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!
Sun Aug 3

Maybe it is a little nuts, but it is cheap

So I actually tried making us some homemade detergent.  Making it wasn’t too difficult, but then once it cooled, it separated, and I was afraid my time had been a total waste.  But then I spent some more time online, and determined that I should have done this from the very beginning.  I determined that it’s not usual for it to separate, but making sure the shredded soap that goes into the mixture is really, really melted is important to helping it gel rather than totally separate, and that mixing it while it cools also helps.  I also determined that it’s a lot easier to deal with if you put it into a smaller container than the one I originally used, which held about 2.5 gallons of the stuff.  Shaking one gallon of homemade detergent takes a little muscle, but shaking 2.5 gallons is impossible.

So now that I did all this, the question is still “Is this nuts?”  After a weekend of laundry, going through all the different loads of lights, darks and whites, it seems the stuff cleans just as well as the usual concentrated all that we usually use.  And if I actually keep making the stuff, buying the required borax and washing soda divides out to be way cheaper per load than buying laundry detergent from the store, even with coupons.  So it’s just a question of whether it’s worth your time to track down the ingredients, shred soap with a cheese grater, mix it all up on the stove, and find a container to store your homemade detergent.  For people concerned about allergens or the environment, I suppose the balance is a little different, but for me, it’s just a matter of how far you want to go to be cheap.

If you don’t think it’s so nuts, this website has a nice compilation of detergent recipes and lots of comments, which helps you navigate through concerns about separation, and the other adventures that come along with making your own detergent. Try it, if you’re totally bored on a random weekend.  ;-)