Yummy things

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Yummy things
Random musings on happenings in my kitchen and my life, in Durham, NC


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About me
Hi! I'm Lindsey.

I do public health work at Duke University, like to run at a slow, but steady pace, teach group fitness classes, and do my best to keep up with my family that's spread across the country. In the midst all of that, playing in the kitchen is one of my favorite stress relievers and creative outlets, so this blog chronicles some of my favorite cooking and baking adventures, but in the process it also tells the story of the rest of my life.

Like many people in the Triangle area, I'm a transplant. After spending the first 21 years of my life in the midwest, I've been settled in North Carolina for seven years. One of the things I love most about the area is the diversity of local farms, farmers' markets, and great food, so I follow lots of local food happenings, but I also keep up with my fair share of Midwestern favorites.

If you like what you find here, feel free to drop me a note and email Yummy things. I'd love to hear from all of you out there!
Wed Jun 3

Catching up on life, cooking up the laundry

After 10 days out of town, I’m back from our Western adventure and the annual meeting of the American College Health Association.  The conference was really good, and I got lots of positive comments on the presentation I did on using interactive technology and social media to communicate health information.  But the road trip really outdid San Francisco.  The scenery along the way, through Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California, was fantastic, and you are sure to see some lovely photos here soon.

Of course, after being away for so many days, the first thing I had to do, after catching up on some sleep after a red eye flight, was to get all my clothes washed.  And after being skeptical of the whole idea before, I’ve become a convert to making our own laundry detergent.  It’s really quite easy - even when you’re still a little jet lagged - and much cheaper.  So on Monday, while getting caught up on life, that’s what I was whipping up in the kitchen.  If you want to get adventurous, try it out.  It’s like a fun science fair concoction!

Homemade laundry detergent

Grate 2 bars of Ivory soap with a cheese grater.

Heat grated soap and 2 cups of water in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat.  Stir gently until soap is melted.

Add 2 gallons of hot water to a 5 gallon bucket.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of baking soda (not washing soda).  Slowly stir in melted soap mixture.

Add 2 additional gallons of hot water.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of borax.  Stir gently to combine.

Stir every 4-5 hours as detergent cools.  Cover after detergent is completely cool - about 24 hours.

Use 1/2 cup of detergent per load of laundry.  Use 1 cup for heavily soiled loads.

Note 1: The detergent will not gel completely; it’ll look cloudy - a little like egg drop soup. Just stir it gently before each use.

Note 2: You can often get 5 gallon buckets at local restaurants that get food in them.  Ask around, and you can probably get one free.  Othewise, youcan likely get one in the automotive section at a big box store.