As you may remember, back in February, Roger became the newest member of our home. You can read about that adventure here:
When we brought Roger home from the shelter, he was very skittish, and scared of loud noises, or quick movements.
We found out that he knew how to sit, and that was about the extent of his tricks - or so we thought.
Since he is a border collie/blue heeler mix, he is very high energy. Yet, he will listen when you tell him to sit or lie down, and calm down.
One of the first things that we noticed right away about Roger was his eagerness to eat. It seemed that he didn't "eat" his food but rather just swallowed it. In about 30 seconds, he would consume his entire bowl of food.
Then we also began to notice that he had "gassy" issues. When he would get excited or just be lying in the room, the air would suddenly be filled with a very sick, yucky smell. We noticed that his stool was more the consistency of a cow patty than typical dog poo.
I called the shelter where we got Roger to see if they could offer us any insight into this for us. We were told that poor Roger had been in that shelter since September, and that they had rescued him from another shelter in a large city nearby, and they did not know how long he had been in that shelter. They also said they had dewormed Roger several times, approximately once a month since he had been at their shelter, with no improvement in his diarrhea.
It was quite obvious to me that poor Roger probably had something going on that needed to be checked by a vet.
So I made an appointment for Roger at the vet. The night before the vet visit, poor Roger had a terrible night, and I had a terrible morning. When I went in to let him out (he sleeps downstairs in my son's room), as I opened the door, the first thing that met my nose was a sick smell, and the next thing that greeted me was green poo scattered over the entire room. It was awful, awful, awful! It was obvious he had gotten to the door, and perhaps tried to get out, but since my son is a sound sleeper, he didn't wake, and then it was scattered over the rest of the room.
It was a terrible mess to clean up. It still turns my stomach to think of it! Thankfully the rugs were hauled upstairs by my son to a fence outside. I shampooed them outside and let them air dry in the sun for a few days.
But, the problem still remained... what was wrong with Roger? We went to the vet later that afternoon, and I paid to have extensive tests run on his stool. The vet called me later to say they could find absolutely nothing in his stool to indicate any bacterial strain, or worms or anything that would give us a clue as to what was causing Roger to have the loose stools.
So, the vet advised me that perhaps we should try adding fiber to his diet. He suggested Metamucil. I asked him if chia seeds would be okay to use. The vet was not familiar with chia seeds, but thought it would be okay to try. He also said it would be good to put Roger on some probiotic as well.
So I started Roger on a regimen with about 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, and 1 probiotic capsule in his diet every day.
We also decided to not put the rug back in the room in case of any more "accidents". And we found a kennel that we have had for years and never used, and made a comfy special bed inside for Roger, and locked him in the kennel that night. We were hoping to keep any more accidents "contained".
Oh Hallelujah! In the morning, when I opened the door cautiously, and let my nose catch a whiff, all I caught was a distinct "boy" smell (smile) ... but thank GOD... no sick yucky smell that signaled a cleanup!
Poor sweet Roger! We really think being in a shelter was just too much for his sensitive sweet nature, and it had been causing him bowel problems. The next few days, I kept a close eye on what he ate, and his stool - yes - a gross job! However, I began to notice a distinct difference in his stool with the addition of chia seeds. After a day or so, they began to firm up, and there were no more cow patties, and no more stinky smells in the room, and no more accidents! OH! What relief!
We love this guy with all our hearts, and he has been such a sweet blessing to our home, and I am thankful to the moon and back, that chia seeds, along with comfy contained quarters at night, and lots of love during the day, have solved this sweet boy's problems.
I wish I could have rescued him from the shelter sooner, but I never even would have visited had it not been for stray dog Missy's arrival on our doorstep. So, I do believe, all things work for good!
I cannot say how happy I am to report that chia seeds are a pretty amazing source to add to your diet. I have been drinking chia seeds in my smoothie every morning now for about six months. I notice when I miss a morning smoothie without the chia seeds, to put this politely - that my bowels miss them! If you want to enjoy extra fiber in your diet, I highly suggest adding a tbsp or so of chia seeds to your diet. Roger is our shining example of just how marvelous they are. Want to know more about chia seeds?
