Mary's favorite, Raw Apple Cake.

Mary's favorite, Raw Apple Cake. This is the cake my mom made when ever cake was needed. Perfect anytime, like now, tomorrow, as well as Mother's Day, Sunday dinner, or even next Thursday! You will really want to make this cake...

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 05.08.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for May 8, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes Feta and Toasted Walnuts

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts! That is a long name for a salad...but this is a salad worthy of every letter used! Why? Because it is so delicious! And what an enjoyable way to enjoy fresh green beans...

The PONZI Vineyards Cookbook for What Did You Read This Month Book Review LInk-up!

Welcome to the What Did You Read This Month? Book Review Link-y, a monthly sharing link-up for books! Books of all kinds, romance, suspense, DIY, and my personal favorite, cookbooks! Personally I couldn't be happier that books are once again, back in fashion! 

And a great way to keep them front and center is to share a review of what you have read, if and how you enjoyed it, and if you would recommend that book to a friend! Oh and a story or two of how you came to own or stumbled upon the book would also be fun...because the human connection to a book is just as important! Since books are for everyone, let's all enjoy them, once again!

Corn Moussaka

Is your family tired of the same old ground beef recipes? Looking for something delicious, yet still affordable? If so Corn Moussaka needs to be on your dinner table tonight! It is savory, comforting and so delicious!

Welcome to The Senior Salon Pit Stop #409

Welcome! The Senior Salon Pit Stop is now open! 

We invite you to come and take a look at all the wonderful recipes, craft and upcycling ideas in today's line up. Along with thrifting treasures, photography and a wonderful assortment of family friendly articles being shared. I can guarantee that, you will be pleasantly surprised, with all the good stuff you are about to find…so I invite you to come and take a look. And while you are here to visit, I hope you have brought along some ideas of your own to share with all of us as well!

 

In My Homestead Kitchen May 2026, looking back on April.

Happy month of May to one and all! April was busy, very busy with a second batching of chicks. But not in the kitchen...our meals have turned into a sidewalk of sameness that I am hoping to improve on, as the month of May leaves us. As we join Sherry for In My Kitchen!

Low Histamine Recipes to Enjoy. With April Updates!

Like every family our there, we have a lot going on! In our case it is homesteading for our garden, tending to the chickens and of course the land. Add in learning about our new home state of Texas, and exploring all that we can when we have open time. As well as time with family, and getting ready for the next celebration, because there will be one!  Here recently I have had to add something else...a Low Histamine eating plan. 

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 05.01.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for May 1, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.

Carrot Cake Banana Bread

Ahhha, the kitchen issues of what to do with all those ripe bananas! And that is exactly how, Carrot Cake Banana Bread was born! Turns out, this is one delicious loaf of banana bread. And, one that really does taste like carrot cake, come and take a look...

How to Can Rhubarb, easy tutorial

How to Can Rhubarb. From your garden or the Farmer's Market. Canning rhubarb is a great way to have ready-to-serve rhubarb and to conserve freezer space. Home-canned rhubarb is perfect for pies, cobblers, or just eating as is, right from the jar! This canned rhubarb is one of my favorites for breakfast...

Rhubarb!

Welcome to The Senior Salon Pit Stop #408

Welcome! The Senior Salon Pit Stop is now open! 

We invite you to come and take a look at all the wonderful recipes, craft and upcycling ideas in today's line up. Along with thrifting treasures, photography and a wonderful assortment of family friendly articles being shared. I can guarantee that, you will be pleasantly surprised, with all the good stuff you are about to find…so I invite you to come and take a look. And while you are here to visit, I hope you have brought along some ideas of your own to share with all of us as well!

 

Pork Chops with Scallions, start with the grill!

Pork Chops with Scallions are so good! A delicious dish of grilled golden brown pork chops finished in a savory sauce of soy, sherry, and vinegar. Add in the braised green onions and you have a wonderful dinner for the whole family. We like to serve this with brown rice and buttered carrots on the side!

Tuna Salad, our way!

