homemaking

Easy Applesauce Muffins Recipe – Deliciously Moist and Fluffy!

January 16, 2026 by 32 Comments

This applesauce muffins recipe makes incredibly delicious muffins that your family and friends will love! Great for parties, get-togethers and kids snacks!

This applesauce muffins recipe makes delicious muffins your family and friends will love! Great for parties, get-togethers and kids snacks!

This applesauce muffins recipe is a tasty muffin recipe that is a staple at our house! The kids have always loved them and if we find out we’re suddenly having company over or we’re headed to a potluck and I forgot to make something, this recipe is a quick and easy apple muffin recipe to bring!

This recipe is a super easy way to use up those leftover bits of applesauce still left in the jar that nobody seems to want to use. Apples are optional, so if you have applesauce you don’t need to use apples, but if you happen to have apples, the chopped apple bits add a little extra flavor and a nice texture. If you have an unfinished apple or leftover apple slices, this recipe is a great way to use them!

These applesauce muffins are very moist with a wonderful apple flavor! The cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg makes a delightful crunchy topping – for that home-baked yummy goodness that brings a little holiday at grandma’s house type nostalgia! These muffins are great to serve for fall and winter because they do go well with the holidays, but they’re a great apple recipe to make anytime you need a quick and easy snack!

When the kids were little, I tried to always have a snack ready when they came home from school and these muffins were one of their favorites!

[dining]

7 Ideas For An Easier Thanksgiving – Easy Tips

November 19, 2025 by 25 Comments

Try these easy Thanksgiving Tips and ideas to be better prepared for Thanksgiving! Prepare Thanksgiving meals easier and just get ready for the big day!

7 Ideas For An Easier Thanksgiving – Easy Tips

This is just a little reminder to take your turkey out to start thawing on Saturday if it is about a 20 pound turkey. I would start thawing any turkey on Sunday at the latest. I like to have my turkey thawed at least a day or two ahead of time so I can get it all prepared, in the pan and ready to just pull out and stick in the oven. I have so many things to do the day before Thanksgiving that this is one less thing to worry about.
For all you new or inexperienced cooks be sure to take out the “guts” or giblets as most people call them and the neck, which are usually stuffed inside of the turkey.
If you need to dry bread for your stuffing, lay the bread out this weekend so it will get good and dry. Break it up, place it in the bowl you are going to be mixing it in and have that much done ahead of time.

This weekend, wash and iron your linens for the table and get your silverware and dishes organized.
On Wednesday, do as much as you can so you’re not doing it all at the last minute. Clean the veggies for the relish dish and salads or side dishes. If you are making something like a sweet potato casserole get it all prepared so that all you have to do on Thanksgiving is pop it in the oven.
If you don’t want to be mashing potatoes two minutes before you sit down, mash them and place them in a crockpot on low to keep warm. You can keep them in the crockpot beautifully for one hour but no more. Beyond that, they get “yucky” quickly.

Most of all, for you new cooks or those of you cooking your first Thanksgiving dinner, don’t panic. It is really no more difficult than any other regular meal, except that you are probably preparing more of everything. If you are really nervous, do a trial run this weekend. Practice by roasting a chicken and making mashed potatoes, one or two sides and a dessert. It’s just like a mini Thanksgiving.

If something goes wrong (and most of us have had something go wrong once in a while), just laugh about it. Usually, it is the Thanksgiving everyone will remember with fond, happy memories. It will give you something to tell your future daughter in law, granddaughter or daughter about.

I remember being so scared my first Thanksgiving cooking alone. My friend who was older and who was going to be one of my guests told me how on her first Thanksgiving everything was perfect. The table looked great and everyone was laughing, joking and enjoying the food but half way through the meal she noticed something – she had forgotten the turkey.

She had set it on top of the fridge to move it out of the way for a minute and had left it there. Either no one noticed or they were too polite to say anything. Things may happen, but don’t panic – Thanksgiving wasn’t meant to be perfect– just a time of fun, enjoying being with friends and family.

For lots of quick and easy recipes and tips about scratch cooking and frugal living, take a look at our cookbooks!

