour some witch hazel (you won't need much) in the spray bottle.
• Spritz the mixture with the witch hazel. Just enough to dampen and be able to form into mold. Too much witch hazel, and the solution will begin to fizz. 
• Add the rose otto and ylang ylang essential oils; mix well.
• Press the mixture into the molds, packing tightly.
• Allow to air dry overnight
• Carefully pop out of the molds

They are now ready to use. Drop in the tub or foot bath for softening skin and feet. Or drop in the shower, and breathe the scents. 

Handmade Rose Water

I like to make natural soap and other natural handmade beauty products. I once tried a face mask recipe that called for Rose Water, and I was clueless at the time what this was or where to find it, so I stepped into the mothership of body products, Bath & Body Works. To my delight, they had rose water! At $15 a pop! I bought it anyway, loved the aroma. But my homemade face mask that included ingredients like honey and oatmeal became way more expensive than I anticipated. Luckily, I discovered you can buy rose water and other floral waters (orange blossom, etc.) in Middle Eastern grocery stores and in the ethnic food aisle of some supermarkets for much, much less. They are a wonderful addition to body and face recipes like masks, toners, and washes. I've tried all that I've been able to find locally (rose, orange blossom, jasmine, and lavender), and have used them for years. 


Rose is my favorite, and since I have rose bushes around my home, and also because I like to try things out on my own, I started looking for ways to make my own rose water. I picked up some books and checked out some blogs, and have adapted the recipe to my liking. Here goes:


You'll need to start with a dozen (or more for stronger fragrance) fresh roses. If you don't grow your own, make sure you buy some that are not dyed and have a good, strong fragrance. Who wants roses that don't smell anyway?


You'll need:

• Dozen natural roses (enjoy them first if you want and wait until they begin to wilt)
• Large stock pot
• Water (spring,distilled, or filtered) 
• 2 ceramic bowls that will fit inside the stock pot with about a 1-inch space between the lip of the bowl and the stock pot. One bowl will placed upside down in the bottom of the stock pot, and the other will sit right-side up on top. 
• A stainless steel lid (or bowl) that will fit over the top of the stockpot to create a double-bowler effect, but not too deep. There needs to be an inch or two of space between the bottom of the stainless steel bowl and the ceramic bowl to catch the distillation. 
• Ice

To make:

• Place one of the ceramic bowls upside down in the stockpot and place the second ceramic bowl right-side up on top of the first. 

• Remove the rose petals from the stem and place around the bottom ceramic bowl in the pot.
  
• Add enough water to just cover the top of the roses.
  
• Place the stainless steel lid inverted on the top of the pot (or use a stainless steel bowl).
  
• Add ice to the inverted lid

• Turn the burner on low and let it simmer for 3 hours. You will need to replace the ice during the 3 hours as it melts.
  
• After the 3 hours, the distilled rose water will have collected in the upper ceramic bowl.
  
• Pour into a bottle or jar. It will keep for a long time refrigerated, but check after 6 months. If you're like me, it will be gone by then anyway!

Exfoliating Honey Face Cleanser

This is my favorite face cleanser. All of the ingredients are natural,without preservatives or chemicals, and can be found in your kitchen or local grocery. 


Ingredients:
Honey, 1/4 cup
1 tbsp of liquid castile soap*
1/2 cup of glycerin**
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1/2 cup of dried rose petals (optional)


(*Dr. Bronner's natural castile soap or make your own (recipe coming soon);
** glycerin can be purchased in pharmacies or at grocery stores in pharmacy aisle)


Equipment:
Any kind of container to hold the honey, castile, glycerin mix; preferably a small squeeze bottle for dispensing (leftover honey bear containers are cute).


Container to hold the ground oatmeal, and optional ground dried rose petals (I use small ball jars with shaker lids).


Coffee mill or grinder

Directions:
Mix the honey, castile soap, and glycerin into one container (preferably squeezable). Shake until evenly distributed. 


In a separate container (preferably one with a shaker top):
Grind the oatmeal to fine in the coffee mill/grinder.
Grind the optional dried rose petals in the coffee grinder.
Contain the oatmeal and rose petal mix in the container with the shaker top.




Combine the honey wash with a few shakes of the oatmeal/rose mix

Handmade Vegan Soap

I love to make handmade fresh cold-process soap. Cold-process is the term to describe making homemade soap using lye (sodium hydroxide) and fats, and is the technique used here. You can use many combinations of fats (vegetable oils, nut oils, waxes, butters, and animal fats). The recipe here is one where you can find the ingredients easily at your grocery and hardware stores.  This recipe makes about 4 pounds of soap

Equipment Needed:

Safety goggles and rubber gloves (lye is dangerous; wear safety equipment and use caution!)