Go here, and see just how wonderful they are.
Now Roger has all the energy that the world can hardly contain since he feels better, and we have discovered that he does know one other trick - he can jump over 6 feet high! Since our son discovered Roger's leaping and bouncing ability, they have a great time playing together. Roger seems to have boundless, endless energy for jumping, bouncing, and shaking his new toy...
... this toy - while it is not what I would call special - is a toy he thinks is special! One day we caught him dragging this old rubber glove around and throwing it up in the air, and chasing it. He doesn't chew it, but just drags it around to wherever he is at, and plays with it. It seems comforting to him in a strange way. LOL!
He certainly feels so much better now, and has settled comfortably into the routine our family has, and now I can't imagine life without him! I give thanks to the Lord for bringing him to us, and for helping us to figure out how to help him feel better.
Oh - remember I was going to change his name? Well.... he just doesn't respond to any other name we've given him! We've tried several, and he just ignores us. But when we say Roger, he stops in his tracks and listens. So... at this point, renaming him doesn't seem to be working. But if I could rename him, I think I would call him Bouncer, because of the funny way he has of bouncing on all four paws when he gets excited.
Roger and Annie are best buds now...
Roger loves Mr. Simba, and for that we are very thankful. Mr. Simba was traumatized after Missy was here, and was scared to interact with other dogs for quite a while. He has now grown quite fond of Roger.
The two of them sharing a special moment...
If only we could understand the language of cats and dogs...
Isn't that face cute enough to melt chocolate!
So that is our story about how Roger came to us in some distress, but with our love for him, and the addition of some chia seeds in his diet, things have really turned around for the better in his life. We are blessed to have him part of our home, and so very thankful for his healing!
We love you, Roger (aka Bouncer)!
When we brought Roger home from the shelter, he was very skittish, and scared of loud noises, or quick movements.
We found out that he knew how to sit, and that was about the extent of his tricks - or so we thought.
Since he is a border collie/blue heeler mix, he is very high energy. Yet, he will listen when you tell him to sit or lie down, and calm down.
One of the first things that we noticed right away about Roger was his eagerness to eat. It seemed that he didn't "eat" his food but rather just swallowed it. In about 30 seconds, he would consume his entire bowl of food.
Then we also began to notice that he had "gassy" issues. When he would get excited or just be lying in the room, the air would suddenly be filled with a very sick, yucky smell. We noticed that his stool was more the consistency of a cow patty than typical dog poo.
I called the shelter where we got Roger to see if they could offer us any insight into this for us. We were told that poor Roger had been in that shelter since September, and that they had rescued him from another shelter in a large city nearby, and they did not know how long he had been in that shelter. They also said they had dewormed Roger several times, approximately once a month since he had been at their shelter, with no improvement in his diarrhea.
It was quite obvious to me that poor Roger probably had something going on that needed to be checked by a vet.
So I made an appointment for Roger at the vet. The night before the vet visit, poor Roger had a terrible night, and I had a terrible morning. When I went in to let him out (he sleeps downstairs in my son's room), as I opened the door, the first thing that met my nose was a sick smell, and the next thing that greeted me was green poo scattered over the entire room. It was awful, awful, awful! It was obvious he had gotten to the door, and perhaps tried to get out, but since my son is a sound sleeper, he didn't wake, and then it was scattered over the rest of the room.
It was a terrible mess to clean up. It still turns my stomach to think of it! Thankfully the rugs were hauled upstairs by my son to a fence outside. I shampooed them outside and let them air dry in the sun for a few days.
But, the problem still remained... what was wrong with Roger? We went to the vet later that afternoon, and I paid to have extensive tests run on his stool. The vet called me later to say they could find absolutely nothing in his stool to indicate any bacterial strain, or worms or anything that would give us a clue as to what was causing Roger to have the loose stools.
So, the vet advised me that perhaps we should try adding fiber to his diet. He suggested Metamucil. I asked him if chia seeds would be okay to use. The vet was not familiar with chia seeds, but thought it would be okay to try. He also said it would be good to put Roger on some probiotic as well.
