My Favorite Recipes:Meet Chris and Sherry Lynne McKeen

Sherry (Sher) McKeen was born in Pomeroy. She attended school in Garfield until her high school years, then she attended and graduated from Deer Park. While there, Sher competed in rodeos, horse shows and gymkanas. She was a rodeo princess in Deer Park, made money in high school by training and selling horses.

A few years after graduation, Sher moved to Seattle for 10 years where she owned and operated a house cleaning business and worked at Long Acres race track as a foreman for a 30-horse barn.

She moved back to this side of the mountains to Newman Lake and for 15 years was a personal chef, personal shopper and cleaned houses.

Sher met Chris in 2002. She then sold her house in Newman Lake and bought the café in St. John. Chris followed along a few months later. They were married in 2008. Between them, they have five children and seven grandchildren with another grand-baby on the way.

Chris was born in Billings, Mont., and moved to Washington when he was 10-years-old. He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane and worked at Kaiser for a few years. He also helped when Sher had the café. He now works in Steptoe as a mill operator.

They sold the café in 2007 and established Rocking M Ranch where they raise Arabian horses outside of St. John.

"We now have horses, a pony, Nigerian dwarf goats, chickens, geese, ducks and one rabbit. We also breed and raise Mini Aussie puppies," Sher said.

"We love to camp, and I love to cook and ride horses," Sher said. "Chris loves shooting as well."

Sher now is a consultant for a company called Pure Romance.

"Almost nine years ago I became a sexual health and wellness consultant with Pure Romance. There is a lot of misconception out there about what I actually do, but it is simply advocating for women in a comfortable, safe environment and helping them find the right products to help them on their journey by helping them feel more confident in being themselves, as well as helping them learn how to communicate with their partners.

"I have done a lot of traveling since joining Pure Romance. I have gone to Cincinnati for training three times. I have spent three weeks in Florida and then three weeks in Kentucky. I also earned a trip to Cancun in an all-inclusive resort with my sales and sponsoring, as well as earning a cruise to the Bahamas.

"Most recently, I just got back from a trip I earned to Quinn Hot Springs in Missoula, Mont., where I was invited to have dinner with the company's CEO." pureromance.com/ sherrymcken.

The McKeens have done just about everything and continue to be very active in their community. Sher volunteers her time at the Palouse Empire Fair by helping serve food in the Eagles booth. She also served as vice president of the Eagles for a few years. She volunteers her time at the St. John Stock Show serving pie and soup.

Chris also donates his time volunteering janitorial services at the community building in between hosted events.

Recipes

Sherry Lynne's Broccoli and Eggs

1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

1 pkg. frozen broccoli

1 large carton of cottage cheese

1 doz. eggs, beaten severely

1/2 cup of milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

Butter the bottom of an oblong cake pan. Put in cottage cheese, broccoli, eggs, milk, salt and pepper, and half the grated cheese. Stir it all up. Put the rest of the cheese over the top and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees F. Bake until golden brown and not wiggly in the middle, 45 to 60 minutes.

Sherry Lynne's Garlic Bread

1 loaf French bread

1 head garlic

1 lb. cheddar cheese

Mayonnaise

Chop garlic into tiny pieces. Grate cheese, add garlic and cheese, then mix with enough mayonnaise to make it spreadable. Cut French bread in half lengthwise, and spread garlic mixture on it evenly. Broil in oven until toasty brown.

Sherry Lynne's Famous Sausage Gravy for Biscuits and Gravy

1 lb. sausage

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1-1/2 qts. heavy whipping cream

Approximately 2 cups whole milk

Cook one pound pork sausage of your choice. When finished cooking, add butter and cook until melted. Then add flour to make a rue. Stir until flour is cooked. Keep cooking and stirring as you add half-and-half (or substitute heavy whipping cream.) Add whole milk, stir, and cook until it is the thickness you like. Add salt and pepper, and maybe a little cayenne pepper, depending on who you're cooking for. Serve over biscuits.