You know what makes the most light and fluffy biscuits?

Lard!

Most of the biscuits I ate growing up came from a Bisquick box. They were good, but the recipe I’m gonna share with you is great!

Biscuits were a go-to breakfast in my husband’s household growing up. It wasn’t uncommon for them to be served three or four times a week.

And why not? They’re easy, quick and filling. Perfect for sending your four teenagers out the door fueled with brain food for high school.

IF, and that’s a big IF, there are any extras, they’re also an easy to grab snack as you rush them to their after school track practice.

Or your could make a double batch, fry up some eggs, slice some ham and add a little cheese. Wrap in tin foil and place in the fridge: Breakfast on the go for those early morning meetings at work, a nice change up from a breakfast burrito.

My family prefers a more buttery flavored biscuit, so I split the lard in half. 50/50 lard/butter.

Most biscuits turn out dry and flat. These won’t if you follow my simple tips.

One tip is to roll them out thick! Biscuits don’t double in size. They actually only rise about 30% more than the height you cut them.

Also they only need just a hint of golden brown on the tops when finished baking.

Think of all the delicious toppings you could put on them?! I love a good triple-berry jam. My husband and kids dress ‘em up like pancakes with maple syrup.

How about sausage and country gravy? I’ve got myself drooling now.

Don’t worry. There is an amazing gravy recipe included.

You could always mix it up a little? Turn them into a sweet treat for breakfast or dessert by adding a little sugar and strawberries.

Ready to make your own?

What’s your favorite biscuit topping?

Enjoy!

BISCUITS & SAUSAGE GRAVY

yield: 8 BISCUITS prep time: 30 MINUTES bake time: 15 MINUTES total time: 45 MINUTES
Serve this rich and creamy gravy over warm fluffy biscuits.
You can make homemade biscuits or serve store-bought, we’ll never tell!

INGREDIENTS:
FOR BISCUITS:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup Rural Roots Ranch Pastured Pork Lard
  or ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup lard
• ¾ cup milk

FOR GRAVY:

• 1/2 lb Rural Roots Ranch Pork Sausage
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/2 to 2 2/3 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
FOR BISCUITS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl or stand Kitchen-Aid mixer.
3. Cut in the lard with a pastry cutter or blend in with your mixer until butter and lard form small pea shaped balls.
4. Warm milk slightly to about 100F.
5. Add milk to flour mixture and stir just until combined.
6. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a couple times until smooth.
7. Roll out dough to about ¾ inch thick.
8. Dust biscuit cutter with flour. Cut into rounds with a 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter. You can use a cup dipped in flour or any cookie cutter shape about the same size that does not have a lot of detail.
9. Place cut biscuits on a cookie sheet slightly touching each other.
10. Bake for 15 minutes or until a light golden brown on top.

FOR GRAVY:

1. Brown the meat: Using a small skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain if needed.
2. Make a roux: Add butter to skillet and heat until it is melted. Sprinkle in the flour, salt and pepper. Whisk and cook until incorporated and slightly browned.
3. Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens.
   Tips: To make this recipe dairy-free, simply use pastured pork lard or nondairy butter and milk. For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour mix and certified gluten-free biscuits.
4. Serve over warm biscuits: Once the gravy thickens to your desired consistency, serve immediately over biscuits.

SWEET SUGAR BISCUITS:
Biscuits are also great for dessert. Add 1 cup of sugar in with the flour in Step 2. Slice some ripe strawberries and top with whipped cream.

Adapted from Clabber Girl and Taste of Home

I honestly think my favorite thing about roasting a chicken is the quick, easy meals that come from the left overs.

Especially on these hot summer days!

The less I have to run the stove or the oven, the better.

FIRST MEAL: Start with a farm fresh roasting chicken, about 5-7lbs that is thawed.

Place it in a crockpot on low, sprinkle a little garlic salt, onion powder and pepper on it.

Don’t forget to place a sheet of tinfoil over the top before placing on the lid.

This really helps to lock in the moisture.