So I started Roger on a regimen with about 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, and 1 probiotic capsule in his diet every day.
We also decided to not put the rug back in the room in case of any more "accidents". And we found a kennel that we have had for years and never used, and made a comfy special bed inside for Roger, and locked him in the kennel that night. We were hoping to keep any more accidents "contained".
Oh Hallelujah! In the morning, when I opened the door cautiously, and let my nose catch a whiff, all I caught was a distinct "boy" smell (smile) ... but thank GOD... no sick yucky smell that signaled a cleanup!
Poor sweet Roger! We really think being in a shelter was just too much for his sensitive sweet nature, and it had been causing him bowel problems. The next few days, I kept a close eye on what he ate, and his stool - yes - a gross job! However, I began to notice a distinct difference in his stool with the addition of chia seeds. After a day or so, they began to firm up, and there were no more cow patties, and no more stinky smells in the room, and no more accidents! OH! What relief!
We love this guy with all our hearts, and he has been such a sweet blessing to our home, and I am thankful to the moon and back, that chia seeds, along with comfy contained quarters at night, and lots of love during the day, have solved this sweet boy's problems.
I wish I could have rescued him from the shelter sooner, but I never even would have visited had it not been for stray dog Missy's arrival on our doorstep. So, I do believe, all things work for good!
Go here, and see just how wonderful they are.
Now Roger has all the energy that the world can hardly contain since he feels better, and we have discovered that he does know one other trick - he can jump over 6 feet high! Since our son discovered Roger's leaping and bouncing ability, they have a great time playing together. Roger seems to have boundless, endless energy for jumping, bouncing, and shaking his new toy...
... this toy - while it is not what I would call special - is a toy he thinks is special! One day we caught him dragging this old rubber glove around and throwing it up in the air, and chasing it. He doesn't chew it, but just drags it around to wherever he is at, and plays with it. It seems comforting to him in a strange way. LOL!
He certainly feels so much better now, and has settled comfortably into the routine our family has, and now I can't imagine life without him! I give thanks to the Lord for bringing him to us, and for helping us to figure out how to help him feel better.
Oh - remember I was going to change his name? Well.... he just doesn't respond to any other name we've given him! We've tried several, and he just ignores us. But when we say Roger, he stops in his tracks and listens. So... at this point, renaming him doesn't seem to be working. But if I could rename him, I think I would call him Bouncer, because of the funny way he has of bouncing on all four paws when he gets excited.
Roger and Annie are best buds now...
Roger loves Mr. Simba, and for that we are very thankful. Mr. Simba was traumatized after Missy was here, and was scared to interact with other dogs for quite a while. He has now grown quite fond of Roger.
The two of them sharing a special moment...
If only we could understand the language of cats and dogs...
So that is our story about how Roger came to us in some distress, but with our love for him, and the addition of some chia seeds in his diet, things have really turned around for the better in his life. We are blessed to have him part of our home, and so very thankful for his healing!
We love you, Roger (aka Bouncer)!
Chocolate covered strawberries.... strawberries and cream... strawberry jam... strawberry shortcake... strawberry muffins.... strawberry cheesecake...
Oh... the delight of a strawberry!!! Whether covered in chocolate, dunked in milk, or swimming in sugar.... strawberries bring delight to a heart announcing the arrival of spring!
When beautiful rosy red strawberries begin gracing the markets early in February...
It is then that the heart can begin to rejoice knowing that spring's arrival is being announced....
I love you dearest strawberry - your dabbled rosy cheeks and perky green leaves, bring joy to my heart that sings to me ... of SPRING!
Oh... the delight of a strawberry!!! Whether covered in chocolate, dunked in milk, or swimming in sugar.... strawberries bring delight to a heart announcing the arrival of spring!
When beautiful rosy red strawberries begin gracing the markets early in February...
It is then that the heart can begin to rejoice knowing that spring's arrival is being announced....
I love you dearest strawberry - your dabbled rosy cheeks and perky green leaves, bring joy to my heart that sings to me ... of SPRING!
