Summer Abundance Main Dish Salad

Between raindrops, we've been enjoying the grill. Honestly, we grill year-'round since we have home-grown beef in the freezer, but, during the summer, there's more lingering on the backyard swing and listening to the birds call in the trees while the steaks or burgers are cooking. Winter or summer, the cats always linger longingly in the vicinity, hoping some of that aroma will end up in their dish. And they do eventually get the scraps.

This recipe combines grilled steak with the fresh fruits of summer. Farmers' markets may have Kansas-grown strawberries at their stands right about now, though the season is way too short. Even if you have to rely on the grocery store's produce section, there are plenty of specials on fresh fruits at this time of year. The season never lasts long enough to suit me. I'm always a little sad when the price for a box of blueberries or raspberries makes it a luxury, rather than an option. (I guess I should be happy for the berry farmers.)

Thankfully, Randy doesn't have to have a meat-and-potatoes offering every meal, so a main dish salad can take center stage at noon with this Summer Abundance Main Dish Salad. It's dressed up with a homemade raspberry dressing and Maple-Bourbon Pecans. If you don't have time to make homemade dressing, top with bottled raspberry vinaigrette.

You could also make a chicken farmer happy and use chicken instead. Or support a fishery with salmon to top the salad.

 

You can build these salads for any number of diners. That's why I didn't put amounts for the lettuces and fruits. For those with hearty appetites, arrange a big hand-full of greens as the salad's base. I used a combination of romaine and spinach, but mixed greens also are tasty. Use a luncheon plate for a smaller serving. Add your selected summer fruits. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Top with the freshly-grilled steak. Just before serving, add the dressing to taste and sprinkle with the pecans.

Summer Abundance Salad

with Grilled Steak and Maple-Bourbon Pecans

Seasoned, grilled steak - 3-4 ounces per serving
Spinach
Romaine lettuce or mixed greens
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Peeled orange, cut up
Feta cheese
Maple-Bourbon Pecans (recipe below)
Raspberry Dressing (recipe below)

Maple-Bourbon Pecans:
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. real maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. bourbon
1 cup pecan halves
Pinch of coarse sea salt

Raspberry Dressing
10 raspberries
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. dried tarragon (or 3 tbsp. fresh)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil

For the dressing: Combine the 10 raspberries, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, tarragon and salt in the bowl or a food processor or blender. Process until the raspberries are pureed. With the processor running slowly, pour the oil through the chute until combined. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

For pecans: Place a piece of parchment paper or a silpat mat on the counter and set aside. Add brown sugar, butter and maple syrup in a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted and bubbling, stir in bourbon and then pecans. Cook while stirring constantly until mixture begins to crystallize around the pecan halves. Spread pecans onto prepared surface and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cool completely. If you don't use them all for the salad, store in a tightly-sealed plastic bag and use for more salads or for snacking.

To assemble the salad: Put a nest of mixed greens on each diner's plate. Top with fresh seasonal fruits and feta cheese as desired. Sprinkle with Maple-Bourbon Pecans. When ready to serve, top with homemade raspberry dressing. 

Zesty Ranch Beef Stroganoff

I admit it: I get in recipe ruts from time to time. I have go-to recipes that don't require a lot of thought. The ingredients are always available in my well-stocked fridge and pantry. So I go with the path of least resistance when it's 11 AM and I think, "What am I going to serve at noon?"

Tell me I'm not alone!

But that rut can also lead to "same old, same old" meals. It's not as if I don't have plenty of recipes to draw from. I have more cookbooks than anyone needs. And my pile of "to try" recipes from blogs, Facebook and other sources threatens to avalanche off my kitchen counter.

Again, please tell me I'm not alone!

So, recently, I dug into that "to try" pile and made Zesty Ranch Beef Stroganoff. I almost always have hamburger ready to brown, since that's the most abundant meat source in my freezer. The other ingredients were all on hand, too. (True confessions: The original recipe called for fresh mushrooms. While there are not many foods I dislike, mushrooms happen to make that list. So I skipped the mushrooms. Feel free to add them if you are a fan. Randy likes mushrooms, but around here, it's the cook's prerogative.)

Since it made a large casserole, I baked half and put half in a disposable foil pan for another day. That's always handy for busy days or if I'm going to be gone at noon. Instant meal for Randy!

Some fresh sliced tomatoes and Colorado sweet corn from Smith's Market in Hutchinson made for a complete summertime meal. Enjoy!

Zesty Ranch Beef Stroganoff

Adapted from The Kitchen Is My Playground blog

10 oz. wide egg noodles
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 packet ranch dressing mix (dry)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping
2 tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 1/2 tsp. dried)
Pinch of salt and pepper

Cook noodles in salted water until done. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, brown hamburger with garlic and onion. Cook until hamburger is browned. Drain fat.

