DYK Cows Can Upcycle?

Dexter is back this week with a new round of Did You Know with some Beef Month facts for you.  When I was in school they called it recycling, but now the cooler term is up-cycling trash into something more valuable.  -A Kansas Farm Mom

Did you know May is Beef Month?  For the beginning of the month I want to share why I like to think about how cows are the ultimate up-cyclers. 

Did you know that cows eat the corn leftovers from ethanol production called dried distillers grains that is high in protein? They can also eat the leftovers from beer and whiskey production called brewers dried grains. 

Soybean meal is the most widely used protein source in livestock feeds. Did you know most vegetable oil is soybean oil? I guess you can say that soybean meal is the leftovers from our fried food fascination.

Everyone likes to wear cotton t-shirts and a good pair of blue jeans. Cows like the leftovers of that too! The seed has to be removed from the cotton fiber. The seed is then pressed for the oil. The leftovers are made into cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal for cows. The meal is high in protein and the cottonseed hulls can be fed for fiber or we can even feed the whole seed (mainly to dairy cows).  We feed several pounds of cottonseed hulls to our show heifers. Dairy farmers even feed while cottonseed for protein and energy.  Check out this post called Trash to Nutritional Treasure from the Arizona Beef Blog for more information.

Beet pulp can be fed to cows, too. Beet pulp is the leftovers of making sugar from sugar beets. Our heifers can eat beet pulp for fiber. The cows enjoy are sugar addiction, too.

Not only do they eat of our leftovers, but 85% of the ground that cows graze is not suitable for crop production. My friend Dairy Carrie has a great post on what they feed their dairy cows and links to other farms and ranches who share their upcycled feed even from oranges.  For even more information about Bovine Upcycling with lots of great statistics check out this post from Cow Country Blog.

Cows truly keep the earth cleaner for all of us and produce high quality protein that we can all enjoy. We have enjoyed this new casserole mom found this winter. 

Beefy Cheesy Cornbread Casserole

1 pound ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 (8.5 oz) Jiffy Cornbread mix

1 egg

1 can cream style corn

2 cups Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Butter the bottom and sides of 8x8 casserole dish.

Brown and drain beef and onion.  Add seasoning and stir well.  In a small bowl, combine cornbread mix, egg, milk and corn.  Stir well.  Pour half of cornbread mixture into dish.  Add beef and onion and spread evenly.  Add cheese and remaining cornbread mixture.  Bake 35-40 minutes.

 For more posts written by Dexter, check out the Mad Cattle Co. tab on this page.

Dexter's Did You Know? Genetics

About a month ago, I made an infographic on my Facebook page, MAD Cattle Company, stating that U.S. cattle producers produce 20 percent of the world’s beef with only seven percent of the world’s cattle. My first blog post also talked about this topic.

 

The next day in discussion with my biology teacher, we began to wonder how this could be and how our operations could help make the percent of beef produced by the U.S. even higher.  We came up with only one answer.  Genetics.  We can control what genetics our herds include.  We also looked at what types of cattle third world countries are raising and found that they are still picking for survivability and work while the US ranchers usually select from growth or carcass traits to improve your eating experience and to keep costs low for the consumer.

 

Next, we looked at how our own operations could influence the U.S. gene pool.  Now, some of you might be wondering how genetics from two extremely small operations could influence something so large.  Our answer would be simply to improve our cattle and help provide extremely good replacements to grow the U.S. beef supply.  

Did you know that genetic improvement in one herd is going to eventually affect everyone who buys cattle from them either for slaughter or replacements?  Genetics tend to spread like wildfire especially if they work.  Through artificial insemination, smaller producers can affect even those who buy their cattle for replacements and beyond.  

I assumed the U.S. cattle industry is emphasizing the importance of genetic improvement and selection.  How many more percent of the total beef supply could we control if more people improved their genetic bases and stopped buying and keeping the cheapest animals at the sale barn?  I was surprised at how few people utilized genetic technology such as A.I. (Artificial Insemination) to improve their herd’s genetics. I investigated how few people looked at Expected Progeny Differences (a selection tool that predicts how well an animal could perform) as a serious factor in bull selection and found not many do.  I have begun to wonder how much higher the U.S.’s beef supply would be if individual herds started using the technology already at their fingertips.