Yes. That is us. My husband and I are always looking for that road, and we usually manage to find at least one or two when we set out to explore the amazing area we live in...
This past weekend, the skies were sunny, the sunshine was warm, and there were a few gentle clouds in the sky.
The distant mountaintops were still glazed with snow as the sunlight bounced off their peaks.
But for the most part, except for the highest peaks... the snow had melted away.
There were glimpses of the snow-studded mountain peaks as we drove along, enjoying the balmy 65+ degree temperatures!
.... and then.... we found THE road that called out to us! *Adventure ahead*!
As we drove along the white mountain peaks grew taller before us.
We followed the road as it wound beside a meandering river...
... and we enjoyed the expanse of the mountains spread before us, and the slight cool breeze from the river.
Using my telephoto lens, I was able to zoom into one of the mountain ranges and see the snow dotting the landscape in patch worked layers...
We pulled over to the edge of the road, and got out to explore the little river running merrily by us.
We stood still for several moments, just enjoying the quiet sounds of the river, and the gentle breeze.
A creek emptied into the river bed, creating swirls of water bubbling, twirling, and dancing on downstream...
The beauty of the moment was enjoyed immensely by my husband and I.
Then... we continued on down the road, deeper into the dark mountain trail we went... as we began to climb higher and higher, we began to see more snow packing the sides of the road. At first the road itself was clear, with the sides piled with snow.
... and there were creeks abounding with water coursing down the sides of the mountain, racing towards the open river below...
... but then the road began to twist and turn, gently pulling us deeper and higher into the mountain...
... and before long, we were holding on for the ride, as the road surface began to change into ice.
... the vehicle we were in was a truck, but without studded tires. My husband, an expert driver, grasped the steering wheel tightly as we looked for a place to turn around. We were not prepared to drive much higher than this, with the capacity of the vehicle we were in.
Our little truck bounced, and wheels slid as we cautiously made our way along slowly... hoping we could find an open area in which to turn around...
That is one thing about mountain living that we have learned here - you just never know what kind of conditions you might find as you go into the mountains... every turn brings you to a higher elevation, which in turn completely changes the temperature, which in turn can cause difficult road conditions.
Adventure - yes! That is what we were looking for, and found! Yet, we took the road slowly, driving very cautiously, because perhaps we found a little more adventure than we were looking for!
Finally, we did find an open area at a cross-roads, and we were able to turn our vehicle around, and make our way back down to the open roads again, safely thanks to the wonderful driving skills of my husband.
As we were driving back down the mountain, my husband and I remarked on how a road can appear so inviting, and seem to be the road you need to travel down. However, once turning on that road, there may be no turning back, or turning around point, and you are stuck with the decision you have made. Thankfully, we traveled safely back out of the icy road conditions, but we had no idea that would be the case when we first began to follow the gentle turns of the river.
Our experience caused me to ponder the roads that are taken in our lives, which happen in much the same way. We start down a "road", and from all that the eye can see, things appear manageable, and without any problems ahead. Yet, at a point in your travel, turning around is not an option, and going forward is fraught with difficulty and despair. We considered turning around at several junctures, but realized it wasn't safe to do so, and had to continue on, as going forward was the only option we had. Yet, as we rode, I prayed, and I realized... life is like that too. We are going forward on the road we are on, unable to turn around, turn back, or change course, and all that is left to do is pray and trust!
And... even as I prayed, there was a "turnaround" ahead, where we were able to remove ourselves from the road we had chosen, and to get back on the main highway. Our Lord is faithful like that - even if the road we thought would be perfect for our lives has turned out to be our worst nightmare... even in the midst of that reality, HE can provide a means of escape, a turnaround of sorts, and be the gentle hand providing support, guidance, and mercy along the way back to the highway we need to be on.
Traveling on the road less traveled is pure adventure, to be sure... and so much like our journey in life.
If the road you are on today seems to be like the icy road that we encountered on our adventure... try not to despair, but to focus on the Lord above, who is able to provide a "turnaround" just at the right time, and lead you safely back to the place you need to be.