Are you a tuna sandwich fan? I have to admit, I was not always eager to have a tuna sandwich for lunch. Maybe it was because I always thought of tuna as a last minute choice, when the cupboards were bare. But no longer! Not with this delicious savory recipe for Tuna Salad, our way! Come and take a look...

How to make Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Homemade Chocolate Syrup, is so easy! So don't forget to put a jar of this in your fridge, because it is perfect for chocolate milk, cold mochas and a quick drizzle over just about anything where chocolate would be invited!

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 04.24.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for April 24, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.

One Bowl Carrot Cake, delicious, easy to make and yes, whole wheat...

Are you looking for a cake that is just as delicious plain, right out of the pan as it is with frosting or a dessert sauce? If so, One Bowl Carrot Cake is just what you are looking for! Perfect as a snack cake right out of the pan, but so easy to upscale with a bit of frosting or a creamy dessert sauce...you are going to want to bake this cake!

Welcome to The Senior Salon Pit Stop #407

 Welcome! The Senior Salon Pit Stop is now open! 

We invite you to come and take a look at all the wonderful recipes, craft and upcycling ideas in today's line up. Along with thrifting treasures, photography and a wonderful assortment of family friendly articles being shared. I can guarantee that, you will be pleasantly surprised, with all the good stuff you are about to find…so I invite you to come and take a look. And while you are here to visit, I hope you have brought along some ideas of your own to share with all of us as well!

 

Hatching Our Own Chicks, for Homestead Sunday #15

Welcome to Homestead Sunday, where we share what we have learned, what we do on a regular basis, and what projects we are building, rebuilding or working on. Who are we? We are a three generation family living on six acres in South Eastern Texas. 

And while we have only been in Texas a short time, we have had the homestead mentality and lifestyle for quite a few years. Starting out with our time living in Montana. And, although we are not experts in any way, I hope that what we share with you with this series is helpful, as well as inspirational for you and your own homestead journey. Or even with your own home and yard in the suburbs. Because to homestead is an much an action as it is a lifestyle.

We have a neighbor down our country road who loves birds! 

She has a special compound and fencing set up on her property that keeps all the birds she loves and lives with, predator safe. She is also the first to offer eggs for your own kitchen or for the hatching, should you want to take on that homestead chore. She currently has chickens, Guinea fowl, turkeys and an Ostridge! Here recently she acquired a couple of donkeys because they are a wonderful alarm when predators come around. 

She dropped by one day offering eggs for my kitchen 

and we got to talking about hatching my own chicks as a way to keep our flock large enough to provide enough eggs for our two families. Last year each of our properties took quite a hit from predators, around her that includes fox, coyote, wild dogs and for some properties feral hogs. And before I could say, maybe I should give this a try, we were gathering up her equipment and a few more eggs from her yard and I was deep diving into egg hatching! And just like that, we became another homestead family who now hatches their own flock...

We had some of what we needed because we had purchased 

wee baby chicks and raised them while living in Montana. But our large brooder box was left behind in the move. However we did have a large water tank that would be perfect to convert to a Brooder Box, so after gathering up some scraps my husband came up with this topper for the water tank. It keeps them safe and makes it easy to clean up after the little chicks, plus we can see inside to make sure everything is A-OK. 

The basic shape for the top was cut from a piece of siding that was left from a previous project. I had requested a hinged opening for easy access. 

The hinged lid covered with chicken wire was assembled and affixed to the top. 

Scraps of garden hose was put on the bottom as bumpers so the top would stay in place and not slide off. 

In place on the water tank, looking into the tank from above. 

And completed. There is a small port drilled into the frame so that the electrical cord for the platform heater can be plugged in. 

While we had these supplies on had, once we knew we wanted to take this task on we did purchase our own incubator, heat platform and a tent. A tent? 

Turns out with a modern incubator hatching chicks is mostly fool proof. Do purchase one that has a large enough water reservoir to hold the water necessary to keep the humidity at the proper level. leaving you free from having to worry about water levels, and humidity. In addition you will want a countdown timer on your incubator. More as a reminder for you, the eggs already know what to do. 

