Dried Fruit Chips

The possibilities are endless with a food dehydrator, but my favorite and easiest is making the most of apples that have passed their prime and no one will eat them because they've started getting soft and pruney. So a quick coring and then a slice through the mandolin and voilà … apple chips! 

These started as about 8 large Honeycrisp apples and ended as 10 snack bags of crispy, crunchy apple chips. The best part is another week sitting on the container and these apples would be in the trash, instead they've been given a new life and will now be devoured. 

The year of 2026

2025 was a year I can't quite put my finger on. As the Mister and I tread further into the season of parenting with grown kids, the best way I can describe it is numbing. There's this desire to keep things as they were yet the excitement of where things are leading.  

As 2025 was coming to an end, I pondered the idea of all the gifts and talents that we have each uniquely been blessed with, which led me to the idea of blogging again. For starters, I thought it would be fun to bring back my "Homemade Day by Day" 365 challenge with the inspiration to grow in the gifts and talents we've been given in 2026. 

2026 Homemade Day by Day Challenge

Jan 1 - Pasta, recipe 

Jan 2 - Bread, Sunbeam bread machine recipe

Jan 3 - Dried Fruit Chips

Jan 4 - Pancakes, recipe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ more to come ~~~~~~~~~~~~

See my original plan that I started back in 2015 and the growing list of items I've attempt to make from scratch. I also have them listed by category here. 

Never mandated

Let’s not forget the reason we have to face trails and even death. AND let’s never forget that death has been defeated. 

God created a perfect world, one that had no sin, no pain, no tears. But because of deception, a choice was made, a lie was believed, and the perfect world could exist no longer.

Now that sin was in the world, it would be that much harder to win the heart of His {God} people yet through His love He couldn’t bare to leave the now less than perfect world as it was; so He created another way. We were worth it and He would {will} not give up! 

He chose to send His perfect Son {Jesus} to bare the weight of the world. To make a way for us to choose, once again. 

If and when we choose, it won’t take away the pain and the tears during our time here on earth, but it will wash away our individual sin and open a door to one day be able to rejoice in His perfect world {Heaven}. 

So let’s never forget, we are here today because of a choice, but it doesn’t have to be that way forever. 

His gift {eternal love and salvation} is our choice. It has never been and will never be mandated; yet will always be available and free to all who chose Him. 

Who will you choose? 

The older I get ...

And the older the kiddos get. I realize more and more just how much I don’t have control over. In my “younger” years I liked to plan for everything and be physically prepared for anything. 

Everything had a place and everything was in its place. This was much easier when the kiddos were younger and they were all contained within these 4 walls or the 4 “walls” of wherever I had dropped them off at. It also helped when the Mr and I were to NOT out numbered 🤣

All that to say. I still have a place for everything and I still like everything in its place ... because there has to be some sort of organization to this chaos we call life. But my planning for everything as shifted to just be mentally prepared for anything. Because let’s face it, I can make a plan but it changes a hundred times before it ever comes to fruition. I can physically be prepared for anything but preparation takes ALOT x6 peoples’ lives and this lady would never sleep (which no one wants to encounter this lady on no sleep, just saying). So instead I have a short list of where we all need to be/what needs to be done for the day and I send up a prayer and say “Lord prepare my heart to face the day. You know what is before me so help me do it with Your grace and Your wisdom.” 

Because if I try doing this thing on my own ... well we could all only imagine! 🤪

Unchartered Waters

If you look back through time every generation has faced uncharted waters, some have had larger and more rough patches than others. Because is this I often talk myself off a ledge with sometime like “I’m sure they experienced some of the same feelings I am ... buck it up buttercup, this too shall pass!” Which shortly follows with “but I see how life has changed over the centuries, some amazingly awesome changes but it’s not all sunshine and roses, there’s bad that has crept into the good and sometimes people are fooled and follow it ... I don’t want the latter!” So I go back to my knees and pray “Lord what do you need me to do?”

