Farmer's Wife Introduction

When we first began this website, I knew that I wanted to have a section where we discussed how to prepare chicken and eggs. Before we started our farm, a whole raw chicken really overwhelmed me-- it almost scared me.  What do you do with a whole raw chicken?  I have to admit, I was that person who would rather spend $5 more and buy the nice packaged skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Those are easy and I didn't  even have to touch the raw chicken. But man, was I seriously missing out. A whole chicken ( especially our pasture raised chicken) is amazing. It is SO much cheaper than buying individual parts ( especially those pretty boneless, skinless chicken breasts) and you get so much more meat and FLAVOR from a whole bird. Not only that, you can than use the bones, skin, and all the extra parts to make an amazing bone broth. So not only do you get more meat for less money, but you also get 3-4 mason jars full of healthful, flavorful broth.  That is definitely a better deal. And when you are cooking for a family of six like us, you have to stretch every ingredient to its fullest.
I know what you are thinking- How in the world do I begin to prepare a whole raw chicken? That is what this section is for. I want to offer you recipes, tips and suggestions on what to do with that whole raw chicken sitting in front of you. Trust me, it is WAY easier than you think. Not only will I be posting recipes and how-tos on all the different ways to prepare a whole chicken, I will also throw in some other ways to cook different parts of the chickens....grilled chicken thighs, chicken and rice using slow cooked chicken, baked chicken tenders ( my kids favorite), and pan fried chicken in mustard sauce are just some examples.  We eat a lot of chicken in this house and I'm excited to share all my tried and true recipes with ya'll.   Because we are so passionate about local, pastured-raised food, we also buy an entire cow and an entire pig from a local farm to fill up the rest of our freezer. I will also share other main courses, breakfasts, and dessert recipes  where neither chicken nor eggs are the main ingredient but are still utilized.  
​So let me first start by telling you a little bit about my cooking style. I love to cook.  I love to bake. I cook real whole foods.  It would be difficult to find anything processed in our pantry. I cook stick-to-your ribs type food. I make most things from scratch not just because it is healthier, but because we are a family of six on one income  and we need to stretch every dollar.   We eat a lot of veggies and a lot of protein.  I spend probably 75% of my day in our kitchen whether I am prepping a meal, making a meal, or cleaning up after a meal. I know some ( if not most) do not share this passion with me.  You want dinner on the table quickly and easily. I get that. So these recipes will be easy. I may throw in a couple of more challenging and involved ones every once in awhile, but most of the recipes will be easy to follow and quick to prepare. So thank you for joining me on this new adventure and I hope I can help you pass up those skinless, boneless chicken breasts and move to a pastured whole chicken ( our whole chicken:))that can be stretched far beyond just one meal!