Digital scale that measures in ounces and grams

Candy thermometer

Large stainless steel pot

3 large glass, stainless steel, or plastic bowls (or large glass measuring cups)

Stick blender

Rubber spatulas

Freezer paper
Tape

Large mold (shoe box will work)
Several large towels

Coffee grinder or blender (optional)

Ingredients:

Olive oil - 25.6 oz

Coconut oil - 19.2 oz

Crisco (with Palm oil) - 19.2 oz

*Sodium Hydroxide (lye) - 9.15 oz

Distilled or spring water - 24.32 oz

**1/4 cup of ground oatmeal

Notes: 

*Sodium hydroxide or lye can be found at Ace Hardware stores under the brand name Rooto 100% Lye Household Drain Opener. I used to find it on the same aisle as other drain cleaners, but unfortunately lye is an ingredient used in making meth and not always available on shelves. You may have to ask an employee for it. 

**The ground oatmeal is an optional additive and adds a nice touch. Use it if you want. If you omit the oatmeal, you can also omit the coffee grinder or blender (but not the stick blender). 

Let's get going:

Get all of your equipment and ingredients together (unmeasured)

Suit up with your safety goggles and rubber gloves

Begin with the lye solution:

First, measure out your lye in one of the bowls. 

Second, measure out the water in another bowl

Next, pour the lye into the bowl with the water. DO NOT pour the water into the lye! This will create a volcano effect and can be dangerous.

Mix the lye/water mixture for several minutes. Move your head away from the direct fumes. It will be fumy for a few minutes so make sure no children or pets are around. The lye/water solution is mixed when the mixture becomes almost clear (it will still be slightly cloudy). 


Your lye/water solution will heat up to around 150 degrees. Insert your candy thermometer to measure and put the solution aside. You will want your lye/water solution to cool down to about 105 - 110 degrees.


While your lye/water solution is cooling, prepare your fats (oils). Weigh separately the coconut oil, Crisco, and olive oil and put them in your stainless steel pot. Warm on low on the stove until the solid fats liquify. Using your candy thermometer, measure the temperature of the oils. Warm (or if too hot, wait to cool) to 105 - 110 degrees. 

While your oils and lye solution are cooling to 105-110 degrees, line your mold wax side up with the freezer paper. Let the paper overlap to the outside of the mold and tape it in place. 


Once your lye solution and oils are both between 105 - 110 degrees, your ready to start blending. 


Get your stick blender ready. Remove the oils from the stove. SLOWLY pour the lye/water solution into the warm oils. Without turning on the stick blender, give it several manual. Stirs. Flip the stick blender on and give it few blasts. Alternate between manual stirring and stick blending until the mixture reaches TRACE. Trace is when the soap mixture becomes a thin pudding like consistency and leaves a very TRACE thickness. See below:

Your soap is now ready to pour into your mold! If you are adding the ground oatmeal, pour it in now and stir it evenly throughout the soap mixture. 


Pour the soap mixture into your mold. Cover with another sheet of freezer paper, wax side down. Cover with a couple of towels to insulate. 


The soap will  need to insulate for a day or two. I always wait two days. During the first 24 hours, it will go through the gel phase, where it will heat up from the middle out. The soap will cook itself. 


After two days, the soap should be ready to pop out of the mold. If using a shoe box, you will have a large loaf. Turn it upside down and carefully unmold the soap. The soap is still very caustic and you may need to use your rubber gloves. Cut the soap into bars and let rest on the waxy side of a piece of freezer paper. Leave your soap bars to cure for 4-6 weeks. They must fully cure before using them to complete the saponification process. During this time they will harden into usable soap. 

• After the 4-6 week cure time, you will have made enough bars of natural, vegan soap free of additives and detergents!

St. Patty's Shamrock Tree

My six year-old and I made these Shamrock ornaments. We found a shamrock template online and traced it onto green card stock and hole-punched the top. Though you can't see it, the ribbons used to create the ornaments are green with white shamrocks. Found these at Michaels. 

St. Patrick's Day Wreath

I got the idea for this St. Patty's wreath from a user on Pinterest who created one out of leftover fabric. Not being one to sew, and without leftover fabric, I bought about 10 different varieties of green ribbon. I cut them about 18 inches apart and tied them around a styrofoam wreath, topped with an olive green bow.