And every time I hear “I am here. Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep putting Me above all things.” 

For all you Jesus loving people out there, we are facing uncharted waters. I pray we do not lose our compass. I pray in all that we do, people can see Him. When we feel anxious, angry, near the end, remember this is only our temporary home and He is with us. 

Godspeed my friends, my brothers, and my sisters may your mission be Heaven-bound! ❤️

Original Photo Credit - Instagram: gypsjac 

Follow on Instagram @ simplypioneering 

 

False Peace

 You can have peace if the people get what they want. Problem is IF what the people want is not right, the peace obtained is not real. It’s a mask to cover the turmoil that is swirling just below the surface. 

Take for example. A very young children wanting to use a pair of scissors that is not suitable for their use. As a parent with their safety and well being in mind, you can try to take away the scissors or swap them out with a more suitable pair. Sometimes this works and there is no disruption in the peace. Other times this does not work and emotions explode ... peace is gone.

As a parent their are times, peace is obtain by avoiding the fight and giving the child whatever they want. The problem - if the child is allowed to keep the scissors they could cause more harm to themselves or others than the peace that was obtained was worth. 

If this is the mentality in which peace is continually obtained, in the end we will be causing more harm than good. We will be leading people blindly to their eternal destination that is not wanted.

True peace comes from listening and transparency and seeking the ultimate truth. 

My prayer is for true salvation to be found. The salvation that will sustain judgement day. 

Peacemakers

It’s not just about roses and sunshine and feel good moments. It’s about seeking truth and exposing anything else. Truth is we are human. We will make mistakes. And it’s through those mistakes the darkness will try to rob our peace and joy. Do we make mistakes on our assumptions of who people truly are? Do we listen to falsehoods about who we truly are? Do we take things for face value without digging deeper? Yes, yes, and yes, plus some others. 

Truth is we have all fallen short and if we truly want peace around us, it has to start within us which is only by His grace. And even then, once we’ve found Him, we will still be faced with storms. Storms that swirl chaotically round us and only through the power of Him can be calmed. 

PS - being a peacemaker doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat ❤️

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

I the thing that excites me to the most about my 365 challenge is when I run out of something I can replenish whatever it is without ever stepping foot in the grocery store.

Well, that is what happened when I decided to try out some homemade dishwasher detergent. My go-to store bought detergent was Finish Powerball Ultra Dish Tabs, I liked their performance and I could buy them in a large quantity for a reasonable price, but there came a day when I went to go start the dishwasher and I was OUT!

So instead of hand washing the abundance of dishes or making an extra trip to the store, I went with plan C and decided it was time to try my own. While I was looking for just the right recipe to try, I came across this post by houselogic who provided some at-home trials with different homemade dishwasher detergent recipes {I absolutely loved reading about these rather than taking the time to test them myself, thanks houselogic}! I also came across this post by Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring whose go to recipe was also the houselogic's #1 pick. This recipe combination is used quite frequently across the Internet, but I appreciated the Sisters' insight on lemonade packets versus citric acid.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup borax

1 cup washing soda

1/2 cup salt

1/4 cup citric acid
20-30 drops of lemon essential oil (grapefruit or orange works great too)

Mix is all together and store in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon per load. 

And then of course there came the day that I ran out of my homemade dishwasher detergent and when I went to go make some more I realized I was also out of Borax ... these are the times when my love for my challenge can get even more challenging! I was in desperate need of running the dishwasher {ours runs at least once a day and if we skip a day ... we have dishes reproducing like rabbits 😲}, so to the rescue came this post by Sherri Griffin and it's been working its wonders. 

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent without Borax

1 cup washing soda

1/2 cup citric acid

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup salt
20-30 drops of lemon essential oil (grapefruit or orange works great too)

Mix is all together in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon per load. 

I have run into some problems with clumping with both of these recipes but I think the main reason was due to the container I was using wasn't the best. I've since sent it through the food processor and have it stored in mason jars.