Then whaa la! Six hours later you have a delicious meal.

MEAL TWO: Quick and Easy Chicken Alfredo

Make this great Alfredo Sauce from the recipe below, boil some linguini noodles, and add your chicken.

Boom! Another delicious meal in just under 30 minutes.

QUICK AND EASY ALFREDO SAUCE

yield:  4 SERVINGS  prep time: 5 MINUTES  cook  time: 20 MINUTES   total time: 25 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 8 oz grated Parmesan Cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 1 package of linguini noodles

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions.
2. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth.  (Mine always looks like cottage cheese and turns out great).
4. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps.
5. Stir in Parmesan and pepper.
6. When Parmesan is all dissolved and smooth, stir in chicken.
7. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency.
8. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.
9. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Adapted from Allrecipes

Keep your eye out, and make sure you are on our mailing list to find out when we will have fresh roasting chickens available in September.

You can’t have a farm without cats, right?

I’ve always thought myself a dog person.  Growing up we had cats on the farm, but I really didn’t pay much attention to them.  Most weren’t friendly.  I always had a dog.

Now that I’m older, I’ve come to like the independent nature of a cat.  I love being able to snuggle with the cats when I’m around, but it is also nice to know you can leave on vacation and they are perfectly content hanging around the barns and house.

I may be a bit bias, but our cats are awesome!

My earliest memory of having cats growing up was a pair of black cats, we named ketchup and mustard. LOL!  I have no idea where we got those names for black cats.

But anyway, I used to walk around our farm with Mustard draped around my shoulders like a fur stole.  That poor cat just loved it!

We got our first two cats as a family, Skippy and Jones, when we lived in Homer, AK. Our little barn that doubled as a chicken coop was getting overrun with mice.

The intent that these guys would stay in the barn only lasted for a few months.  They quickly learned to lounge in the house during the day and be loved on by the kids and hunt outside during the night.

These two cats are the most talkative things.  I’ve been told it’s because they are half Siamese.

They meow back to you when you call their name, they love to follow us through the fields, ride in the tractors, and practically get smothered everyday by the two littlest.  They could easily scratch the kids or get up and leave, but they just lay there purring.

When we settled on the farm in Oregon, we added another cat to the farm.

Her name is Bashful.  She is a small framed calico and loves the kids just as much as the boys.

This spring, Bashful had her first litter of kittens.

The kids were excited to name them.

Bashful didn’t get much of a break before she was visited by a stray and will be having another litter of kittens here shortly.

 We were hoping to get her to the vet to get spayed before it happened.

Rietta, our oldest daughter had a dose of motherhood early this summer.

Her Gram’s cat had kittens, but did not take care of them.

Rietta jumped in and started bottle feeding them.

She feed those little things every two hours, even through the night for almost two weeks. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it.

But it was definitely not from her lack of love and determination.

We don’t think they got enough, if any, colostrum to give them a good start.

I’m sure she’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Do you have feline fur babies?

Or is a dog better suited for you?

We don’t get the grill out much at home, but we sure do when we go camping or boating.

We’ve had many fun adventures with friends camping over the years.  Mostly in Kodiak, AK. 

My friend Julie and I would load our cargo trailers with all the camping gear, buckle the kids in, and take off every opportunity we got.

Hopefully, they all remembered to put shoes on.

We’d hang out on the beach or hike into the woods.

The guys would join us on the evenings or weekends.

One of my favorite memories is of Julie using a rake to handle the pots in the fire.

This was her ultimate grilling gadget.

I want you to be prepared when you plan your next adventure.

There is still plenty of time this summer try out some of these great gadgets. 

Granted, these aren’t really all gadgets, but they sure make things easier and delicious when it comes to grilling!

#1. STAINLESS STEEL PORTABLE PROPANE GRILL:

You’d LOVE this stainless steel grill!  It’s small and portable. But not too small. I’ve had one for years, it’s falling apart because we’ve packed it on SO many camping and boating trips over the last 20 years.   Think of the great food you can quickly cook up.  Meals will be a breeze when you throw this in the back of your pickup for the next time you head to the lake or the cabin in the mountains.

