3 min read

Kitchen Stock | January 2025

Cowboy approved recipes used by our favorite country cooks.

In the kitchen with Heather Werner of Werner Family Angus of Diagonal, Iowa

Tell us about yourself.

"I am a mom of four wonderful children (wonderful most of the time). Two boys ages 12 and 11, and two girls ages 9 and 8. When the kids were younger, I stayed home and also cared for Joe’s (my husband’s) grandmother in our home. She passed away peacefully last year at the age of 101, and I decided I would try going back to school and get my nursing degree. I am currently in my second year, and if I survive this semester, I will graduate with my RN in May.

The family operation runs the same as it always has... smooth as silk some days and ready to blow apart at the seams on others. We sell over 200 registered Angus bulls each year by private treaty. We are starting to bring back the next generation into the operation as much as they are willing. My kids are getting old enough that they have started helping more when they are not in school or when we are not running from one sport to the next. If they had it their way, I would be homeschooling them so they can work full time. Joe and Clint would be on board with this as well, since it would mean early retirement for them!"

What is your favorite thing to make during the cold winter months?

"I love chili in the cold winter months. I never get tired of eating chili, and the best thing about it is the next day I can serve a baked potato bar and put chili on top, or have chili cheese fries, chili pie, or chili dogs. I always make plenty so I can stretch it out to another meal!"

How do you plan for meals to feed a large ranch crew?

"I wish I could say there is planning behind it, but I wing it most days. It’s a good thing I have a freezer full of beef and my mother-in-law keeps a well-stocked pantry just in case! If the day turns out to be beautiful and all hands-on deck are available to help work cattle, I get told last! I usually see the cattle walking through my yard before I get the heads up that I will be feeding the crew that is following that group of cattle. It really doesn’t bother me, because this way I have no time to stress over the small details!"

What is your favorite cooking tip/trick?

"If you are cutting up thin slices of meat, do so frozen. If they are not in for meals on time (which happens often), put the oven as low as it will go and set your food in there to keep warm. Don’t stress - they’ll like it, because they know if they complain about it then they’ll just have to cook next time, and they don’t want to do that!"

Where did you learn to cook?

"I used to work in the kitchen at a care facility that served about 100 people, including patients and Meals-on-Wheels that delivered meals to the elderly in the community. I started working there when I was 15 and worked alongside my mom, who taught me a lot. My boss was a farm wife who cooked and delivered meals to the field, and she taught me so much about field meals as well as farm wife life. I wouldn’t be me without her."

Click here for printable recipes by Heather Werner