• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

Log In
  • Start Here
  • Podcast
  • Articles
    • Natural Medicine Cabinet
    • Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Gardening
    • Homestead-Life
    • Canning Recipes
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Classes
    • General Store
  • Academy
  • Log In
  • Start Here
  • Podcast
  • Articles
    • Natural Medicine Cabinet
    • Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Gardening
    • Homestead-Life
    • Canning Recipes
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Classes
    • General Store
  • Academy
  • Log In

From-Scratch Dessert Recipes

homemade hot cocoa mix in a mason jar with red and white twine and pine cones on table top

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix 3 Ways (From Scratch!)

Read moreHomemade Hot Cocoa Mix 3 Ways (From Scratch!)

Best Flaky Pie Crust Recipe – Without Shortening

Read moreBest Flaky Pie Crust Recipe – Without Shortening
DIY brownie mix in a jar sitting on a counter.

DIY Homemade Brownie Mix in Jar- Best Ever Fudge Brownies

Read moreDIY Homemade Brownie Mix in Jar- Best Ever Fudge Brownies

Homemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)

Read moreHomemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)
Granola bars stacked on the counter.

Easy Homemade Granola Bars (Copycat Nature Valley Recipe)

Read moreEasy Homemade Granola Bars (Copycat Nature Valley Recipe)

Sourdough Chocolate Bread From Scratch

Read moreSourdough Chocolate Bread From Scratch

Fried Donut Recipe How to Make Donuts From Scratch

Read moreFried Donut Recipe How to Make Donuts From Scratch

Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls with Molasses

Read moreOld Fashioned Popcorn Balls with Molasses
A baked vinegar pie with a slice missing.

Old-Fashioned Vinegar Pie Recipe

Read moreOld-Fashioned Vinegar Pie Recipe

Old-fashioned Blueberry Pudding Recipe with Rosewater Sauce

Read moreOld-fashioned Blueberry Pudding Recipe with Rosewater Sauce
  • Previous
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Next
A woman in the kitchen with jars of home canned food.

Howdy, I’m Melissa!

I’m so glad you’re here. This is the place for all of us who loved Little House when we were young and thought Laura was our best friend. It’s where we grow dinner in the backyard and think everything looks and tastes better when it comes from a Mason jar. Here, you’ll find my favorite from-scratch recipes, herbal remedies and tutorials, and all my gardening tips from my 20+ years of growing and raising our own food.

More About Melissa
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

My Most Popular Posts

Sourdough starter in a jar with a loaf of bread in the background.

How to Make a Sourdough Starter + Tips for Success

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Beginner Friendly Recipe)

Homemade chili in a white bowl topped with sour cream, onions and cilantro.

Easy Instant Pot Chili Recipe

A buttered biscuit served on a white plate.

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

A jar of homemade cream of potato soup with potatoes on the counter.

Cream of Potato Soup Recipe

Homemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)

Plated by Season: Home‑Cooked. Home‑Grown. On Your Table in 30 Minutes or Less.

75+ seasonal, from‑scratch recipes + a monthly harvest chart. Real meals. Minimal fuss.

Grab Your Copy ($20, Free Shipping)

Winter Preserving Recipes

Jars of home canned applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe (+ How to Can Applesauce)

Fermented cranberry sauce in a white bowl.

Fermented Cranberry Sauce

How to Can Bone Broth at Home

Homemade Cranberry Sauce + Canning Instructions

Jar of fermented lemons on a counter with a bag of citrus and sliced lemons on a plate

How to Store Lemons (For a Year!) – Fermented Lemons

Sidebar


Melissa K. Norris

Follow me:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Start Here
  • Classes
  • Academy
  • Contact
  • Log In

Articles

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • DIY

Podcast

Why Dieting Stops Working After 40 (The Blood Sugar Loop Explained)

Why Winter Isn’t Actually Slower (and What to Do Instead)

How to Reduce Inflammation in the Body Naturally

How to Winter Sow Seeds

Books

  • Everything Worth Preserving
  • The Family Garden Planner
  • Handmade
  • The Made from Scratch Life
  • The Family Garden Plan

Education

  • Organic Gardening Workshop
  • Home Fruit Preservative Canning e-course
  • Home Canning With Confidence
  • Homemade Bread & Baking Class
  • Natural Homemade Bath and Beauty
  • Pioneering Today Academy


© 2026 · Melissa K. Norris Pioneering Today LLC

  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility

Melissa K. Norris and Pioneering Today LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Privacy Manager