#2. GRILLING BASKET:

This basket is perfect for enjoying all the wonderful fresh veggies that summer has to offer.  Just toss them with a little olive oil and season.  Don’t walk away from your grill, at 400*, it won’t be long until you’re eating.  It is lightweight and easily stores inside your grill.

#3. PORK MARINADE:

When we lived in Ketchikan, AK, we’d go boating frequently, pulling over on one of the many islands in the Inside Passage to camp.

One summer, we helped a couple build a fishing and hunting cabin.

We were camped out on the beach with porpoises surfacing out in the distance.

The HUGE tress of the Tongass National forest looming behind us.

Our friend grilled the best grilled pork chops I had ever had.

I don’t know if it was the experience or the marinade, but they were basted with a 50/50 Worcestershire sauce and bourbon mixture she had in a spray bottle.

#4. ROASTING STICKS:

Everyone in my family has their very own roasting stick.  Of course, mine is the pig.  These are great for both roasting a pork kielbasa and helping you get your marshmallow the perfect golden brown shade for your s’mores. I prefer to just eat the chocolate.  They telescope out and the little black doodad spins the rod without having to rotate the handle in your hand.

#5.Tupperware Season-Serve Container:

I have two different sizes of these containers because they are so great!  The unique grid design on both sides of the container allow the marinade to travel through the container and marinade every inch of your meat or veggies.

#6. MEAT THERMOMETER:

It’s overwhelming the options out there!  You can go for a simple dial meat thermometer to a completely wireless that sends notifications to your phone when your food is ready.  A meat thermometer can save you from torching the burgers or drying out a roast.

What adventures do you have planned this summer?

So you have a favorite grilling gadget or accessory?

TRY ONE AT YOUR NEXT GATHERING

Summer is finally here!

Who wants to spend time indoors when there is so much fun to be had outside.

Although I prefer the cooler weather, it’s sure nice to spend the time outside.

My favorite phrase is, “you can always put more on to get warm, but you can never take enough off to get cool.”

My kids thought it was summer back in April when we had a couple 60 degree days.

They drug the stock tank down near the house and filled it up, hoping it would warm up enough for them to swim.

Around here, our stock tanks double as the swimming pool.

It is supposed to be in the 90’s the start of the week and I’m pretty sure I’ll find them splashing away.

Did you stay out till dark on summer solstice?

We did!

Not because we realized it was summer solstice, but because summer on the farm here is busy!

I was outside stacking rocks on my rock wall for my future yard and rotating the sprinkler around the garden.

There is still months of summer left, but it seems as it will blow by.

I started cutting the fields for hay on Tuesday. 

If all goes planned, we should be finished stacking the bales by the 4^th of July.

It’ll be SO nice for the 4^th to chill with a family BBQ and fireworks!

As soon as it gets semi-warm, the kids dig into the storage room and pull out badminton.

It’s our favorite!

We always get a good laugh when we swing and completely miss the birdie. 

We love yard games.

Try a few this summer.

Here are some of our favorites!

• Cornhole – easy for all ages, from my three year old to my 88 year old grandma.  The goal is to get the bean bag in the hole.  We called it the bean bag toss when I was a kid and we used hula hoops as the hole.

• Yardzee – just like Yahtzee, but with large oversized dice you get to roll across the yard.

• Flickin’ Chicken – We haven’t played this yet, but I can only imagine the laughter coming from hurling a rubber chicken at a target.  The birds bounce and roll all over making it difficult to get them into the bullseye.

• Wooden Toppling Tower – Giant, outdoors version of Jenga.  They even make a glow-in-the-dark version for fun into the night.

• Croquet – an oldie but goodie!

What’s your favorite yard game?

I can’t wait to hear how you spent your fourth hanging with family and friends.

Stay cool and enjoy the summer!

Fried chicken is my favorite dish! 