U.S. feedlots tend to use more specialized personnel than other countries such as nutritionists who formulate balanced rations based on what is locally available as well as supplements to improve feed efficiency.  I plan to talk more about feeds next time.-  Dexter

Enchilada Lasagna

1/2 cup onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 cup water
1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1.5 cups light cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
12 corn tortillas

Saute 1/2 cup onion in butter in skillet.  Add ground beef.  Cook until brown and crumbly.  Stir in flour and chili powder.  Cook five minutes longer.  Add water. Cook until thickened stirring constantly.  Combine soup, cheese, cream, 1/2 cup onion and salt in bowl; mix well.  Slice tortillas into strips.  Layer tortillas, ground beef mixture and soup mixture 1/2 at a time in buttered 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 325*F for 30 minutes.  Yield:12 servings.

Dexter is my oldest son and is working on a new 4-H project this year.  He is a 16 year old sophomore in high school.  He talks about cattle way too much, enjoys wrestling, likes to eat A LOT and I am making him cook, too.  He is involved in 4-H, FFA, as well as the church and school choirs.  He manages a Facebook page called MAD Cattle Company (Maddix & Dexter...because I wouldn't let them name it DAM Cattle Company ;) )

Pepperoncini Shredded Beef

I have to say that even my husband has been enjoying my #ProjectPotRoast.  We have tried a number of recipes that you have all sent us from near and far.  This is one of my favorites so far maybe because it is oh so easy or that is has just the right kick for a cold winter day.  This recipe comes to us from Darcy who last year shared a bit about the history of cattle working facilities and how they have changed over the years.  

Here is what she sent me.  "My favorite is a 

beef roast, with 

a jar of pepperoncinis and their juice poured over the top, 

with a tablespoon of dried Italian herbs added in.  (If you want extra "sauce", add a can of light beer.) Cook on low for 8-10 hours and you have the best shredded beef!  We serve over rice with parmesan, but it's also great on rolls with sliced cheese."

I did add the can of beer and it was amazing! Thanks for sharing Darcy!

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Italian Ranch Beef Roast

My Project Pot Roast had lots of recipes sent to me by Farm Moms across the country.  There were so many that my boys are starting to get tired of roasts, but keep them coming because I still have lots of roasts in the freezer!

Today's recipe is not from a farm mom, but from the County 4-H Agent, Carrie Blaes.  I was skeptical of the Italian/Ranch/Gravy concoction, but what the heck I tried Dr. Pepper on a roast and it turned out pretty darn good.  I usually make a roast and plan on leftovers for lunch the next day, but I was totally out of luck with this one.  The boys ate all of it, so I would say it is a 5 star recipe at our house.

Italian Ranch Beef Roast

1 package of dry Italian seasoning
1 package of dry ranch dressing 
1 package of brown gravy mix on top then add a 
1/2 cup water and cook on low all day.
1 beef roast

Place roast in slow cooker and sprinkle everything over the top including the water.  Cook on low all day.  

 I have one more recipe to try from Darcy at Success is Reason Enough and then I will have to move one to another project...UNLESS you help me and send me your favorite roast recipe to try! 

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Slow Cooker Roast with Vegetables

My Project Pot Roast continues after the holidays with an easy slow cooker roast that has vegetables cooking right along side the roast.  This "recipe" was sent to me by one of our local Farm Bureau agents, Karen Starbuck-Betzen.   

