I've Lost My 'Groove'

Well, I had this great blog written to post today but…I promised you that I would include the good and bad times in my cooking life. Here it is, drum roll please…..! I DO NOT WANT TO COOK!!!!!

For the past four or five nights, what has been on the menu hasn’t really sounded good to me. Actually nothing sounded good to me, I would almost rather just eat cereal or oatmeal with a piece of toast BUT of course I am not the only one I prepare food for. So…I muddled through and made something! That has not been working out so great and my family has noticed! The meals have not been served with my usual enthusiasm, and frankly they really haven’t been that great. They are dishes I make on a regular basis, but they just don’t taste the same.

So…I am looking for inspiration. Something that reminds me why I love to cook and that will help me to be enthusiastic in my meal preparation, EVEN if it is the same old. My usual method is to browse the internet looking at pictures and reviewing recipes, go through my Rachel Ray magazines that I have in my cookbook cupboard, and find food that visually makes me go “mmmm, yummy”. And, since our local Oktoberfest is fast approaching (starts tomorrow) I will have an extra few days to find my ‘groove’. I am also hoping that the fish tacos, Berliners, baked potatoes, and deep fried Twinkies will also help to inspire me!

As there is always something to learn from every experience I ponder what this one has taught me? Here goes…I believe that the attitude and enthusiasm that I have towards the food I make for my family DOES affect their attitude towards it. My annoying (to them) way of being excited about spaghetti (that we have once a week) is my gift from God to encourage them to be thankful and grateful for the food we have on our table. It is not always what we would like to have but it is what God provides for us. We really can’t ask for more than that.

If you have experienced a time like this please share it with me. I would like to hear how you handle your loss of ‘groove’ in the kitchen. Have a great week and look for something more inspiring next Wednesday!

I will post my recipe for laundry soap. It is a great way to save money and reduce waste and it is so much healthier for the environment. I hope you try it out. I have been using it for 2+ years and it works great!! I have hard water AND lots of greasy clothes AND kids!

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha  bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
4  Cups hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1  Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine
1   Fels-Naptha soap bar
1   Cup Washing Soda
½  Cup Borax
-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)