Bar Harbor Restaurant in Ketchikan, Alaska makes the best fried chicken EVER!!.

Well…at least that I’ve tasted.

Tomorrow is International Picnic Day.

What a great and convenient excuse to get away and spend time out doors with family and friends.

I found this cute snippet from a book written by Mrs. M. W. Ellsworth in 1900 about choosing the perfect picnic spot.

                “If the party is to drive or ride, let not the distance be too great.  There should be a stream or spring of pure water, materials for a fire, shade intermingled with sunshine, and a reasonable freedom from tormenting insect life.”

It reminds me of the kids’ story The Berenstain Bears, The Picnic.

Papa Bear leads his family all over bear country trying to find the perfect picnic spot only to be deterred by loud noises, lots of people, mosquitos and rain.

Eventually, they end up back home in the big tree at the kitchen table which Brother Bear deems ‘the perfect picnic spot.’

So who says you can’t enjoy a tasty meal of Fried Chicken right in your own kitchen?

How did Fried Chicken become a picnic favorite anyway?

Back in the day, before refrigeration was commonplace, Fried Chicken traveled well in the hot weather or spring and summer.

And before the industrialization of chicken production, only tender young spring chickens would be suitable for the higher heat and relatively fast cooking time of frying making Fried Chicken a luxury of spring and summer.

But you can enjoy this luxury year round!

Many family and friends have drooled over my fried chicken baked from this recipe.

It’s also great for steak fingers or making chicken strips.

And SO convenient, since you mix up a big batch and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

FARM RAISED FRIED CHICKEN

yield: 4-6 SERVINGS  prep time: 20 MINUTES  bake  time: 45 MINUTES   total time: 1 HR 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons ground mustard
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 Rural Roots Ranch broiler/fryer chicken (2-1/2 to 3-1/2 pounds), cut up
• Oil or Lard for frying

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Place about 1 cup flour mixture in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken, a few pieces at a time. Seal bag and shake to coat. Store remaining mixture in an airtight container and save for another use.
2. In a large skillet, brown chicken on medium-high heat in 1/2 in. of oil on all sides; remove to a large shallow baking pan.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
4. Cut into squares and let rise on lightly greased baking sheets in warmed oven for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
6. Bake bars for 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown.

Adapted from Taste of Home

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Did you realize there is a National Doughnut Day?

I thought it was just another one of those strange days where they honor something just because.

But it actually started back in 1938 as a tribute to the Salvation Army volunteers who served doughnuts to soldiers on the front lines of World War I.

Their mission was to provide comforting meals to the troops.

Donuts were their solution.

They were cooking in very dire circumstances, using war helmets as their pot to fry up to seven donuts at a time.

Now we celebrate these brave volunteers who were known as “donut lassies” on the first Friday of June every year.

Now, I’m curious about the reasonings behind other National days.

May have to do some investigating.

So what are you waiting for?

Enjoy a donut, or maybe two for the day in honor of the donut lassies.

Better yet, bake your own right at home.

My family loves these Maple Bars.

Only we tend to switch it up and make chocolate icing instead.

It’s the most delicious breakfast paired with our pasture raised pork bacon.

Click HERE to get some for yourself!

MMMMMmmmm…!

MAPLE BARS

yield: 1 DOZEN  prep time: 1 HOUR  bake  time: 7-8 MINUTES   total time: 1 HR 15 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons slat
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ cup water
• 2 (1/4 oz) packages yeast
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 5 cups flour

Maple Icing

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

For Maple Bars:

1. Preheat oven in warm mode, or 170 degrees F.
2. In a microwaveable bowl, melt butter. 
3. Add milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon to butter. Microwave until very warm, about 1 minute 30 seconds.
4. Add yeast and beaten eggs to milk mixture.
5. In a stand mixer, add half of the flour and milk mixture.
6. Beat on medium/low until smooth.
7. Add remaining flour.
8. Dough will be very soft.
9. Turn onto floured surface and knead in enough flour to make it smooth.
10. With a rolling pin, roll into a ½ inch thick rectangle.
11. Cut into squares and let rise on lightly greased baking sheets in warmed oven for 20 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
13. Bake bars for 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown.