1 Package of dry onion soup mix
Chopped onion 
Vegetables of choice
3-5 pound roast

Place all in the slow cooker all day and come home to your meal all ready for you.  My boys (the dad is the leader) aren't huge onion fans, so I left out the chopped onion.  I threw in carrots, potatoes cut into wedges and a can of green beans (suggested by one of the hired men).   I came home after a day of feeding and vaccinating cattle to a complete meal, well except that the guys like gravy with their roast.  I made the gravy and in less than 5 minutes supper was fixed which was a good thing, because Bellar Trucking was coming to get a load of soybeans.  I dished up 3 bowls and we even shared with the truck driver that evening.  

This is going into my list of favorite ways to cook a roast that I have found in this project.  How do you cook a roast?  I still have two more recipes to try, but would love to try yours.  Calving season is quickly approaching, so those roasts that can cook themselves are the best for me.  

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Coca Cola Roast

When I sent out my plea for roast recipes, the Kansas Farm Moms responded in mass.  My friend Jane of M Bar Shorthorns sent a recipe that most would never try without a recommendation!  Here is what she sent me.

"Any Roast.. Lamb, beef or pork... 

Dry rub with Lowery's Seasoned Salt (make a crust on that bad boy)...

put it in the crock pot with a can of Coke... 

If you want BBQ, add a bottle of bbq sauce... 

If not, it is perfect with just the season salt and Coke. 

8 hours on low (in the crockpot) and YUM!"

She did get a few comments from one of our mutual friends.  His family prefers Pepsi and yet another friend said Dr. Pepper.  I even had a friend in Minnesota add that Cherry Pepsi with pork roast is awesome!  They all agreed that any cola is good, BUT NOT DIET.  

I have to be honest, I have heard of this, but have never tried it.  I am not a huge caffeine addict and did worry about it keeping me up all night, but the boys have been wearing me down, so I slept just fine.  We made the roast with Dr. Pepper and Lowry's and the boys all gave it two thumbs up.

What is your favorite way to cook a roast? 

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Pork Roast in Apple Cider Gravy

Before Thanksgiving, I read a post from the people of Certified Angus Beef stating that 23% of consumers have never cooked a roast and 34% only cook one a few times a year.  What?!  A roast is one of those easy, peasy meals in my book.  Throw it in the crockpot and forget about it.  After speaking with some friends, I found the struggle to cook a roast is real for some.  I asked several of my fellow Kansas Farm Mom's to help me out and they were happy to join in the Pot Roast Project!  The boys and I are testing the recipes for you and trying to remember to take pictures.  :)

Our first guest recipe is from Jenny Burgess.  She shares about her family farm at Burgess Hill Farms on Facebook.  Jenny also writes a blog called Farm Wife Transparency.  They have a very different story of how their farm began than ours and awhile back she shared a very personal story on the struggles she has to deal with.  Here is her recipe for a Pork Roast in Apple Cider Gravy.

Pork Roast in Apple Cider Gravy

1 pork roast or pork loin roast
2 medium apples 
2 small onions 
Salt & pepper 
2 c. Apple cider 
1 Tblsp of cornstarch 
 Directions ~ Slice apples and onions. Put half of apples and onions in the bottom of crockpot. Slice deep into roast & about 1 in apart. Insert other half of apples and onions amongst slices. Place roast on top of 1st half of apples and onions. Salt and pepper roast on top. Pour 2 cups of cider around roast. Cook on high 5 to 6 hours, or on Low 8 hours. Once done take out roast and tent with foil. Strain cider out of crockpot into saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch and cook until bubbly and thick.

 Doesn't this sound great?  Do you fear roasts or cook them all the time?  If you are looking for another pork loin recipe, try Christy's Not So Famous Pork Loin and if you like the apples, you might like Caramel Apple Pork Chops.

If you have a great recipe you would like to share, send it to me and I will be happy to share it with everyone else!

-A Kansas Farm Mom

W4DW Guest Post Steak Bites

What's for Dinner Wednesday?  Steak Bites with Glazed Carrots and Creamed Peas and Dumplings all made in under 30 minutes.

