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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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Main Dish Recipes

Purple dead nettle growing in a patch.

Purple Dead Nettle – Foraging, Medicinal, and Cooking Guide

Read morePurple Dead Nettle – Foraging, Medicinal, and Cooking Guide
Two bowls of tomato soup with a loaf of bread and a jar of tomato sauce beside it.

Homemade Tomato Soup (From the Pantry)

Read moreHomemade Tomato Soup (From the Pantry)
A pantry filled with home canned and home-grown food.

How to Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry for Easy, Nourishing Weeknight Meals

Read moreHow to Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry for Easy, Nourishing Weeknight Meals
Bowl of traditional Ukranian borscht with slices of bread.

Traditional Borscht Recipe

Read moreTraditional Borscht Recipe

Crispy Fried Chicken – Old-fashioned Fried Chicken Recipe Homestead Style

Read moreCrispy Fried Chicken – Old-fashioned Fried Chicken Recipe Homestead Style
A woman in the kitchen holding up a large zucchini.

144 Best Zucchini Recipes – Ideas for Summer Zucchini

Read more144 Best Zucchini Recipes – Ideas for Summer Zucchini

Mafé: Traditional West African Peanut Sauce & Rice Recipe

Read moreMafé: Traditional West African Peanut Sauce & Rice Recipe
Instant Pot beef stew

Old-fashioned Beef Stew Recipe – Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

Read moreOld-fashioned Beef Stew Recipe – Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

Healthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe

Read moreHealthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe
A whole raw chicken in the Instant Pot. Text overlay says, "How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot".

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

Read moreHow to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
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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.

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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 Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)

A cooked whole roast chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe (Crispy & Juicy)

A white plate with a helping of strawberry rhubarb dump cake and a fork. Text overlay says, "Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake Real Food Style: Homemade Cake Mix & No Jello".

Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake without Jello & Homemade Cake Mix

Bacon wrapped asparagus on a white plate.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)

A stack of homemade graham crackers on a plate.

Easy Homemade Graham Crackers

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)

Spring Preserving Recipes

A jar of pickled asparagus with spears on a plate.

Pickled Asparagus Recipe (Canned, Quick, or Refrigerator)

two jars of strawberry jam sitting on a tabletop with fresh strawberries around it.

Strawberry Jam Recipe without Pectin and Low Sugar

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

Fermented pickles in large jars.

Quick & Easy Fermented Pickles Recipe

A basket full of strawberries.

How to Preserve Strawberries: Keep Those Berries Fresh!

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Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

  • Gardening
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Podcast

How My Mom Fed Our Family on $100 a Month (And the Simple Habits That Still Work Today)

Spring Meal Planning (Without the Overwhelm)

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

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

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


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