I made my 18 month old daughter breakfast this morning and we thought it was yummy.  She ate 2 slices in no time so I thought I would share a makeshift recipe:

MEXICAN TOAST

Ingredients:

Combine egg, half and half, horchata concentrate, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk until frothy.  Soak the bread, turning each side into the mixture.  Cook over medium heat in a small pan, flipping once, until the toast is golden brown.  Sprinkle with raw sugar and cinnamon to taste.   

My husband likes making Irish Toast for himself on weekend mornings.  I’m not sure what is in it, but I do know that it gets its name from a shot of Bushmill’s “Black Bush” Irish whiskey….

Apparently, you can clean just about anything in your home with something as simple as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice.  I tried it myself a few days ago on our bathroom sink and toilet–I think it worked great!  I have asthma as well and often get overwhelmed by the smell of cleaning products.  The vinegar did not have an unbearable odor and it dissipated quickly as the surfaces dried, leaving behind no smell whatsoever.  It was refreshing to not be subjected to that fake “clean” scent of lemons and pine trees or the antiseptic hospital aroma.  Here’s a video demonstration I found if you’d like to see how it works with your own eyes:

For quite some time now, I have been fascinated with the idea of making my own beauty products.  But since I am at the brink of this new housekeeping escapade, I would like to make my own cleaning products instead.  There are quite a few books written on the subject of “green cleaning” and a lot of information can be found for free on the Internet as well. 

There is also the element of “aromatherapie” that I have been researching.  Herbal remedies have been used throughout the world to prevent and cure diseases and ailments.  However, it is not currently a prevalent practice in the United States. A considerable number of essential oils are believed by many to have antimicrobial properties, meaning they function as an antibacterial, antivirus, antifungal or antiparasitic.  There are few scientific studies to support these claims and these natural elements have largely been dismissed in favor of chemicals and antibiotics.  Despite this, I have been able to locate several sources that have studied the biochemistry of these oils and appear to confirm what our great-great-grandmothers knew all along.  Research by chemist/pharmacist Dominic Baudoux describes the molecular structure of certain essential oils and the measureable antimicrobial effects displayed.  Upon delving further into the findings of his and other research, I personally have concluded that the most effective essential oils for home cleaning/disinfectant purposes to be the following:

• Oregano
• Thyme
• Cloves
• Eucalyptus
• Ravensara
• Tea Tree Lemon
• Cinnamon Bark

There are a multitude of other oils that have the same properties, but these seem to be superior.  You must also bear in mind there are a number of factors that can affect your results.  For instance, the quality, grade and species of the essential oil.  The first three in the above list contain phenol molecules:  carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol respectively.  These are the compounds found by Baudoux to have the highest antibacterial properties.  If you’re still not convinced, take a look at the active ingredients in a bottle of Listerine mouthwash and you may be surprised to find a number of “natural” antiseptics.

Armed with these facts, I have devised a shopping/wish list which consists of:

• Distilled Water
• Baking Soda
• Distilled White Vinegar
• Soap  (The real thing: Soap Flakes, Fels Naptha, lye, liquid castille soap)
• Borax
• Washing Soda
• Hydrogen Peroxide (35% Food-grade)
• Olive Oil
• Essential Oils
• Spray Bottles
• Pipettes
• Microfiber Mop System
• Steam Mop

Soaps Gone Buy seems to be a good resource for the washing soda and borax, as well as the soap.  I plan to post recipes and reviews as this project develops.

To that end, I have been doing some thinking about marital roles and responsibilities.  Unfortunately, I have been unable to find an updated version of Beeton’s Guide to Household Management that provides instructions on how to be a 21st Century Housewife.  However, I have decided that every man’s fantasy wife is June Cleaver from 5 AM-9 PM to take care of his home and children

and have Jenna Jameson from 9 PM-5 AM to take care of him.

Putting the fantasy aside, I want to learn how to be the woman that my family needs.  This is meant to be a chronicle of that journey.