May the presence of the Lord be with you today, as you remember that no matter the road your life may be on... He sees and knows just where you are, and if necessary, a "turnaround" may be just ahead, so don't despair... carry on in faith!
This past weekend, the skies were sunny, the sunshine was warm, and there were a few gentle clouds in the sky.
The distant mountaintops were still glazed with snow as the sunlight bounced off their peaks.
But for the most part, except for the highest peaks... the snow had melted away.
There were glimpses of the snow-studded mountain peaks as we drove along, enjoying the balmy 65+ degree temperatures!
.... and then.... we found THE road that called out to us! *Adventure ahead*!
As we drove along the white mountain peaks grew taller before us.
We followed the road as it wound beside a meandering river...
... and we enjoyed the expanse of the mountains spread before us, and the slight cool breeze from the river.
Using my telephoto lens, I was able to zoom into one of the mountain ranges and see the snow dotting the landscape in patch worked layers...
We pulled over to the edge of the road, and got out to explore the little river running merrily by us.
We stood still for several moments, just enjoying the quiet sounds of the river, and the gentle breeze.
A creek emptied into the river bed, creating swirls of water bubbling, twirling, and dancing on downstream...
The beauty of the moment was enjoyed immensely by my husband and I.
Then... we continued on down the road, deeper into the dark mountain trail we went... as we began to climb higher and higher, we began to see more snow packing the sides of the road. At first the road itself was clear, with the sides piled with snow.
... but then the road began to twist and turn, gently pulling us deeper and higher into the mountain...
... and before long, we were holding on for the ride, as the road surface began to change into ice.
... the vehicle we were in was a truck, but without studded tires. My husband, an expert driver, grasped the steering wheel tightly as we looked for a place to turn around. We were not prepared to drive much higher than this, with the capacity of the vehicle we were in.
Our little truck bounced, and wheels slid as we cautiously made our way along slowly... hoping we could find an open area in which to turn around...
That is one thing about mountain living that we have learned here - you just never know what kind of conditions you might find as you go into the mountains... every turn brings you to a higher elevation, which in turn completely changes the temperature, which in turn can cause difficult road conditions.
Adventure - yes! That is what we were looking for, and found! Yet, we took the road slowly, driving very cautiously, because perhaps we found a little more adventure than we were looking for!
Finally, we did find an open area at a cross-roads, and we were able to turn our vehicle around, and make our way back down to the open roads again, safely thanks to the wonderful driving skills of my husband.
As we were driving back down the mountain, my husband and I remarked on how a road can appear so inviting, and seem to be the road you need to travel down. However, once turning on that road, there may be no turning back, or turning around point, and you are stuck with the decision you have made. Thankfully, we traveled safely back out of the icy road conditions, but we had no idea that would be the case when we first began to follow the gentle turns of the river.
Our experience caused me to ponder the roads that are taken in our lives, which happen in much the same way. We start down a "road", and from all that the eye can see, things appear manageable, and without any problems ahead. Yet, at a point in your travel, turning around is not an option, and going forward is fraught with difficulty and despair. We considered turning around at several junctures, but realized it wasn't safe to do so, and had to continue on, as going forward was the only option we had. Yet, as we rode, I prayed, and I realized... life is like that too. We are going forward on the road we are on, unable to turn around, turn back, or change course, and all that is left to do is pray and trust!
And... even as I prayed, there was a "turnaround" ahead, where we were able to remove ourselves from the road we had chosen, and to get back on the main highway. Our Lord is faithful like that - even if the road we thought would be perfect for our lives has turned out to be our worst nightmare... even in the midst of that reality, HE can provide a means of escape, a turnaround of sorts, and be the gentle hand providing support, guidance, and mercy along the way back to the highway we need to be on.
Traveling on the road less traveled is pure adventure, to be sure... and so much like our journey in life.
If the road you are on today seems to be like the icy road that we encountered on our adventure... try not to despair, but to focus on the Lord above, who is able to provide a "turnaround" just at the right time, and lead you safely back to the place you need to be.
May the presence of the Lord be with you today, as you remember that no matter the road your life may be on... He sees and knows just where you are, and if necessary, a "turnaround" may be just ahead, so don't despair... carry on in faith!