In the past we used a heat lamp. But were fortunate to be able to use a heating platform on our first go round. And just let me say, purchase a heating platform! From the chicks point of view it is perfect (just like mom) and you don't have to monitor it very much at all. 

Once the hatching begins it goes quickly! We went from 0 to 15 chicks in two days! These were field run eggs, but when you have a rooster you can pretty much bet, each egg is a fertilized egg. 

How about a little terminology?

Left: the bump on the egg is where the chicken is poking a hole to breath oxygen and begin breaking out of the shell. That bump is referred to as "pipped".

Middle: the chick is using it's beak to cut a slit in the shell. This is referred to as "zipped". Once the shell has been pipped and zipped, the hatching should be done within 24 hours. 

Right: this little chick is tired, but eager to walk around and dry out. They hatch while still wet with amniotic fluid. They should receive 24 hours in the incubator or until they dry out before being moved to the brooder box. Sometimes the incubator gets a bit crowded!

But wait, what was the tent for? 

Our first hatching when we used the neighbor's equipment were still in the Brooder box when it was time to clean it out in anticipation of the second batch of chicks due to hatch. My daughter saw a video on IG where the folks used a 6ft by 6ft tent as a holding pen for the larger chicks, that were too big for the brooder box, but too small for the outdoor chicken run. 

I put down a double layer of cardboard for insulation from the cooler concrete floor and we set it up over the cardboard. It was outfitted with a layer of wood chips, a water dispenser and a large bowl of chick starter crumbles. The only thing I will do differently in the future is also put a layer of cardboard inside, because all those little claw feet will go through that tent bottom very quickly!

And I have to say, it works like a charm! Once the first hatching group is ready to go out to the chicken yard, we will need to move hatching batch number two, into the tent!

What do I think about hatching our own baby chicks? I actually have really enjoyed it! Who knows, maybe this could be a little side line for homestead income...

You may also enjoy: 

Stocking from the heart, for Homestead Sunday #14

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

#HomesteadSunday!

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Have you heard about 30+ each month? So, how much variety do you eat?

One of the easiest ways to take care of your gut, your microbiome and your heath is by monitoring what you eat in a 30 day period. And by monitoring, I really mean eat a wide variety of food choices. Have you heard about 30+ choices per month? Neither had I, until searching for ways to eat, for better nutrition.  

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 04.17.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for April 17, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.

Prunes Poached in Red Wine and Cinnamon.

Prunes Poached in Red Wine and Cinnamon, are you serious? Yes we are! And this dish of fruit with a bit of soft creamy cheese is so good, we call it dessert! Come and take a look...and please don't let the term prune, stop you...

Welcome to The Senior Salon Pit Stop #406

Welcome! The Senior Salon Pit Stop is now open! 

We invite you to come and take a look at all the wonderful recipes, craft and upcycling ideas in today's line up. Along with thrifting treasures, photography and a wonderful assortment of family friendly articles being shared. I can guarantee that, you will be pleasantly surprised, with all the good stuff you are about to find…so I invite you to come and take a look. And while you are here to visit, I hope you have brought along some ideas of your own to share with all of us as well!

 

Mel's Overnight Oats, overnight oats so good, I eat them!

Overnight oats have come to our kitchen! Yes this is big news, because I hated them forever, and ever until this recipe! Come and take a look at Mel's Overnight Oats! Breakfasts will never be the same again...

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 04.10.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for April 10, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.

Taco Pickles!

Taco Pickles are just the thing for Taco Tuesday or just about anytime you want a bite of delicious spicy flavor! Not too hot, not too spicy, they really are just right! Plus Taco Pickles are easy to make, and they keep for a long time in the refrigerator, while waiting to be enjoyed! 

The Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household Catalog of tips, tricks & recipes!

Welcome to The Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household's (free) Catalog of Tips, Tricks and Recipes! 

Are you looking for easy ways to run your home with ease? Maybe a few frugal DIY work-a-bouts to use what you already have? Instead of buying more supplies? How about actual working recipes to make more of the foods you want to eat, right there in your own kitchen? With less premade food purchased from the grocery store? 

