Laundry Detergent

This makes 1/2 Gallon of concentrate

1 bar Fels Naptha

1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

4 cups of hot water

Step 1: Put 4 cups of water in a large heavy saucepan over high heat. While that is heating, mix the borax and washing soda together in a bowl, mixing well, set aside.

Step 2: Grate the Fels Naptha- I use a handheld cheese grater

Step 3: Add the freshly grated soap to the water in the saucepan, stirring almost constantly. Reduce the heat to medium, It will take approximately 10 – 15 minutes for the Fels Naptha to complete dissolve.

Step 4: Once the fels naptha has completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and add in the Borax and the Washing Soda, stirring constantly until the powders are completely dissolved, this will take about 3-5 minutes.

Step 5: Pour the liquid equally into (2) 1 quart Mason jars.

Step 6: Add just enough water to bring the contents to leaving approximately 1 ½ inches of headspace.

Step 7: Put the lid on the jars and turn them UPSIDE DOWN and let them sit a few hours (about 4 - 5 hours). The reason for this is that the soap is going to Separate into layers while it's resting and occasionally will form crystals on the bottom.

Step 8: Place the entire contents of mason jar in the blender and whip until smooth and creamy throughout, about a minute. Pour back into mason jars to store.

Lasagna-Helen Rooks

I don't know how other families came up with menus for the week but, growing up we seemed to have the standards, Meatloaf, Roast, Fried Chicken, Vegetable Soup, Chicken Fried Steak, Hamburgers, Cold Cut Sandwiches, on endless rotation. Week after week it was as though variety was not our strong suit, oh of course there were your occasional Potato Soup, BLT's, Spaghetti or heaven forbid, Salmon Patty dinners (shudder) but, I don't recall that we ventured out-of-bounds too often.

My Mom was a great colletor of recipes. The recipe boxes are absolutely chocked full of recipes I never ate and I am fairly certain she never prepared. However, one recipe managed to slip through the ranks and Lasagna made an occasional appearance into the Rooks family menu rotation.

I LOVE this lasagna but, I will warn you, this isn't a traditional lasagna in the classic 'italian' sense. So, this may be more for my family to remember the traditional recipes that graced our table than, one for you to serve your Italian neighbors.  But, it is one of those dishes for me, that conjures up warm and fuzzy feelings of home.

     
8 oz package lasagna noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 Tblsp shortening
1 lb ground beef
1/2 finely chopped onion
2 cups Traditional Ragu Sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups Mozzerella Cheese-Shredded

Cook noodles according to directions, drain. Mix cottage cheese and sour cream and pour over noodles, toss to coat.

Brown ground beef and onion in shortening. After browned drain and add Ragu and mix well.

In casserole dish arrange in alternate layers noodle mixture, sauce, cheese, repeat-beginning with noodles on the bottom and ending with cheese on top.

Bake 45mins at 350 degrees

New England Style Potato Salad-Harmon and Helen Rooks

OK, so as near as I know this story, this recipe was concocted by my Mom and Dad as a copycat recipe to some potato salad they had at a deli in Connecticut while, visiting my Dads sister Carolyn and her family.   I had to give this recipe an official name so I picked one, based on the background story of it's origin.  I'll take suggestions if someone has a better one!!

Ingredients:

6 russett potatos
1 small jar of diced pimento peppers (1/4 cup)
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 cup French Onion Dip (french onion dip has a wide variety of tastes and textures, the one my Mom used when I was small was Adams, they are no longer in buisness, it took several years before they found a comparable one which was A&E.  I have lived in areas where this wasn't available and found a comparable source with Prarie Farms.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Peel and dice potatoes into 1/2" cubes.  Boil just until tender. Drain and cool in refregerator.

Combine Miracle whip, french onion dip, pimentos, salt and pepper in a bowl, mix well, toss with cooled potatoes.

Chopped Apple Cake- by Helen Rooks

This is one of the first recipes of my Moms that I learned to bake.  It's easy and delicious!!

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
4 cups diced raw apples
2 tsp soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift together soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour

Cream together butter and sugar

Add eggs blend well

Add sifted dry ingredients

Stir in apples and nuts

Bake in a 9 x 5" loaf pan for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Cool Cake-by Mike Rooks Family

Every family recipe archive has a 'poke cake' in it's files.  This one is ours and I know, I am probably biased but, it is so much better than other similar cakes I have tried.

Many years ago my brother Scott had an occasion to visit our older brother Mike at his home in Aurora, Il. For dessert they had this Cool Cake, Scott came home singing the praises of this unique dessert so, my Mom requested the recipe.  This quickly became a standard at many family gatherings.

Cake Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cup flavored soda pop (strawberry, orange, pineapple...)
1 large box of Jello (the same flavor as your soda pop)
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Make and bake cake according to package directions.  After baking cook cake and poke holes with toothpick. (you want lots of small holes, do not use a wooden spoon handle as with many poke cakes)

Combine Jello and boiling water and stir until completely dissolved, add pop, stir together and immediately pour slowly over cake.

Refrigerate until cold. 2-3 hours

Frosting Ingredients:

1 Large box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
2 cups cool whip

After cake has chilled-

Mix pudding and milk together and whisk to combine.  Fold in cool whip.  Frost cake and return to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Keep refrigerated.