All in all, I think I prefer my original recipe with borax, but in a pinch {or if you are leary of using Borax here's a great article from Wellness Mama to help you not be so leary and also this funny post about eating your homemade dishwasher detergent from Crunchy Betty} the second version is a great alternative. 

Lastly if you are curious about how these homemade ingredients compare to those in commercial dishwasher detergents, Little House in the Suburbs offers some science behind them. 

365 List by Category

And to make it easier to find something more specific, here is a list sorted by categories. 

Snacks

Beef Jerky*
Caramel: sauce, fruit dip, candies*

Dried fruit chips 
Cream Cheese Fruit Dip*
Flavored Sunflower Seeds
Fruit Cups*
Pudding: Vanilla*

Condiments

Apple Butter*
BBQ Sauce
Chocolate Sauce
Dill Pickles*
French Dressing
Fruit Topping: quick & easy*, with pectin
Jam: pectin free raspberry, pectin free blackberry*, pectin free strawberry, strawberry, jalapeno*
Ketchup
Maple Syrup
Mayo
Peanut Butter
Relish*
Ranch*
Salsa*: fresh, canned
Soy Sauce
Thousand Island Dressing*
Teriyaki Sauce
Wine Vinegar

Breakfast

Bagels: plain, cinnamon & sugar, jalapeno
Biscuits*
Cinnamon Rolls*
Granola*
Sausage Gravy*

Milk & Dairy

Butter
Buttermilk*
Half & Half*
Pasteurized Eggs*
Ricotta Cheese*
Shredded Cheese*
Sour Cream
Whipped Topping*
Yogurt

Herbs & Spices

Celery Salt*
Herbs
Italian Seasoning*
Pizza Sauce Mix*
Pumpkin Pie Spice*
Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning Mix*
Steak Seasoning*
Taco Seasoning*

Baking

Baking Powder*
Brown Sugar*
Flour: Cake*, Self-Rising*
Cooking Spray*
Vanilla Extract*
Evaporated Milk
Marshmallow Fluff*
Pie Crust*
Sweetened Condensed Milk

Canned Goods

Applesauce*
Canned Beans*
Chicken Broth
Cream of Something Soup or mix
Pumpkin Puree
Refried Beans*
Tomato Sauce

Produce

Fresh Produce: garden plot
Garden Starters*

Meats & Deli

Coleslaw*

Breads & Bakery

Bagels: plain, cinnamon & sugar, jalapeno

Bakery Cakes*: Ella Scharlach Cake, DIY Decorating

Cinnamon Rolls*
Bread: white bread

Cookies: refrigerator/freeze cookie rolls, Lofthouse*
Pizza Dough*
Tortilla Shells

Frozen

Rice & Pasta

Mac & Cheese*
Noodles

Health & Beauty

Antacid Relief
Bath Salts*
Bronzer*
Conditioner: Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
Deodorant
Dry Shampoo*
Eye Make-up Remover
Face Powder*
Face Wash*
Facial Moisturizer*
Hair Detangler*
Hair Putty: Shealoe
Mascara
Moisturizer
Shampoo: No-Poo
Shaving Cream
Sugar Scrub
Toothpaste

Household

All Purpose Cleaner*: Norwex clothes, orange infused vinegar
Ant Bait*
Dishwasher Detergent
Laundry Soap: powder, liquid
Stain Remover: gel*, spray
Washing Soda
Windex*

Outdoors & Auto

Armorall*
Car Wash*
Garden Fertilizer: compost bin
Garden Pesticide: Weed Killers*, spray
Tick Repellent*

* - has been completely replaced with homemade version ... no more store bought

The ones not marked are items I have tried and either due to time, money, or taste I am still working to find a way to replace them that works best for us. My goal is to be able to eventually mark all items with an asterisk! As of 2/1/2016 we have 105 items of our 365 tried.