Those of you that follow me over on Facebook probably know that we had a heifer that tried to give me heart failure.  She concerned me so much that I drove her to the Oklahoma State University Vet Hospital.  Miss Melinda of Bastian Show Calves was my person to vent to during the ordeal because she knows cattle and she happened to be where we bought her from.  Melinda has raised 2 boys that need some good hot meals to keep them going, so I am excited she shared the recipe with all of you this week.  Be sure to check out Melinda's blog, Farm Livin' is My Life or follow them on Facebook.-KFM

My work schedule has changed yet again and so I'm home on Fridays now.  I took full advantage today to make a good lunch for my guys.  And while I'd like to tell you I spent hours slaving over a hot stove to prepare this meal but in all honesty, nothing took more than 30 minutes to prepare.

Steak bites were the main course.  I had a sirloin steak thawed in the fridge and sirloin really is the best steak for these bites.  Trim the steak and slice into bite sized pieces.  Be sure to remove the silver and the excess fat.  Once you have it chopped into small pieces, sprinkle Cowboy Rub over it for seasoning.  Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter in an iron skillet until completely melted and sizzling good.  Add the meat to the butter and cook stirring once or twice until no longer pink inside.  In the meantime, slice and chop a red onion, a yellow onion and a couple of bell peppers.  I also like to add a can or two of mushrooms or some fresh sliced mushrooms.  Once you have all the meat cooked, add more butter to the skillet and saute the veggies.  A little trick for the farm families out there, I used my little crock pots to keep the steak bites and veggies warm until the guys were ready for lunch.  Worked great without drying out the meat.

 

So, now we need some sides.  My guys really are meat and potato type of men.  I popped 6 potatoes in the microwave to partially cook and hit the baked potato button on the microwave for 4.  Once they were done, I slipped the skins off and chopped the potatoes into medium sized chunks.  Now, the skillet from the meat still had a little butter left in it so I added more and fried the potatoes in that skillet.  Really, they just needed a little crispiness on the outside as they were just about done from the microwave.

Chris is a fan of glazed carrots.  In order for this to be a quick meal, I grabbed 2 cans of carrots out of the pantry, heated them up in a little water, added 2 tablespoons of butter and about 3 tablespoons of brown sugar.  Wa la....glazed carrots.

Mike is a fan of creamed peas and dumplings.  I hadn't made them in a while, but dug out the dumpling recipe and whipped it up for him.  A pack of frozen peas with enough milk to cover them plus just a little was put on medium heat while I did the dumplings.  The dumplings called for 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk, parsley to taste, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt.  Mix it up and when the milk is hot and peas are just about cooked, add dumplings by the spoonful and cook until dumplings are floating.

So there you have it.  A nice home cooked comfort meal on a busy spring day.    

Red Gold "All In One" Lasagna

I often laugh when people tell me that it takes too long to fix a home cooked meal.  Most of the meals I fix take less than 15 minutes of prep time.  I was recently contacted by the Red Gold Tomato company to try their Italian tomatoes in a quick and easy lasagna recipe.  This recipe is replacing my No Boil the Noodle Lasagna that I shared on Once A Mom Always a Cook.  This recipe really is as quick and easy as my old faithful recipes.  Quick and easy recipes have been a must with all the time we have spent warming up baby calves and taking care of a couple of special patients in the barn.

 

This summer my friend Jent of the blog From My Front Porch shared a couple of videos of tomato harvest on her family's farm in Indiana.  These tomatoes go straight to Red Gold to be put in a can for your family.  Check these out before you scroll down to the yummy quick and easy recipe.

Post by From My Front Porch.

Post by From My Front Porch.

Full Disclosure:  I was sent the following products to make this recipe along with a nifty serving spatula.  The products were given to me, but the opinions are all my own.  I already use a lot of Red Gold tomato products especially the ones with chili peppers to make my nacho cheese dip.

I loved how the diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano looked, smelled and tasted.  Just look at all those spices!

I have used crushed tomatoes before that still had a lot of chunks, but these reminded me of a really thick tomato sauce that I think would work great on homemade pizzas.  I mixed the 2 cans of Italian style tomatoes, a can of crushed tomatoes, 1 pound of ground beef and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning together.

