I need to get to the big city sometime soon to pick up some coconut oil so I can make another batch of soap. I used two different molds for the last batch. For one of them I used those little mini loaf pans that makes 8 loaves. Those came out great! The recipe I used is wonderful. The soap lathers well and feels great on the skin with lots of moisturizing goodness. It also rinses off easily and leaves no sticky residue. (Oh my, I sound like a soap commercial!) For the other batch I used a large tupperware container. I obviously didn't set the container on an even surface because it came out a bit lopsided! So me in all my great "wisdom" decided I would try rebatching that container. My rebatching efforts came out horribly. I should have just left well enough alone as the soap was fine before, even if it was a little "funny" looking. I think I used too much liquid when trying to remelt it and it isn't setting up the way it should. It's really soft now. I don't know if it will actually set again or not but I am going to leave it a couple of more days and see what happens. In any case, I will chalk that up to the learning curve. I have my eyes open for something to use for molds. Since you can use all manner of things I am sure I will stumble across something that will work.
I've been working on a list of things that need to be replenished in our food storage. Pretty basic stuff actually. Reads just like a regular shopping list. Flour, milk, eggs, sugar etc... I'm not sure how long it will take me to replenish what we have used over the past several months. I hope it doesn't take long to get things back in order. One good thing about using our storage over these months is that I have been able to see the "holes" in it and am happy to say that there haven't been many. The one that stands out more than most is meats. I still haven't worked much on storing meats other than the cans of tuna, chicken and turkey. I suppose I should think about canning and drying some. I've been saying that for awhile now and still haven't done much in that direction.
~~Hey...I'm Just Sayin...~~
It's funny, but canning meat seems like a huge step for most folks. It took me forever to do it. Once I did, it seemed like no big deal. An emergency is a great time to find those holes. I always say it's practice for when the shtf for real, but in truth, I think we are just lucky to get from one emergency to the next.
ReplyDeleteWe have to be on the same wave length. I'm going to experiment with canning some chicken,beef and deer this year. I'll tell you how it goes.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to rotate the supplies. Eat up the old and replace with new.
ReplyDeleteHP- I know it won't be a big deal canning meat, but like you said it just takes forever to get the nerve up to go for it. And yes sometimes it seems that we do just go from one emergency to the next!
ReplyDeleteSFG- looks like we might be doing this together. Keep me in your loop ok?
Dizzy- That's the best advice there is. I am now to the point that the old is about gone too! Thanks for stopping by.
Sci-fi would you share your soap recipe? If it is a secret I'll understand. I've made soap twice using different recipes each time and didn't much like either. My Dh like lather and for it to rinse off well and neither recipe I've tried so far did either very well.
ReplyDeleteCanned meat is such a convience for me, but sadly my Dh doesn't like it much. I do like deboned, chicken canned, makes soups so much easier, broth and meat already to go, just add veggies and herbs.
Praying you and Dh find a small farm of your own, I know we love ours, even if it is only 6 acres, and we could NEVER live anywhere close to a big city again. Nope we like the quiet, listening to the birds singing, the junebugs and crickets and seeing the stars in the evening.
Blessings,
Kelle