[dining]

Clean Your Kitchen in 7 Easy Steps

May 12, 2025 by 31 Comments

Many of you are focused on deep cleaning right now, but there are still all the everyday jobs to keep up with. Here are some ideas about how to do your daily jobs quickly (starting with easy steps to clean your kitchen) so you can get on to the big stuff. Some people do things differently and in a different order. This is just a suggestion to help you get started. Feel free to modify it.

Try this easy step by step guide to clean your kitchen quickly. These ideas will help you get in and out of the kitchen quickly! It really isn't hard!

Clean Your Kitchen In Seven Easy Steps

Are you tired of looking at a messy kitchen and don’t know where to start? Cleaning your kitchen doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With these seven easy steps, you can quickly get your kitchen clean and sparkling in no time.

Start by picking up any items that don’t belong in the kitchen, like mail, newspapers, and other odds and ends and quickly putting them away. If there is a lot of this kind of stuff on the counters, gather it and place it in a box to deal with when the kitchen is clean. Don’t waste time sorting through it until after the kitchen is clean.

Gather all dirty dishes and load them into the dishwasher. If the dishwasher is already full, start it immediately to get it done as soon as possible.

Fill the sink with hot soapy water and put the dishes that must be washed by hand in it to soak. This will help loosen any dirt or grime, making them easier to clean later.
Wipe off countertops and tables with hot soapy water. (This way, if you have unexpected company your table and counters are clean. They will think you have been cleaning all morning.)

If you have a spot with stuck on food, lay a wet washcloth on the spot for a few minutes while you work on something else. This will help soften the stain, making it easier to clean off.
Sweep the kitchen floor and shake out any throw rugs if needed. This will ensure that your kitchen looks clean and tidy.
Wash the dishes that have been soaking. As you go, place them on the drainboard to dry. Once you finish, put all of the dishes away in the cabinets where they belong. If they have not completely dried, grab a dish towel and quickly dry each of them as you put them away. Don’t be obsessive about the drying. Quickly wipe each one dry and move on.
Wipe down the faucets and dry with a towel. Drying with a towel prevents water spots and makes the fixtures look shiny and clean. (Be sure to wipe any sticky appliances, too. Don’t forget to wipe the door handles, especially on the back where you grab to open them.)
Put out a clean dishcloth and towel.
Take out the trash.

If you have a lot of kitchen items on the counter that you rarely or never use, find a place to store them that is not on the counter. If you occasionally use something, see if you can find a place in a cabinet to store it. If you never use it, get rid of it.

By following these seven easy steps, you can quickly get your kitchen clean and sparkling. Don’t let a messy kitchen stress you out. Try these steps today and enjoy a clean and tidy kitchen every day!

-Jill

For more easy tips and tricks to make it easy to clean your kitchen and keep your whole house in order, check out our How To Organize And Clean Your Home E-books.

[organizing]

Save Money At After Halloween Sales

November 1, 2023 by 8 Comments

After Halloween sales can be a great time to pick up a few things at a discount that can help you save for other occasions. Here are a few tips to help you!

Save Money At After Halloween Sales

Don’t forget to go to the after Halloween sales to get some great bargains on candy and other items. You can get many other things at after Halloween sales besides candy:

Packages of little toys for party favors.
Cupcake wrappers. Cupcake cups with pumpkins can be used all the way through Thanksgiving and if it is just for your family, most kids don’t mind if their cupcakes have a pumpkin wrapper on it, even in January.
Candles and candle holders
Napkins and disposable tablecloths

Do you have a graduation coming at the end of the school year and the school colors include black? Buy your plates, napkins, streamers and party favors now. Look for bargains on these types of products after every holiday. If the school colors are red, you can find great stuff after Christmas or Valentine’s Day, silver after New Year’s Eve, green after St. Patrick’s day and so on.

Get costumes for next year or pick up odds and ends if your kids like play acting or drama. We always kept a costume box. It had a lot of basics, including a black cape, sword, cowboy hat, cowboy vest, clown wig and nose, black gloves, etc.

You might be surprised about what you find. One year the store had 24 bag packages of lunch chips for a dollar. This was cheaper than it would cost for me to package them up myself. Happy Hunting!