Then, I put 1 1/2 cups of sauce on the bottom of the pan.  I found that my soup ladle holds exactly 1/2 cup and makes a great way to transfer the sauce to the pan.

Place uncooked noodles over sauce.

Mix 1 carton of ricotta cheese with 3 cups Mozzerella cheese and layer ingredients.  (I just love my Pampered Chef stoneware even though it has a well used look to it.)

Recipe: Red Gold “All-in-One” Lasagna

Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 (28 ounce) can Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano
1 (16 ounce) box lasagna noodles, traditional, uncooked
1 (15 ounce) carton low fat ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 Preheat oven to 350º F. In large mixing bowl combine ground beef, Italian seasoning, water, RED GOLD® CRUSHED TOMATOES and RED GOLD® DICED TOMATOES with BASIL, GARLIC & OREGANO.
Cover the bottom of a 9x13x2 inch baking pan with 2 cups of sauce mixture. Arrange 1/3 of noodles on top of sauce, slightly overlapped. Top with ½ of ricotta cheese, ½ of mozzarella cheese (I mix the cheeses together) and 1.5 cup of sauce. Repeat layers and top with last 1/3 of noodles and the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 to 1½ hours; until noodles are cooked. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
The recipe makes 12 servings, but you could divide the recipe into two 9x9 inch baking dishes and freeze one for a wintry night supper.

Nutritional info can be found along with the recipe here: http://www.redgold.com/red-gold-brand/recipes/recipe-details?recipe_id=1621

-A Kansas Farm Mom 

W4DW- Cheesy Mostaccioli

I usually post my recipes on Wednesday and call them What’s for Dinner Wednesday, but this week it is Thursday and here is why.  I had this post all done except for the picture.  I had the card from the camera in the slot ready to download when the farmer called.  He wanted to take pictures of his sprayer, so he can try to sell it and get a new one.  Was I ready to take pictures?  Right now.  Sure!  So, I took the pictures and wasn’t getting enough, so I left him with the camera and went to finish supper.  When he came in for supper, did he bring the camera?  Ummm.  You guessed it, NO.  I finally retrieved my camera and the picture of this week’s W4DW after I operated the combine all afternoon and had the boys doing their homework in the combine for 2 hours.

If you are interested in a used sprayer, there are pictures of it at the bottom of the post.  ;)

I have talked before about how I love to stock my freezer when I am getting ready for one of our busy seasons.  I like to cook ahead of calving season, but also harvest.  I have written about how different times of the year demand different recipes in my Farm Wife Meal Planner.   We are getting ready for corn harvest, soybean harvest, calf weaning and wheat planting.  It looks like this year it will all take place at the same time, so I better get busy stocking the freezer.  Here is one that my family loves.

If you have kids in your house, anything with pasta and cheese is sure to be a hit.  I adapted this recipe from a Pampered Chef recipe about 12 years ago.  It makes a huge batch, so if you have a bunch of hungry boys to feed it might just be the ticket for you.

Cheesy Mostaccioli

1 (16 oz) package mostaccioli, cooked

1 cup onion, chopped

2 pounds ground beef

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 clove garlic

¾ teaspoon black pepper

28 ounces tomato juice
1 package spaghetti sauce seasoning packet

1 (10 ¾ ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350*.  Brown ground beef and onion for about 10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, drain off drippings.

Stir in seasonings, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce mix and soup and mix well.  (You can also substitute a jar of spaghetti sauce for the tomato juice and seasoning packet.)

Combine pasta, meat sauce and 1½ cups of the mozzarella cheese in large casserole dish. 

At this point, you can continue with the recipe and bake or freeze for another meal.

Cover the dish with either a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. 

Carefully remove cover and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the casserole.  Bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes.

 This make 12 servings.

-A Kansas Farm Mom

And one of the 20+ pictures of the sprayer that delayed my post.  Gosh I love being a Farmer's Wife!  :)  Have a great rest of the week and wonderful weekend!!