Christmas is rapidly approching.....

And in my ever growing cheapness....(scratch that)....I mean..errr...effort to save money....(yeah that's it)....I have started making my own bread.
(Also...drum roll please...making my own laundry soap!

These things SOUND more ambitious then they are. They are easy and practical ways to save money. And lets face it...We all like to spend money on things, other then necessities....especially around Christmas time!

Easy Recipe for Bread:

1/4 C. Milk
5 t. sugar
1 t. salt
5 t. butter ( 1 1/2 T)
1 pkg of yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 C flour (unbleached white)

Put 1 C warm water in yeast and stir. Melt butter in microwave. Add it to milk, sugar, salt. Then stir it. Add to yeast mixture. Then add 2 C of flour to the mixture. Start stirring (its OK if some of the dough sticks to the bowl...) remaining flour in adding 1/4 C at a time(every minute or so.) Dough should be "slightly sticky" but not stick to hands.
Beat dough ball for 10 minutes. Then punch flat, and fold into ball again(repeat for 10 min or until you think your hands and arms might fall off!) I like to squeeze and twist it too!
After beating the heck out of it, put it into a greased bowl to rest 1 hour. (and give yourself a rest too!)
Punch down dough (3 or 4 whacks). Lay dough on floured area...shape it into a rectangle shape. roll it up tucked end underneath. Spray pan and cover loaf with towel. Wait ANOTHER hour. Put loaf in 400' oven for 30 minutes.


I had never learned to make bread, until I found this recipe. It is EASY enough to make with kids underfoot and it fills the house with that wonderful smell of baking bread! And I don't have to pay 3.00 a loaf!


Laundry soap:
1 c water
plus 3 Gallons of water
1 C borax (3.00 for huge box)
1 C washing soda (not baking soda) ( 3.00 for huge box)
1 bar of soap(dosen't matter what kind)
1 5 gallon bucket

Warm water in pan on stove, while shreading soap( cheese grater works well) then add shredded soap. DO NOT LET IT BOIL. Stir it until disolved.
In 5 gal bucket add borax and washing soda mix. Add 3 gallons water. Stir.
When pan of soap is disolved, add it to bucket.
let it sit for a day, then stir it again. Ours looks like leftover soapy bathwater. But the website that I got the recipe from said theres looked like slime...so it must vary depending on the soap used.

We poured it into old laundry soap containers, and use it a cup at a time.
Works every bit as good as laundry soap, maby better!


Just thought I would share. Hope these recipes might save someone a few bucks the way they have our family. Merry Christmas and God bless!

NOTE: Spell check hates me and won't do the last half of the page, so bear with me!