Some time ago a sweet friend (who I have met through blogging) posted a recipe for Lemon Bread. She has a wonderful blog where she shares her thoughts, recipes, and life, and always has an encouraging word. I hope you will pop over there to see her blog, and to pick up the recipe for this lemon bread!
So, when I saw her post about Lemon Bread and Tea Please, it just so happened that I had lemons that were needing to be used up, so I printed off the recipe, and made the bread that night. I had no idea how much I was going to love this bread!
So, when I saw her post about Lemon Bread and Tea Please, it just so happened that I had lemons that were needing to be used up, so I printed off the recipe, and made the bread that night. I had no idea how much I was going to love this bread!
One night I needed a quick yeast roll recipe. Dinner was being served, and I just NEEDED a fresh hot buttered yeast roll to go with it. Only problem was... dinner was already being prepared, and there was no time to wait for the typical roll recipe to rise. So... I scoured the internet, and found a ton of recipes for quick yeast rolls, and they were mostly called 30-minute rolls. (Search 30-minute rolls on google, and you'll see what I mean!)
Have you ever made 30-minute rolls? They are awesome, let me tell you! However, they are best fresh out of the pan, and don't store great. They really need to be eaten fresh and hot. But when you're in a pinch, and you need something amazing - quick - this IS the recipe to go for!
However, I have renamed these rolls to 45-Minute Rolls - because honesty matters here - and it does take 45 minutes from start to finish for these rolls - just so ya know! I suppose they are called 30-minute rolls because perhaps it takes 30 minutes to make them... but if you want to know the truth - it takes 45 minutes from bowl to table for these babies, but .... they are really truly an awesome treat if you've got the 45 minutes to spare!
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp active yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3-1/2 cups bread flour (all purpose will work, but bread flour is better)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In your mixing bowl, stir together the warm water, oil, sugar and salt well. Stir yeast in, and let sit for 15 minutes. Add in egg, salt, and 2 cups flour. Mix with dough hook (if you have one). Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups flour in 1/2 cup at a time. Shape dough into 12 balls, and place in greased 9x13 glass pan. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Place in preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes. Slather a large dab of butter on top of rolls after bringing out of the oven, and serve! (Don't expect leftovers!!)
Note: I have found with making these rolls that they turn out much softer overall if I use a glass 9x13 pan. Don't know the science behind it, but just know that my other 9x13 metal pans don't work as well with this recipe. :)
Have you ever made 30-minute rolls? They are awesome, let me tell you! However, they are best fresh out of the pan, and don't store great. They really need to be eaten fresh and hot. But when you're in a pinch, and you need something amazing - quick - this IS the recipe to go for!
However, I have renamed these rolls to 45-Minute Rolls - because honesty matters here - and it does take 45 minutes from start to finish for these rolls - just so ya know! I suppose they are called 30-minute rolls because perhaps it takes 30 minutes to make them... but if you want to know the truth - it takes 45 minutes from bowl to table for these babies, but .... they are really truly an awesome treat if you've got the 45 minutes to spare!
45-Minute Rolls
1 cup warm water, plus 2 tbsp1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp active yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3-1/2 cups bread flour (all purpose will work, but bread flour is better)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In your mixing bowl, stir together the warm water, oil, sugar and salt well. Stir yeast in, and let sit for 15 minutes. Add in egg, salt, and 2 cups flour. Mix with dough hook (if you have one). Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups flour in 1/2 cup at a time. Shape dough into 12 balls, and place in greased 9x13 glass pan. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Place in preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes. Slather a large dab of butter on top of rolls after bringing out of the oven, and serve! (Don't expect leftovers!!)
Note: I have found with making these rolls that they turn out much softer overall if I use a glass 9x13 pan. Don't know the science behind it, but just know that my other 9x13 metal pans don't work as well with this recipe. :)
Any good Southern cook worth her salt knows how to make gravy - without a recipe - or at least I was so told by my dear mother-in-law years ago. :) Thank goodness my dear mother-in-law undertook to teach me just how to make awesome creamy bacon/sausage grease gravy, without a recipe.
