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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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Kitchen Tutorials

A collection of kitchen related tips and tutorials used in my home and featured on Pioneering Today. You'll find all our finger licking good recipes, including canning recipes on our recipe page.

Kitchen How To's and Tutorials

How to Cook and Care for Cast Iron There's a reason chefs still use the cookware of the pioneers, it's the best for a number of reasons and with a little know how, easy to use.

Dutch Oven Cooking Over an Open Fire Because every pioneer cook should know how to cook outdoors and have the supplies to turn out perfectly baked food without a regular oven.

Why You Should Grind Your Own Flour and Choosing a Mill Grinding your own flour is easy with the right mill. Learn which mill is best for your kitchen.

8 Tips for Baking Perfect Homemade Bread Turning out a loaf of bread as tasty and as pretty as a bakery is completely doable with these tips.

How and Why You Should Render Lard Knowing how to render and supply your home with cooking fat is essential to any homestead. Plus, it's much healthier than you've been led to believe.

How to Make Homemade Mozzarella in 30 Minutes Homemade creamy cheese in just a half hour. Enough said.

Preserving the Harvest

Canning 101 Waterbath Method vs. Pressure Canner Learn which method is safe for which foods. Plus, tips to ensure success.

How to Freeze Squash If not frozen properly, enzymes will continue to break down your squash, with disastrous results, make sure you do it correctly.

How to Use a Pressure Canner A pressure canner is essential to a pantry filled with home canned foods. It's the only safe way to can meat and non-acid foods, plus, it's not nearly as scary as it sounds.

How to Pressure Can Shelled Beans Canned beans should be a staple in every home. They're a perfect food in emergency situations when water is scarce and can be used to make a number of recipes in a short amount of time.

How to Dry Your Own Herbs Herbs are both beneficial to tastier food and medicinally. Learn how to preserve yours for year round use and never purchase them from the store again.

Homemade Cleaning Supplies

Homemade Citrus Cleaner This natural all purpose cleaner does a better job than chemical filled store bought versions, and is a fraction of the cost.

1 Ingredient 5 Minute Natural Oven Cleaner Have a clean oven with no heat, no fumes, no smell, and no harsh chemicals. Just a tiny amount of elbow grease and your oven will be sparkling in 5 minutes.

Multiple Ways to Use Vinegar In Your Home While this starts in the kitchen, vinegar is a multi-purpose cleaner throughout the whole home. My tips and ways to use it from the kitchen, to the laundry room, and floors. 


Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
  • Recipe Index
  • Lifestyle
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Podcast

Farm Dog Breeds (Which is Best for You?)

Time Spent to Grow a Year’s Worth of Food

Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month and Tips for Preservation

How to Start Seeds Indoors (Planning, Starting & Mistakes to Avoid)

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


© 2025 · Melissa K. Norris Pioneering Today LLC

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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.

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