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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

5th-generation homesteader. Helping modern women live from scratch.

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Recipes

placing dill in mason jar crunchy dill pickles on table

Best Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles)

Read moreBest Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles)
An egg cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Cooking Eggs in Cast Iron (The RIGHT Way)

Read moreCooking Eggs in Cast Iron (The RIGHT Way)
Two pieces of avocado toast with poached eggs and goat cheese and marinated sundried tomatoes.

How to Make Avocado Toast

Read moreHow to Make Avocado Toast

Grandma's Heavenly Chocolate Mayo Cake & Caramel Frosting

Read moreGrandma's Heavenly Chocolate Mayo Cake & Caramel Frosting

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad Recipe

Read moreQuinoa and Black Bean Salad Recipe
Rutabaga fries on a white plate with dipping sauces.

Crispy Rutabaga Fries Recipe

Read moreCrispy Rutabaga Fries Recipe
Bacon wrapped asparagus on a white plate.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)

Read moreBacon Wrapped Asparagus (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)
A Mason jar with cream of chicken soup in it.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

Read moreHomemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

How to Make Pasta Sauce with Spinach and Fresh Oregano

Read moreHow to Make Pasta Sauce with Spinach and Fresh Oregano
Homemade chili in a white bowl topped with sour cream, onions and cilantro.

Easy Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Read moreEasy Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Chicken Artichoke Heart Casserole and The Irresistible Table

Read moreChicken Artichoke Heart Casserole and The Irresistible Table

Homemade Refried Beans in 10 Minutes

Read moreHomemade Refried Beans in 10 Minutes
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

Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Read moreSlow Cooker or Instant Pot Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Purple dead nettle growing in a patch.

Purple Dead Nettle - Foraging, Medicinal, and Cooking Guide

Read morePurple Dead Nettle - Foraging, Medicinal, and Cooking Guide
Chocolate caramel cinnamon rolls baked in a cast iron pan sitting on a table.

Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

Read moreOld-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
1940's Honey Date Square Recipe

Historical Recipes: Honey Date Squares

Read moreHistorical Recipes: Honey Date Squares
Honey whole wheat bread slices spread with butter and jelly.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread Easy Sandwich Bread Recipe

Read moreHoney Whole Wheat Bread Easy Sandwich Bread Recipe

Plum Bun Recipe (Baba's recipe from Circa 1910)

Read morePlum Bun Recipe (Baba's recipe from Circa 1910)
Three images of hot cross buns sitting on a napkin. Text overlay says, "Easy Hot Cross Buns: Great-Grandma's 1950's recipe with no processed sugar".

Traditional Hot Cross Buns - Easy Recipe from 1950

Read moreTraditional Hot Cross Buns - Easy Recipe from 1950
A cooked whole roast chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe (Crispy & Juicy)

Read moreEasy Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe (Crispy & Juicy)

Turkey and Dumplings Recipe

Read moreTurkey and Dumplings Recipe
Cast iron skillet with green bean casserole and a wooden spoon.

Green Bean Casserole - From Scratch

Read moreGreen Bean Casserole - From Scratch
Spinach artichoke dip in a baking dish and a hand with a chip taking a scoop.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

Read moreSpinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe
Three jars of peppers in fermenting jars.

How to Ferment Peppers

Read moreHow to Ferment Peppers

Sourdough Chocolate Bread From Scratch

Read moreSourdough Chocolate Bread From Scratch

Historical Recipe: Dried Fruit and Nut "Candy"

Read moreHistorical Recipe: Dried Fruit and Nut "Candy"
Papaya bars dusted with powdered sugar on a white cutting board.

Quick & Easy Papaya Bars Recipe

Read moreQuick & Easy Papaya Bars Recipe
Image of a small ziplock baggie filled with dehydrated sourdough starter and instructions written on the bag.

Rehydrating Sourdough Starter

Read moreRehydrating Sourdough Starter
A stack of sweet potato tortillas with parchment paper between each layer.

Easy Sweet Potato Tortilla Recipe (+ Gluten Free Option)

Read moreEasy Sweet Potato Tortilla Recipe (+ Gluten Free Option)
A slice of chocolate wacky cake on a serving utensil.

Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Read moreBest Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Finished loaf of artisan bread in a cast iron dutch oven lined with parchment paper.

Bread Mix in a Jar: Easy DIY Gift Idea

Read moreBread Mix in a Jar: Easy DIY Gift Idea
Cooked artichokes on a white plate.

Instant Pot Artichoke (Quick & Easy Recipe)

Read moreInstant Pot Artichoke (Quick & Easy Recipe)

Old-fashioned Blueberry Pudding Recipe with Rosewater Sauce

Read moreOld-fashioned Blueberry Pudding Recipe with Rosewater Sauce

Hard Times Pudding - A Frugal Dessert from the 1920s

Read moreHard Times Pudding - A Frugal Dessert from the 1920s
Red apples in a wooden crate with more crates stacked behind it.

12 Ways to Preserve Apples at Home

Read more12 Ways to Preserve Apples at Home
Blueberry Dumplings Recipe

Blueberry Dumplings Recipe- Old-fashioned Recipe from 1949

Read moreBlueberry Dumplings Recipe- Old-fashioned Recipe from 1949
Woman in a red and white apron holding a plate of date nut bars. Text overlay says, "Old Fashioned Italian Date Nut Bar".

Old-Fashioned Italian Date Nut Bars Recipe

Read moreOld-Fashioned Italian Date Nut Bars Recipe
Christmas pudding served on a white plate with brown sugar sauce.

Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe

Read moreTraditional Christmas Pudding Recipe

Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls with Molasses

Read moreOld Fashioned Popcorn Balls with Molasses
Plate of healthy carrot cookies on table with old newspaper bulletin

Healthy Carrot Cookie Recipe from WW2 & Great-Grandma

Read moreHealthy Carrot Cookie Recipe from WW2 & Great-Grandma

How to Make Homemade Mozzarella in 30 Minutes

Read moreHow to Make Homemade Mozzarella in 30 Minutes
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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)

Three jars of strawberry jam hot out of the canner.

Strawberry Jam Without Pectin (Low Sugar Recipe)

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

A jar of fermented pickles sitting on an outdoor table.

Fermented Pickles Recipe|Easy Old-Fashioned Salt Brine Pickles

A basket full of strawberries.

How to Preserve Strawberries: Keep Those Berries Fresh!

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Melissa K. Norris

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  • About Melissa K. Norris — Modern Homesteading ExpertStart Here
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Articles

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Podcast

Why Your Food Preservation Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It Safely)

Feeding a Family on a Budget

Spring Meal Planning (Without the Overwhelm)

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

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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