Not that I didn't know how to make gravy - my own dear mother had taught me how to make gravy, but since we were from the North, it was a tad different than Southern gravy.
(Don't be alarmed if you didn't know that there are differences between the North and South still!)
Yes indeed, there are. You see, I was taught to make gravy with broth from meat that was roasted, and we never EVER ate bacon grease. We just didn't. We only ate gravy on mashed potatoes too, or on a roast beef open faced sandwich. Again, I had never heard of, much less eaten, bacon gravy. For our (northern) broth gravy, we mixed up a solution of flour and water, stirred it until it was smooth, and added it to the hot roasted meat broth until the broth thickened, and that was what we ate and knew as gravy. (Delicious by the way!)
But.... after meeting my husband-to-be who was from the South, my cooking skills had to take a southern turn. After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but first you have to learn how to cook like his momma! LOL! So, I did!
And one of the first things she taught me was how to make gravy - southern style - without a recipe. You just have to make it enough to just "know" how much flour to add, and how much milk, how much salt, and so on...
So... for those of you who need a recipe, I'm so sorry. There isn't one. However, I can show you how it is supposed to look, and perhaps you can take it from there!
First, before you ever get to making bacon gravy, the unwritten rule of the south is - biscuits and gravy go hand in hand!
So, while the bacon is sizzling happily in the skillet, biscuits are next.
I DO have a recipe for these wonderful biscuits, and they just happened to be sourdough biscuits - which are pretty amazing! (I'll share the recipe for the sourdough biscuits below).
Cutting out the biscuits with the biscuit cutter...
Biscuits in the pan, cooked, and just waiting for gravy to be served up! (Someone had already snitched a biscuit before I could take the picture, lol!)
And here is the gravy ready to begin..... At this point in the picture above, the bacon had been removed from the grease, and a handful of flour dumped into the bacon grease and stirred. Enough flour was added until the flour and grease create a bubbly happy brown mixture (sometimes otherwise known as a roux).
Once you see the grease/flour mixture bubbling, then add your milk. Generally, it seems you add enough milk to almost double the mixture.
And stir, stir, stir!
Perhaps the most important lesson of all in southern cooking - and gravy making is this: ADD SALT! Seriously. You can't get good gravy unless it has got a generous amount of salt. Don't forget the pepper too!
Taste and see.... and sprinkle some more... lol!
And pepper - lots of it! You want enough pepper in the gravy so you can see the black flecks in the gravy.
Continue to stir until the gravy begins to thicken and boil. Bring just to a boil, and then turn off heat.
Continue stirring gravy until you get a very thick mixture. If, by chance, it is too thick, you can always add a few more spoonfuls of milk.
Until you get the consistency you want, you can add milk, depending on how thick, or runny you would like your gravy.
Gravy this thick is just PERFECT for the hot sourdough biscuits!
And there you have it - a generous serving of gravy over homemade sourdough biscuits, fresh scrambled eggs from our very own chickens, and a slice of thick bacon. Breakfast doesn't get much better than this folks! I whipped up this easy, filling breakfast in about 30 minutes, from start to finish! And a breakfast like this goes a long way - usually I make this kind of breakfast on a weekend morning, and we will generally not eat again until dinner.
I promised you the recipe for my sourdough biscuits, and here is what I have discovered when making these biscuits. It depends on how fresh your sourdough starter is as to how much sourdough you need to add. If you've waited a little past the peak time (which is generally an hour or two after feeding) to use your sourdough - which in my case was overnight - then you may have to use a little more sourdough starter.
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter (cubed)
1 to 1-1/2 cups sourdough starter
Preheat oven to 450. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar together. Cut in butter until mixture is butter is completely worked into the flour. Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture and pour 1 cup sourdough starter in. Work sourdough in, adding more starter if necessary, until mixture comes together into a dough. Roll out dough on floured surface to about 2" thick, and cut with biscuit cutter. Cook in hot preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot - preferably with gravy, or homemade jam!
