An easy sheet pan meal is my go to for busier nights or if I am not in the mood to be attached to the kitchen for several hours prepping and cooking stovetop. This sheet pan gnocchi and brussels sprouts recipe is incredibly simple to put together. Also, it is bursting with flavor and also …
Olivia Whalen
This being our first year homeschooling I have been getting my feet wet with all of the resources that are available to families to help keep our days active, interesting and ever changing! So, I thought I would share with you all what our top 5 favorite free homeschool resources are! Top 5 Favorite Free …
Lately being more conscientious about what I am consuming can be a task, especially with all the extra time I’ve been spending in the kitchen on these colder Vermont days…..come on Winter, it’s time to vacate. I’ve been trying to be a little bit more aware of carb and sugar intake and through this so …
One less store bought snack in my cabinets that is packed with preservatives is a huge win in our home! In my sourdough journey I’ve been expanding my expertise to suit the needs of our mission. Homecooked and homemade as MUCH as possible. These 4 ingredient sourdough discard cheez its are not only a hit …
In the world of homesteading, preservation is key! There are so many different ways to preserve your food but one that does really well for my family and families alike is canning mason jar ready meals! The preparation and process are a little more time consuming but once you have a variety of meals stocked …
We did a throwback project recently! Using shoeboxes to build scenes. I remember doing this when I was younger for projects in school. For this one we made it an animal habitat show box project! They came out so interesting and my girls could not get enough of how wildely creative they could be. Even …
Sourdough discard cast iron pizza crusts are my all-time new favorite coming out of my kitchen! There are so many reasons why they are but one of the absolute biggest reasons is because they are SO easy. I could not believe how quickly they came together and how delicious they were. I don’t think I …
Hello lovely people! It has been a little since I came on to chat with all my friends and to give you a life update. Here on the homestead, we’ve entered the anxiously awaiting spring season. Where all things are planning ahead and embracing the last few months of staying warm and cozy inside. Somehow our …
These maple honey glazed brussel sprouts might not be the healthiest way to prepare brussels but boy is it a tasty way! It is definitely my families favorite way! Maple Honey Glazed Brussel Sprouts I’ve been looking for ways to get some variations of vegetables on the table for my family. So, I tried to …
Today I want to take you through my sourdough discard bread – in under 2 hours recipe! My newest homesteading venture has been breaking into the world of sourdough! I recently started from scratch and it’s been really successful thus far. With my homesteading mindset I like to not waste a thing. For that, I …
This year I made several DIY homemade goods gift baskets! Part of being self sufficient and homesteading is cutting down costs of giving. In the year past I would be wasteful in what I would spend for others during gift giving seasons or occasions. That is why when I started this journey I promised myself …
This science experiment was so much fun! Think squeezing toothpaste from a tube as fast as you can, but the toothpaste is big enough for an elephant! It is a really easy experiment, not needing many supplies and the kids absolutely loved it. Let me walk you through how to make elephant toothpaste! In our …
I am going to walk you through how to make herbal salt today! To be honest, this is salt brought to it’s ultimate and most beautiful level. I try to have a batch in my pantry at all times. The flavors are out of this world! It is also a great way to use up …
With the new year beginning we always make it a point to do a big purge, rotation and donation of items in the kid’s play room! It can be a big task so I wanted to take you along on my journey of tips to declutter the play room so that you can get the …
The end of the weekend is for making a big batch of easy scratch bagels! I love to have a selection of homemade bagels to eat up throughout the week. These are really easy to make and you can top them with whatever you’d like. I tend to make a couple of different types. This …
Do you have leftover mashed potatoes? Do not let them go to waste! Frankly, leftover mashed potatoes can be kind of….bleh. So I like to take my batch and make leftover potato croquettes. They are to die for! The entire family loves them and they bring a whole new life to that cold container of …
The theme this year for the holidays has been handcrafted and homemade! So the other evening we spent some time making cinnamon apple sauce ornaments. With only three ingredients they could not have been easier to put together and they made the entire house smell divine! Lets pull out the ingredients and walk you through …
So, this weekend I made a couple of big batches, (about a months worth), of scratch Belgium waffles! Easy to make and easier on the budget, too! We are doing another sweep through our house and making some changes! Including ditching more quick and convenient easy meals that contain preservatives and chemicals. One way I …
I have been dreaming about these French dip biscuits since I made them the other night! They have definitely gotten added to the make often list! My entire family went wild over them and they left our bellies feeling full and satisfied on a cold Winter’s night. They were packed with big and deep flavor …
Don’t waste a thing! Isn’t that the homesteading motto? I’ve been trying to perfect this over the years. A lot of hard work goes into all that we do on the homestead and you want to use the fruits of your labor to their upmost capacity. That is why I am going to show you …
I mentioned in a previous article that here on the Whalen homestead we have started our homeschooling journey! After much research we decided on The Good and the Beautiful for our curriculum. Today I wanted to give you an insider’s review from a brand new homeschooling mama. This journey has been such a beautiful one …
This weeks time in the kitchen consisted of the hot stuff!!! I made a big batch of green hot sauce and boy oh boy did it come out tasty! My favorite part of this recipe is it isn’t your average hot sauce. The flavors and color are so unique. It pairs well with a lot …
I told you to stay tuned for cold weather STEM crafts – part 2! Today I will be showing you the easy and fun ways to do a STEM winter craft indoors with your little ones. Yes, more learning through fun! It is what it is all about! Study the science behind snow with …
With a decent beet harvest recently happening I wasn’t about to just toss my beet greens. This sautéed beet greens recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make and the flavors are so deep and wonderful! You truly don’t even have to enjoy beets themselves to love the greens of them. My husband won’t touch …
Going into the new year can sometimes give us the notion that we have to come up with a long list of unrealistic resolutions. One of the most common is getting healthier…fast! Folks will come up with a number for the scale as a goal or dive into some extreme weight loss program and diet. …
Simmer pots or stovetop potpourri has to be one of my absolute favorites to fill your house with during the holiday seasons. Holiday simmer pots seem to set the mood of for joyful togetherness and they are all natural and filled with beautiful scents! The best part about holiday simmer pots is you can use …
This is one of those appetizers or sides that my husband cannot get enough of. He orders them everywhere we go and he can eat a lot! So I started making my own version at home. These air fryer mozzarella sticks are the perfect delicious gooey cheese treat that will have you craving more. Pair …
The last couple of weeks in homeschool I have been doing some lessons on the seasons changing! Today we focused on some fun and interactive cold weather STEM crafts. We focused on Autumn and Winter and learned through educational videos, going out and studying the weather changing throughout the day and did some STEM learning! …
Happy Fall to you all! This week has really been giving all the Fall feels. The weather has cooled off, the leaves are covering the ground like a colorful carpet and the comfort dishes are rolling out in full force. I wanted to share my crockpot chuck roast recipe that is an absolute go-to this …
The slow down season has officially commenced and I am feeling lots of relief this year. Man oh man was it a busy spring and summer! Between expanding my gardens and all of the preservation, the rest and relaxation of those seasons was minimal. However, it was all so worth it! My shelves and freezer …