Or how about some great kitchen tips and tricks that will make your life easier, and help keep you on your household budget? I have no doubt you will find something right here, to help out in all the areas you need, to keep your own home humming along smoothly...

Garlic Green Beans, dressed in Olive Oil.

Garlic Green Beans, dressed in Olive Oil, just might be your new favorite (and flavorful!) way to cook green beans...#eatmorevegetables

Welcome to The Senior Salon Pit Stop #405

Welcome! The Senior Salon Pit Stop is now open! 

We invite you to come and take a look at all the wonderful recipes, craft and upcycling ideas in today's line up. Along with thrifting treasures, photography and a wonderful assortment of family friendly articles being shared. I can guarantee that, you will be pleasantly surprised, with all the good stuff you are about to find…so I invite you to come and take a look. And while you are here to visit, I hope you have brought along some ideas of your own to share with all of us as well!

 

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 04.03.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for April 03, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.

Broccoli Salad, with a Curry Dressing.

Do you love curry? Are you looking for a new recipe to introduce your family to the delicious flavor that only curry brings to food? Then this Broccoli Salad with a Curry Dressing is just the recipe to try! Not too hot with spice, and with all flavors being presented, definitely not too boring to enjoy!

Frugal Meal Time Suggestions for Times of Inflation. Yet again...

Does standing at the meat counter send you into shock? How about the dairy case or the produce counter? I have a few ideas that might help, and none of them include using cents off coupons...plus, they do not require to you to give up your favorite meals or eating preferences. 

Five Ingredients or Less, a Dinner Time Round-up of easy recipes from scratch!

As morning turns to evening, dinner must be made. I know around here there is always more to do, than the time to do it! But I learned a long time ago, don't skimp on dinner. Take the time to cook, eat, and get caught up with each other, to end the day. And why I gathered together our best, Five Ingredients or Less, a Dinner Time Round-up of easy recipes! 

In My Homestead Kitchen April 2026, Looking Back on March

March was full of surprises! We had beautiful weather until an out of season freeze took out some gardening starts. We had our first experience hatching eggs, and they don't always follow the timeline! I purchased a couple things for the kitchen, was so busy outside that recipe development took a bit of a break. And I turned a year older....as we join Sherry for In My Kitchen!

Will It Waffle? Yes it will! for What Did You Read This Month Linky #21

Welcome to the What Did You Read This Month? Book Review Link-y, a monthly sharing link-up for books! Books of all kinds, romance, suspense, DIY, and my personal favorite, cookbooks! Personally I couldn't be happier that books are once again, back in fashion! 

And a great way to keep them front and center is to share a review of what you have read, if and how you enjoyed it, and if you would recommend that book to a friend! Oh and a story or two of how you came to own or stumbled upon the book would also be fun...because the human connection to a book is just as important! Since books are for everyone, let's all enjoy them, once again!

Sweet Lime and Curry Chicken Thighs or Legs.

You know those times when you want (and need!) a quick and easy dinner that doesn't taste like the last quick and easy dinner, made? Yes, they happen here too! Try one of our favorites, Sweet Lime and Curry Chicken Thighs. Another great recipe made with boneless and skinless chicken thighs, to the rescue...

Welcome to The Senior Salon Pit Stop #404

Welcome! The Senior Salon Pit Stop is now open! 

We invite you to come and take a look at all the wonderful recipes, craft and upcycling ideas in today's line up. Along with thrifting treasures, photography and a wonderful assortment of family friendly articles being shared. I can guarantee that, you will be pleasantly surprised, with all the good stuff you are about to find…so I invite you to come and take a look. And while you are here to visit, I hope you have brought along some ideas of your own to share with all of us as well!

 

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot 03.27.2026

Hello and welcome to another great weekend! 

And what better way to enjoy it, in full, than with a visit to Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot! for March 27, 2026!

What makes this link-up special is that we encourage you to link up not only your current posts and good ideas, but also the great stuff in your archives! Yes, let's all show some love for those great posts resting in the archives, until you share them again.