Not that I didn't know how to make gravy - my own dear mother had taught me how to make gravy, but since we were from the North, it was a tad different than Southern gravy.
(Don't be alarmed if you didn't know that there are differences between the North and South still!)
Yes indeed, there are. You see, I was taught to make gravy with broth from meat that was roasted, and we never EVER ate bacon grease. We just didn't. We only ate gravy on mashed potatoes too, or on a roast beef open faced sandwich. Again, I had never heard of, much less eaten, bacon gravy. For our (northern) broth gravy, we mixed up a solution of flour and water, stirred it until it was smooth, and added it to the hot roasted meat broth until the broth thickened, and that was what we ate and knew as gravy. (Delicious by the way!)
But.... after meeting my husband-to-be who was from the South, my cooking skills had to take a southern turn. After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but first you have to learn how to cook like his momma! LOL! So, I did!
And one of the first things she taught me was how to make gravy - southern style - without a recipe. You just have to make it enough to just "know" how much flour to add, and how much milk, how much salt, and so on...
So... for those of you who need a recipe, I'm so sorry. There isn't one. However, I can show you how it is supposed to look, and perhaps you can take it from there!
First, before you ever get to making bacon gravy, the unwritten rule of the south is - biscuits and gravy go hand in hand!
So, while the bacon is sizzling happily in the skillet, biscuits are next.
I DO have a recipe for these wonderful biscuits, and they just happened to be sourdough biscuits - which are pretty amazing! (I'll share the recipe for the sourdough biscuits below).
My sourdough starter had been fed the night before, and while it wasn't as fresh and bubbly as it could be, it worked.
Cutting out the biscuits with the biscuit cutter...
Biscuits in the pan, cooked, and just waiting for gravy to be served up! (Someone had already snitched a biscuit before I could take the picture, lol!)
And here is the gravy ready to begin..... At this point in the picture above, the bacon had been removed from the grease, and a handful of flour dumped into the bacon grease and stirred. Enough flour was added until the flour and grease create a bubbly happy brown mixture (sometimes otherwise known as a roux).
Once you see the grease/flour mixture bubbling, then add your milk. Generally, it seems you add enough milk to almost double the mixture.
And stir, stir, stir!
Perhaps the most important lesson of all in southern cooking - and gravy making is this: ADD SALT! Seriously. You can't get good gravy unless it has got a generous amount of salt. Don't forget the pepper too!
Taste and see.... and sprinkle some more... lol!
And pepper - lots of it! You want enough pepper in the gravy so you can see the black flecks in the gravy.
Continue to stir until the gravy begins to thicken and boil. Bring just to a boil, and then turn off heat.
Continue stirring gravy until you get a very thick mixture. If, by chance, it is too thick, you can always add a few more spoonfuls of milk.
Until you get the consistency you want, you can add milk, depending on how thick, or runny you would like your gravy.
Gravy this thick is just PERFECT for the hot sourdough biscuits!
And there you have it - a generous serving of gravy over homemade sourdough biscuits, fresh scrambled eggs from our very own chickens, and a slice of thick bacon. Breakfast doesn't get much better than this folks! I whipped up this easy, filling breakfast in about 30 minutes, from start to finish! And a breakfast like this goes a long way - usually I make this kind of breakfast on a weekend morning, and we will generally not eat again until dinner.
I promised you the recipe for my sourdough biscuits, and here is what I have discovered when making these biscuits. It depends on how fresh your sourdough starter is as to how much sourdough you need to add. If you've waited a little past the peak time (which is generally an hour or two after feeding) to use your sourdough - which in my case was overnight - then you may have to use a little more sourdough starter.
Sourdough Biscuits
2 cups flour1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter (cubed)
1 to 1-1/2 cups sourdough starter
Preheat oven to 450. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar together. Cut in butter until mixture is butter is completely worked into the flour. Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture and pour 1 cup sourdough starter in. Work sourdough in, adding more starter if necessary, until mixture comes together into a dough. Roll out dough on floured surface to about 2" thick, and cut with biscuit cutter. Cook in hot preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot - preferably with gravy, or homemade jam!
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