For Icing:

1. While bars are rising, in a saucepan bring butter, brown sugar and milk to a boil.
2. Let simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Add maple syrup and then powdered sugar and blend well.
5. You can then either spread on maple bars, or I like to dip the top side of the bars in the icing.

If you have chocoholics in the family.  Try the chocolate icing.

Chocolate Icing:

• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• While bars are rising, in a saucepan bring butter and milk to a boil.
• Let simmer for 3 minutes.
• Add chocolate chips.
• Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
• Add vanilla and then powdered sugar and blend well.
• You can then either spread on maple bars, or I like to dip the top side of the bars in the icing.

Adapted from Food.com

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Have you been wanting to hang with your friends-play some games, but not sure what to feed them?

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Isn’t it odd that for many of us, we can live in the same state for most of our life, yet never visit the parks that are right outside our back door.

I mean seriously, we’ll travel hundreds of miles to other states to visit their national parks, but never our own.

Or if you’re like me, I travel across the state almost monthly delivering pork, but am always in a rush to get from one point to the next and back home again.

I steal glances of these natural wonders as I drive by, probably making the cars behind me nervous as I swerve all over the road, wishing I would have put the time in my schedule to stop.

We lived in Alaska for 17 years and never took the time to really travel the state until the last two years when we knew we’d be moving soon. 

There is SO much I still wish I could go back and see.

Yet, here I am living in Oregon again, and of the top 5 parks in Oregon to see, I haven’t even been to half of them.

No surprise, Crater Lake is number one!

I’ve drove right by the entrance of this park twice in the last two years and have never took the time to stop.

Crater Lake is on my bucket list.

Crater Lake was formed when Mount Mazama blew its top. 

The caldera left by the volcano erupting is filled with a deep blue, clear water making it the deepest lake in the United States. 

There are several hiking trails at Crater Lake National Park and they suggest giving yourself at least 3 hours to really enjoy the park.

Did you know it’s Oregon’s only National Park?

Me, niether!

Next, it’s the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

The Oregon dunes make up about a forty-mile recreational area that runs along the Oregon coast.

It’s one of the largest areas of temperate coastal and dunes in the world, with the forests and ocean all together in such close proximity.

There are thirty lakes in this forty-mile area.

I imagine you could spend a week on the coast and still not see it all!

How about number three, Deschutes National Forest.

Thinking back, I have seen a lot more of Deschutes National Forest than I originally thought.

There are dozens of lakes, lava fields and hiking/biking trails with some amazing views of the Cascade mountains.

Suttle Lake was one of my favorite places to go swimming in the summer.  

There was a HUGE floating log that made for the best dock to jump from in the middle of the lake.  

You’d get several kids pushing the thing around the lake.

Ever been spelunking?

Yes!  It’s really a word. LOL!

Yah, I’d never heard of it before either until my Mom said it when we were exploring some caves out here in Princeton.

Spelunking: the exploration of caves, especially as a hobby (Oxford Dictionaries)

Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is number 4.

You get to wander through narrow, twisting underground passages enjoying all the strangely beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.

Make sure you pack a sweatshirt.

The cave is a chilly 44 degrees year round!  Perfect place to visit on a hot day to cool off!

And number 5, the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

When I was in the 5th grade, our school took us up to Camp Hancock. 

I don’t know if it even exists anymore. 

We spent three or four days out there exploring the trails and finding our own fossils.

Now, I drive through the area once a year when I make a run to Thomas Orchards in Kimberley to get buy peaches, pears and cherries.

Make sure you have a full tank of gas and plenty of water as refill spots are scarce.

There are plenty of trails of varying lengths that you can hike.

You’re gonna want to plan a whole day out here exploring, plus travel time to get to the area.

Plan some time and go!

Have you visited any of these places?

Comment or send me a message and let me know.

I’d love to hear what you thought of them!

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