Peggy's Best Baking

 I am Peggy Bangerter Porter,  mother of 6, grandmother of 21.

Wife to Doug Porter,  "Cowboy Incredible". Between us we have 33 grandchildren, and 12 greats.

Home is Thatcher, Idaho,  our beautiful  mountain valley where we  raise hay and beef cattle.

I am a Registered Nurse and have worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care setting for 42 years; retiring in 2021.

Hobbies and loves:  children, horses, gardening, piano, making music with family, writing, cooking.

I love to cook and share my favorite things.  Being in the kitchen is where my relaxation and creativity happens.  I remember as a teenager making biscuits for my younger brothers and friends; I discovered that serving food was giving a gift.  My grandmother and inspiration  is Duella Eyre Hamblin, known for her magic in the kitchen.  I feel a strong kinship to her because I like to stir up something quick, without a lot of  fuss.  

 Meals and meal planning  are not terribly complex;  I cook from very basic ingredients in my food storage. I believe in using the most natural, basic ingredients that I can keep on hand.  I plant a moderately large garden every year and freeze vegetables such as corn, zucchini and chili peppers. I process quarts of beans, beets, apples, peaches, jams, and  especially tomatoes, which are the staple for many  dinner recipes.  I store a variety of legumes such as kidney, navy, black and pintos; also rice, sugar, brown and powdered sugars, honey, oatmeal, wheat for grinding, and organic white flour, storing it in the deep freeze. I use extra virgin olive oil in abundance and bake mostly with coconut oil and butter for cookies and cakes.  Dark chocolate is sprinkled in, on, and between meals.  

 Finally, I cook with the health of  family in mind.  Every extravagant delicacy happens in it's  dedicated time and place!  I am always on the watch to make things just a little more nutritious,  so I share some of those hints.

The very best part of being in the kitchen has always been the special times together with the children and family. We learn and laugh and eat!

For stories of our ranch and family life, visit: backatporterranch.blogspot.com