H is for Homemade Laundry Soap, Hunger Games, and Hummingbird Cake

Hi everyone my favorite things that start with the letter H are definitely a hodgepodge. 
Homemade laundry Soap-At first I resisted the idea of making homemade laundry soap. I admit I was being lazy about it. I'd rather buy it instead of make it. However, I have very sensitive skin and most laundry detergent breaks out my skin. So I figured what else do I have to loose. Let's see if it irritates my skin. Thankfully it didn't. It's such a quick easy recipe and we have saved more money than I thought possible by changing  one thing. Here's the recipe I use: 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.

Hunger Games-

I absolutely love Hunger Games books. Well except for the last one-I don't know what happened with it, Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games series is a distopian novel about a society who finds sport watching children kill other children and it's impending tourmoil. I don't want to give the story away, but there are a lot of similarities between the world we live in today and the one in the novels. I have not seen the movies no do I intend to. I am usually very disappointed when I go see movies based on books I love. Except for Gone with the Wind. 

For those of you like me who are craving more books similar to the Hunger Games check out my friend over at the Perpetual Page Turner She's got a list of books to help you get over your Hunger Games Hangover. 

Hummingbird Cake-my list of favorite things would not be complete without writing about one of my all time favorite cakes! I recently discovered I could make a gluten free version of the cake. When I bake the cake I use gltuen free Bisquick instead of cake flour. Here's the rec

Paula Deen Hummingbird Cake

     I still think this is one of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten.  This is from her book Paula Deen Celebrates!
3 Cups self-rising flour
2 Cups granulated sugar
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 very ripe large bananas – mashed
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, beaten
ICING RECIPE
1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
8oz package cream cheese- room temp
6 tbs butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs milk, more if needed
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325*
Grease and flour three 8 inch round cake pans.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, oil, 1/2 cup pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon and beaten eggs.  Stir well until smooth.
     Pour batter into the 3 pans and bake for 26-28 min, or until tops spring back.  Let cool in pans for 10 min.  Then cool on racks completely. 
     Make the icing by mixing the sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and 1 tbs milk in a large bowl with an electric mixer.  Mix until smooth.  If needed add more milk, 1 tsp at a time for proper spreading consistency.  Ice between each layer and on the top and sides.  Sprinkle the top with pecans.  Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy H!