-Jill

Save Money Dyeing Clothes and Fabrics

September 17, 2014 by 43 Comments

Save Money Dyeing Clothes and Fabrics

I was checking out at Jo Ann Fabrics today. The woman in line with me looked at the box of dye I was holding and asked what is that and what do you use it for? I have talked about dye before but thought maybe some of our new readers need me to mention it again. I forget that many people don’t have a clue on how to use dye or even that the average person can use it. It is one of those things that is thought of as having strange magical powers and if you aren’t careful it might explode or, even worse, change your favorite red top to purple.

Believe it or not, years ago when I was growing up the average home had a small collection of several different colors of dyes on the pantry shelf. It was used all of the time. In those days, people were more of the mind that you don’t throw anything out, so to make those red towels look nice in your purple bathroom, you would dye them to match. You wouldn’t dream of getting rid of them and buying more just to make everything match.

Now, if a pair of pants fade we just toss them or wear them faded. But it really doesn’t need to be that way. I bought myself a box of denim blue dye. I have 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pairs of jeans which are in perfect condition. They are just badly faded. I will dye them together with some faded navy socks and they will look like new. The next time I go, I will get a box of black dye and dye my black jeans, t-shirts and socks.

I figure if I can’t wear the item except around the house anyway what do I have to lose if I ruin it? …although it really is hard to ruin anything.

I also use dye with my fabric. If I have some really ugly fabric, I just toss it in with a color of dye or tea dye and usually come up with something really great.

If you need three yards of orange or green fabric for a Halloween costume but you only have three yards of white muslin, cream fabric or even an old sheet, just dye them orange and then make your costume. The dye is much cheaper than buying new fabric.

If you have some ugly brown fabric but need a black cape, dye the brown fabric black. Maybe you already have a brown cape but need a black one. Just dye the cape, dress or whatever you are using for a costume the color you need.

Dye is so easy to use. I would start simply so you can get used to working with the dye. You might try dyeing something like black socks and t-shirts, which you would probably throw out anyway because they are faded.

Dye comes in liquid or powder form and they both work fine. I like them both equally as well. Follow the instructions on the package, which usually say to dissolve the dye, dump it in the machine with some salt, wash and dry. It is about as easy as doing a load of laundry. You can also hand dye things if you don’t have a machine.

If you are throwing those pants away because they are faded, try dyeing them and see what happens. Dye isn’t expensive. I use my Jo Ann Fabrics coupon and get it half price for about $1.25. You can get it at Wal-Mart and even some dollar stores or grocery stores.

-Jill

Note: You can also mix the dye in a cup or two of water (depending on how dark you want it) and use it as a stain for wood things, like furniture. You don’t need to mix the liquid to use as a stain.

Holiday Cleaning – Preparing Now For The Holidays

November 5, 2013 by 33 Comments

Holiday Cleaning – Preparing Now For The Holidays

Halloween is over, which means it is now officially time to kick it into gear to get ready for the holidays and to get your house ready for company. It really helps to get your house in order now because if unexpected company comes you won’t get caught off guard. Then you can concentrate on baking, finding gifts and organizing activities without having to worry about deep cleaning your house again until after the New Year.

Hopefully by now you have been inspired to start getting things done a little at a time so this won’t be too big of a job. Here are a few things to work on:

Get your closets in order. Put summer clothes away and take winter clothes out, tossing as you go.
Don’t forget your linen closets. Get your guest towels, sheets and extra blankets aired out and put the linens in a handy spot so they are easy to grab when you need them.
If you have a guest room, get it cleaned and prepare everything for your first guests.
Get your holiday linens prepared. Wash them if necessary and make sure they’re ready to go.
Hopefully you have cleaned your pantry. Now you need to make sure it is stocked with everything you need for your holiday recipes, for some quick and easy to fix snacks and dinners for unexpected company or food to take to social events.
Make sure your fridge and freezer are in order. The refrigerator and freezer are going to work overtime for you over the next couple of months so make sure they’re cleaned, organized and prepared.
I don’t worry about cleaning my oven at this time. I use it so much for baking that it’s silly for me to clean it right before having a baking fest. I usually wait and give it a good cleaning after the holidays. If it’s really bad or you have company coming and it looks awful you may want to go ahead and clean it anyway.
This week and next week is the time to do any deep cleaning that you don’t want to have to mess with again until after the holidays– things like washing your windows, deep cleaning rugs and carpets and dusting mirrors, picture frames, lampshades or ceiling fans.