365 List

As I continue to plug through my 365 challenge {see my original plan and an update, because with life comes change} and the number of homemade items I have made continues to grow, I decided it would be wise to compile a complete list of items so to see the bigger picture. :)

List of store bought items we have tried - (click here, to see these items by category)

1. Cooking Spray*
2. Buttermilk*
3. Ranch*
4. Peanut Butter
5. Taco Seasoning*
6. Croutons
7. Jam: pectin free raspberry, pectin free blackberry*, strawberry, pectin free strawberry, jalapeno*
8. Breadcrumbs*
9. Half & Half*
10. Brown Sugar*
11. Fresh Produce: garden plot
12. Maple Syrup
13. Shredded Cheese*
14. Cream of Something Soup or mix
15. Sour Cream
16. Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning Mix*
17. Bread
18. Garden Starters*
19. Canned Beans*
20. Flavored Sunflower Seeds
21. Garden Fertilizer: compost bin
22. French Dressing
23. Car Wash*
24. Chicken Broth
25. Noodles
26. Soy Sauce
27. Ricotta Cheese*
28. Pasteurized Eggs*
29. Pizza Dough*
30. Mayo
31. Yogurt
32. Caramel: sauce, fruit dip, candies*
33. Ketchup
34. Ant Bait*
35. Baking Powder*
36. BBQ Sauce
37. Chocolate Sauce
38. Cake Flour*
39. Self-Rising Flour*
40. Wine Vinegar
41. Pudding: Vanilla*
42. Extract: Vanilla*
43. Evaporated Milk
44. Sweetened Condensed Milk
45. Garden Pesticide: Weed Killers, spray
46. Toothpaste
47. Deodorant
48. Shampoo: No-Poo
49. Conditioner: Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
50. Hair Detangler*
51. Shaving Cream
52. Sugar Scrub
53. Fruit Cups*
54. Moisturizer
55. Face Wash*
56. Eye Make-up Remover*
57. Tortilla Shells
58. Refried Beans*
59. Tick Repellent*
60. Mac & Cheese*
61. Beef Jerky*
62. Whipped Topping*
63. Fruit Topping: quick & easy*, with pectin
64. Hair Putty: Shealoe
65. Stain Remover: gel*, spray
66. Thousand Island Dressing*
67. Coleslaw*
68. Pizza Sauce Mix*
69. Bagels: plain, cinnamon & sugar, jalapeno
70. Teriyaki Sauce
71. All Purpose Cleaner*: Norwex clothes, orange infused vinegar
72. Salsa*: fresh, cannedcanned
73. Face Powder*
74. Cookies: refrigerator/freeze cookie rolls, Lofthouse*
75. Dill Pickles*
76. Laundry Soap: powder, liquid 
77. Applesauce*
78. Bakery Cakes*: Ella Scharlach Cake, DIY Decorating
79. Bath Salts*
80. Mascara
81. Antacid Relief
82. Biscuits*
83. Sausage Gravy*
84. Washing Soda
85. Granola*
86. Cinnamon Rolls*
87. Bronzer*
88. Armorall*
89. Herbs
90. Facial Moisturizer*
91. Windex*
92. Italian Seasoning*
93. Marshmallow Fluff*
94. Cream Cheese Fruit Dip*
95. Steak Seasoning*
96. Celery Salt*
97. Pickle Relish*
98. Tomato Sauce
99. Pumpkin Pie Spice*
100. Pumpkin Puree
101. Pie Crust*
102. Apple Butter*
103. Dry Shampoo*
104. Dishwasher Detergent
105. Granola Bars
106. Foaming Hand Soap

107. Pasta

108. Dried fruit chips*

* - has been completely replaced with homemade version ... no more store bought

The ones not marked are items I have tried and either due to time, money, or taste I am still working to find a way to replace them that works best for us. My goal is to be able to eventually mark all items with an asterisk! 

Please note that items that have not been linked to a post are ones that I have tried and am working on getting a post up for these {hopefully sooner than later}!