Baking Soda

Hello! I decided to talk about baking soda and how useful it can be. Plus, it is cheap.

For Baby: Bath: Add 2 tablespoons soda to bathwater to soften skin and minimize the need for soap. Diaper odor: Add 1/2 cup soda to water in diaper pail. Soak diapers and pants. Soda neutralizes acid and makes laundering more effective. Clean bottles: Mix 4 tablespoons soda with 1 quart water. Fill bottles, let stand overnight. Rinse well, then air dry. Removes sour milk taste and odor.

Baking specialties: As called for in your favourite recipes.

To Clean: Use directly on all surfaces as a no scratch scouring powder. Combine 4 tablespoons soda with 1 quart water for an all purpose cleaner. To clean oven and stove top drip pan. Combine soda with water to make a thick paste.(Note: This is not a heavy duty oven cleaner.) For crusted cookware, boil half a pot of water with 2 tablespoons each soda and vinegar.

To Deodorize: Place opened box in refrigerator and freezer. Stir every 2 weeks to expose fresh soda. Replace with new box every 2 months.(Reuse old boxes for household cleaning.)

For Health Care: Bathwater: 1/2 cup soda in bathwater softens water and skin.
Mouthwash: Dissolve 1 teaspoon soda in a half glass of warm water and gargle.
Tooth powder: Dampen toothbrush, coat with soda and brush.

For Pet Care: To deodorize Kitty Litter: Sprinkle 16 ounces of soda in litter box and cover with litter. Replace as necessary, As pet shampoo rub soda into pets fur; Comb or brush out. Ideal when tub bath isn't convenient. A handful of soda in pet's bathwater helps eliminate odors.

Swimming Pool Care: As directed by your pool's manufacturer.

Bee Sting: Pour some soda onto a small plate then add enough water to make a paste. Then apply to the swollen are of the bee sting and after an hour it should go down and just keep washing it and reapplying until there is no more swelling or redness and looks normal.

Tick Bite: Again pour some soda onto a small plate, add enough water to make a paste. Then apply to area of the tick bite. It will draw out the poison and will push out the tick head if it still remains in the skin. If there is need to repeat steps then do so. Once it has drawn the poison out and tick head there then will be a scab left. (We did this when we got tick bites at the Martin Nature Park Center. The ticks had a spot on them and carry Rocky Mountain Fever. But, by making a paste out of the soda it took care of any chances of us getting ill.)

Deodorant: Pour enough of soda into hand and rub the under arm. Kills the odor and works well for those who cannot use anti-perspirant.

Garden Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I had told Mrs. L that I was going to put up a new recipe on here and she loves recipes.

This recipe is what I used for our church fellowship dinner.

Garden Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes unless you bake the potato in the oven for an hour like I did instead of using the microwave.

What you'll need:
- 4 russet potatoes
- 1 10 ounce package of frozen chopped broccoli
- 1/2 cup of ranch salad dressing
-salt
-pepper
-2 tsp. of dried parsley
-2 tbs. of butter
-1 tbs. of oil
-1 small onion

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 425
Microwave pierced potatoes on high for 12 minutes;
bake for 15 minutes. Slice off potato tops. Scoop out pulp, keeping skins intact. Mash pulp in a medium bowl

Step 2:

Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add butter. Add onion and saute until tender; about 5 minutes. Add onion and broccoli(I boiled broccoli first then drained the water then mixed them in with everything else), and salad dressing to pulp; mix well.

Step 3:

Brush outside of [potato skin shells with oil.

Step 4:

Spoon potato mixture into shells, dividing evenly. Place on a baking sheet. Bake potatoes until heated through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley; salt and pepper to taste.


Tip:

-You can always precook these potatoes, then cool to room temperature. Wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Then just reheat in the microwave for 5 minutes.

-Rubbing the outside of the potatoes with oil before baking will help them absorb more heat and allows the potatoes to cook more quickly- reducing cooking time by a few minutes. It also makes the skins more crisp and nicely brown.

- A variation to this recipe: you can add 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the potato pulp mixture or top the stuffed potatoes with cheese before baking in step 4.

- Also, you can dice any left over beef, chicken, or fish and add to these vegetable packed potatoes. You'll have an economical, nutritious dinner that includes most of the major food groups.

Enjoy!


Note: You will have some of the mixture left over once you scoop it into the potatoes, so then you can add it to whatever meal you want. It is still tasty even though it's not in the potato.