If you have been keeping up with your cleaning you may not have to do any of these. Basically just clean your house enough for company. Then you’ll know it’s done and you will be prepared for the unexpected.

Part of the stress that comes at the holidays is the result of not being prepared, especially for the unexpected things that always seem to come up. Think of it like being prepared for a disaster. If I have a wood burning stove, firewood, lots of candles, blankets and food prepared, I am not too stressed if we lose power from an ice storm. If I wasn’t at all prepared, I would be in a total panic if an ice storm hit.

If you are prepared, you have something you can whip up for company in just a few minutes or if the kids need treats for school, you have dough frozen and ready to be baked in the freezer. I’m not saying that I have everything prepared like Martha Stewart but I do try to have everything together enough so that I’m reasonably prepared for the unexpected. My idea of the perfect woman is a cross between Martha Stewart and Erma Bombeck! Some days I am more one than the other and on other days I totally miss the mark, but that’s okay, because I tried. 🙂

-Jill

For more easy cleaning and organizing tips, check out our How To Organize And Clean Your Home e-books.

Time and Money Saving Tips and Ideas

July 26, 2013 by 22 Comments

Time and Money Saving Tips and Ideas

Here is an odd collection of tips that you might find useful:

This morning I went to buy eggs. I usually try to get them on sale but couldn’t find any. Since I needed the eggs right then, I had no choice but to pay full price, so I bought a carton of medium eggs.

Sometimes we automatically buy the large eggs (we do that with so many things) thinking that they are the best but for my purpose (baking), the medium eggs worked just fine and they were cheaper.

If you are having trouble with a recipe being extra sticky or not quite right in some other way, you might change your egg size and see if that helps.

Another thing I did this morning was hang my clothes out. After writing an e-book about laundry and how to hang clothes on the line I didn’t think I had missed anything. As I was hanging some T-shirts on the clothesline, I noticed that one of them was sagging in the middle, so I pinned it on the line and I re did it. You need to hang the items taut on the line, not stretched too tight but not sagging. This helps get rid of much of the wrinkling that some of us experience. Sometimes we tend to let our clothes sag in the middle to give us more clothesline space but don’t do this. It’ll only make more work for you.

Here are some more useful miscellaneous ideas:

If you lose the plug for your bathtub, use a golf ball. If it happens to get dislodged, it just rolls right back into place.
Rub hair conditioner on your shower curtain rod to make your shower curtain slide more smoothly.
Wipe up those spills. I know I sound like a parrot but if you spill something on your stove top, clean it right away. If you turn on a burner or your oven, the mess bakes and hardens on the stove. I recently heard about a new way of doing finger nail polish and guess what they use to make it harden and stick more firmly? -Heat. The same principle works with your stove, so don’t wait to wipe up the mess.

I hope some of these ideas help make your day go more “smoothly”. : ) Have a super day everyone!

-Jill

Photo By: Brenda Gottsabend

Organizing Kids’ Bedrooms – From The Kids’ Point of View

February 25, 2013 by 32 Comments

Boy, can kids’ bedrooms be a challenge! Trying to get kids organized can be tough and trying to get them to keep their rooms clean is even harder. I don’t have the secret to keeping their rooms spotlessly perfect at every moment but I do have a few tips that should make things more bearable for both parents and kids.

Make sure furniture is kid sized.

Every feature and piece of furniture in a child’s bedroom should be kid sized and kid friendly. So often, parents buy tall 3-4 drawer dressers and the kids can only comfortably reach the second drawer for the first 6-7 years of their lives. At the same time, parents expect the children to put their clothes away. This is setting a child up for failure.

Even adults have a hard time keeping our things picked up, even when we can reach the drawers and see into them. How would you feel if you had to put your clothes into a drawer a foot or more taller than you are?

