Another wonderful basket from Your Neighborhood Produce!

Your Neighborhood Produce

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

This post is for our friends at Your Neighborhood Produce!

 

Recently our friends at Your Neighborhood Produce held their own version of Iron Chef to see what incredibly yummy creations could be made out of the weekly baskets.  My submission included Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potato Chips.  Below is the recipe.  Enjoy!

Step 1: Scrub the potatoes, do not peel, leaving it on helps keep the shape of the chip. Preheat the oven to 275* and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: Thinly slice the potato.  I used a mandolin, if you have a steady hand and a sharp knife that will work just as well.  The width of the slice is purely your decision.  I like them really thin, it helps them crisp up during the baking process.

Step 3: Pour all of the slices into a large bowl and coat with olive oil.  At the time I made my submission we only had canola oil in the house and you can't tell the difference.  In addition to the oil, add cinnamon and brown sugar.  You can use a spoon to mix it all up but I like using my hands.  With my hands it is easier to tell if everything is evenly coated.

Step 4: Layer the chips on the baking sheets.  Try not to overlap them, when this happens it will take those areas longer to bake.  Cook for approximately 25 minutes and then flip the chips.  When I checked them I decided I wanted to add more cinnamon and sugar, again, it's to your own taste. Cook for at least an additional 25 minutes and check.  Depending on how your oven cooks the chips may need to stay in for awhile longer.

Step 5: Allow chips to cool on the baking sheets.  They may still be soft when done cooking, they will crisp up a little as they cool off.  Baked sweet potato chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days but I doubt they will last that long.  Enjoy!

-Adena

Laundry Detergent Step-By-Step

We can all accept the fact that we have the ability to run into the grocery store, drug store or our local chain big box store and come out with laundry detergent, whether its powder or liquid, scented or unscented, and enough for a few loads or the economy size. The question to ask yourself: "is there a benefit to all the choices and convenience when you can make your own at home with minimal ingredients and effort for a fraction of the cost?"

A few years ago I was introduced to homemade laundry detergent (thank you Holly) and fell in love with it! It was safe enough to use on our newborn baby's skin, it does not bother my daughter's eczema, and my husband prefers our clothes not to be scented. Below are the step-by-step instructions to make your own. If you don't like our version there are many out there to try.

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Step 1: Scrounge through the closets, pantry, garage, basement, etc. and find an old pot that you can use to make the laundry detergent in as well as any other cleaning products you might want to try.

Step 2: Grate a 1/2 bar of Fels Naptha into the pot. If you are unable to find Fels Naptha, you can look for Colgate, Kirk's Castile Soap or Zote. If your local stores do not carry these brands do not despair, they are easily found online to be ordered.

Step 3: To the pot add 1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax (stains & bleaching); 1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (stains); and 1/2 cup White Vinegar (softens fabric, reduces static, and bleaches.)

Step 4: Pour in 4 quarts of water. Turn the burner to medium high heat. Stir the mixture slowly until all of the ingredients are dissolved.

Step 5: Now is the point in which you want to let it cool down. If you can hold out an hour, that is best but I have been rushed and skipped this step and everything still turns out okay. To the cooled mixture you want to add two gallons of water and stir. Now you're done!

No, you're not quite done yet.

Step 6: You need to store the detergent. I have found that washed out plastic cat litter containers work great as well as gallon milk jugs. You are going to want something with a lid so that when the detergent gels up a little, you can shake it up or add more hot water if necessary.

Step 7: Time to do the laundry! I have found for the smaller loads a 1/4 cup will do but for the more heavily stained and larger loads you are going to want to use up to 1/2 cup. These measurements will vary for everyone as some have hard water, older machines, he machines, etc. It will take a little experimenting to see what works for you!

We do not add any scents to the detergent as the bar soap keeps the detergent smelling fresh (and the house smells great after you make this.) Some people will add a little rose water or an essential oil if they are so inclined, the choice is yours.

Now take a deep breath and tackle that mountain of laundry you have been avoiding!

-Adena

Is it wrong...

Is it wrong to be excited about buying a 50lb. bag of bread flour and dreaming about what you'll bake with it?

I picked this up the other day along with a 25lb. bag of all purpose flour and I know the kitchen is going to be a busy place over the next several of days.

Any suggestions on how to store all this flour?

-Adena

All Washed Up

Being a mom of 4 rough and tumble boys, you can imagine the laundry I do! Add to that the Carolina red clay and the fact that I am a massage therapist who washes oil stained sheets on a daily basis and you’ve got the Himalayas of laundry. Can you imagine the dirt and stains I contend with?

I have been searching for a laundry detergent that cleans deeply to help me with my dilemma. When Adena said we were going to make our own detergent, I was skeptical. Could homemade laundry soap do as good of a job? Would it be able to get the oil stains and the dank oil smell out of my sheets? Well…I was pleasantly surprised it DID!!! Oil doesn’t only stain, but it leaves a rancid smell and makes the sheets stiff over time. After I did several loads of clothes and was happy with the results; I put our laundry soap to the test…OLD MASSAGE LINENS! They came out clean, soft and there was only a vague hint of the oil smell. This was amazing. These were old sheets that have already been washed plenty of times and had oil build up. The laundry soap not only got out old oil spots, but eliminated most of the musky smell (I could barely tell it was there and I have a sensitive nose; ask my husband), I can only imagine how it would work on new sheets. I was excited. I emailed Adena right way and said, “I want to write about the laundry soap, it’s awesome”.

SUMMARY: it was easy and fun to make, we saved money, and it worked better than what I’ve been buying from the store. The laundry soap gets two thumbs up. Our laundry soap has a nice light clean smell, but I am going to try to add either lavender or lemon essential oil to give it a little scent for fun. I’ll let you know how it works out...

-Judy

Next Up: Step by Step Instruction on how to make you own Laundry Detergent

Coming Soon: Spot Remover

On the Menu: Homemade Soft Pretzels

A Teaser...

We participate in a local produce co-op called, Your Neighborhood Produce. One of our goals is to plan our weekly meals around the items in our baskets.

Check out  Your Neighborhood Produce.

Get Ready!

Judy and I have been busy cooking, researching and having some fun since we turned on our blog.  Check back this weekend for some great posts and pictures documenting our journey!

-Adena