Besides, tall chests can be dangerous in a child’s room. The kids, because they can’t always reach the top, will pull out the bottom drawer and stand on it to reach things. Some children who do this end up tipping their dressers over on top of themselves, which can seriously injure them. Another thing to consider is that if the drawers don’t slide easily, little fingers can get pinched.

Don’t Worry So Much About Your Children’s Gifts

December 12, 2012 by 65 Comments

Do you worry every little thing you do might harm your children? Many parents worry about buying lots of expensive children’s gifts, but it’s not necessary. [Read more…] about Don’t Worry So Much About Your Children’s Gifts

A Home Decorated with Love

September 7, 2012 by 41 Comments

One day my daughter, daughter in law and I went to the Parade of Homes in our area.

The homes on display in a Parade of Homes are homes you always dream about but know you can never have– perfectly decorated and expensive model homes.

My son and son-in-law were moaning as we trotted out the door all excited to once again get some new decorating ideas. As we made our way to the car, they yelled, “Don’t even think about moving or remodeling when you get home.” They know their wives oh so well.

I don’t know why we torture ourselves, but we do it every year. My daughter called the next day and said, “I get so discouraged after looking at those houses when I walk into my house and see that there is stuff everywhere.” I know what she was talking about because I felt it too but at that same moment, in my minds eye, I was thinking about my daughter’s home and the way it looked the last time I saw it. I then started comparing it to the model homes we had just seen and these words popped into my head, “Her home was decorated with love”.

The Living Room

When you walked into the living room of the model home, there was a place for everything and everything was really in it’s place. I think they even measured the throws and pillows to make sure they were in the right spots. The pictures were of beautiful landscapes and there wasn’t a toy in sight. Contrast this with my daughter’s home, where there was a music stand and chair in the middle of floor where sister, who is learning to play the flute, had played Hot Cross Buns for the twentieth time and sat beaming as family members patiently applauded and praised her again and again and again after each attempt.

There was a very worn “security blanket” (not a throw) rolled up in a ball at the end of the couch. A favorite was pillow laying half on and half off of the couch where middle brother had laid when he was sick and where he had been given special love and attention from mom.

Instead of landscapes, there was mom and dad’s wedding picture and the kids’ school pictures, along with family pictures scattered here and there. There was a dog chew in one corner where big brother had just finished playing with the dog and in another corner was the cat bed where a well loved kitty contentedly slept. There was a stray toy here and there, a few books, a couple of Bibles and some magazines all having been shared and read together at different times.

The Kitchen

When you walked into the kitchen of the model home, there wasn’t a dish in sight- nothing on the counters. It was spotless and shiny. On the other hand, my daughter’s home had a handful of dishes left in the sink from when dad took over and made lunch because mom wasn’t feeling good. There was a pan of water on the stove where sister had fixed a cup of tea for mom and a pan of something burnt and unrecognizable that dad had burnt while trying to cope with lunch and feeding baby brother his bottle all at the same time.

The Dining Room

The dining room chairs in the model homes were lined up in perfect position. My daughter’s were all in different places from having been used over and over that day. Some were from doing homework, others crafts, coloring, painting, fixing a broken this or that, having a snack together, and always, at the end of the day, sharing dinner together with everyone talking a mile a minute.

Last but not least there was total silence in the model homes, but at my daughter’s there is music all the time. Someone is always singing, whistling, humming or laughing. The dog is barking, someone is always talking and there are even a few boyish burps followed by mom’s scolding them for doing it.

Yes those model homes looked beautiful on the outside but, like your mom always said, it is what is inside that counts. Inside the model home, it was empty, cold and lonely. My daughter’s home certainly wasn’t empty, there were lots of “items of love” scattered everywhere. As far as being cold, all that love and laughter spread warmth to every corner of every room and as for being lonely, you couldn’t find one spot to be lonely in even if you tried. Trust me, my daughter has tried to find a quiet place to be alone in and they still seem to find her.

So here’s to all the homes decorated with love and the moms and dads who decorate them.

-Jill

photo by: colleen-lane