Return to heat. Add flour and stir well. Stir in chicken broth, buttermilk and dry ranch seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Stir in sour cream, mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper. Toss hamburger mixture with cooked noodles.

Spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole or 9 X 13-inch baking pan.

For topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and toss together with fork. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the noodle mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and bubbly and topping is lightly browned.

The original recipe called for 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms. Since I don't like mushrooms, the cook's prerogative is to leave them out - whether Randy likes them or not.

Beef Month: Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

I sometimes watch the Food Network show Cooks vs. Cons. In it, two professional chefs and two home cooks prepare food for celebrity judges. While the contestants are cooking, the celebrities try and figure out whether they are cooks or cons.

Kitchen techniques often get mentioned as an indicator of professionalism. I think I could make a tasty dish for the judges. But I'm afraid my knife skills would betray my amateur status. I thought about that again as I was dicing the peppers and onions for these Philly Cheesesteak Sliders.

As the celebrity chefs would say, my "knife cuts" probably aren't as consistent as they should be. But my lack of professional knife skills didn't get in the way of the yummy taste.

May is Beef Month. For us, every month is Beef Month because that's what we have in the freezer. (Click here for a complete look at our beef - from hoof to plate.) The Kansas beef industry is vital to the Kansas economy, generating more than $9 billion annually. Kansas is home to 6.25 million cattle, which is more than twice the human population of 2.9 million. Kansas also ranks third nationally in the value of beef and veal exported, at $787.7 million in 2014. The industry supports more than 48,400 jobs in Kansas.

Beef provides 10 percent of 10 essential nutrients, including zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins, in less than 10 percent of the daily recommended calorie intake. Specifically, a 3-oz. serving of beef provides 25 grams, or about 50 percent of the Daily Value, for protein. Today, about two-thirds of beef sold at retail, including popular cuts like sirloin steak, tenderloin and 95 percent lean ground beef, meet government guidelines for lean. (Source: Kansas Beef Council).

This Philly Cheesesteak Slider recipe likely will end up in the line-up for wheat harvest meals to the field, even though they are less "finger food" and probably best eaten with a fork. On our farm, the guys usually stop for their meal anyway to get off the combine or out of the truck for a few minutes. And a fork is probably better than dirty fingers anyway, right?

I served the sliders with watermelon and an apple coleslaw salad. Click on the link for the salad recipe.

Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Adapted from my Facebook feed

1 package Hawaiian slider buns (can use Hawaiian rolls or mini-sub buns, too)
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 sweet peppers, diced (I used 2 red peppers, but you can use any color or a combination)
1 sweet onion, diced
1 lb. steak, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
12 slices provolone cheese
3 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Put bottom buns in the paper-lined dish. Spread evenly with mayonnaise or salad dressing. Top with 6 slices of provolone cheese; set aside.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and peppers. Cook until tender and starting to caramelize. Add steak. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the steak is cooked to medium rare. Remove from heat. Drain the majority of the excess liquid.

Put meat mixture over the bottom buns. Add another 6 slices of cheese. Place slider tops over cheese layer. Brush tops with melted butter.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until top has browned and cheese is fully melted. Number of servings depends on your diners - either one or two sliders per person.

Easy Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetables

On hot summer days, a Crock Pot helps a cook keep cool - literally and figuratively. And though it may say "September" on our kitchen calendars, our warm Kansas temperatures and stout southerly winds don't make it feel like the arrival of fall is just around the corner. 

No matter the time of year, I'm always glad to find a new recipe to add to my slow cooker arsenal - whether it's to beat the heat or to save some time.

This beef and veggies meal came up on a Facebook feed. I'm also always looking for ways to use the beef in our freezer. (Brent pointed out that people might rather grill their sirloin steak, since it's a tender cut of beef. And, while I don't disagree, it's also nice to have an alternative. It might be possible that the recipe could be used with a less tender cut of beef, though I haven't tried it myself.) 

Broccoli was the only vegetable called for in the original recipe. But I decided I wanted to add additional color and flavor with sweet peppers. Mushrooms or other veggies could be added as well.

Serve over white rice and you have the flavors of a Chinese restaurant dish without ever leaving home. For extra fiber and nutrition, serve over brown rice.

Both times I've made this recipe, I've taken out a portion of the beef and broth before adding the vegetables. I refrigerate the reserved portion and later make my Kansas farm wife version of Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches. The sandwiches first appeared on the wheat harvest menu, and the recipe has been added to the meals-to-the-field rotation. It will likely make a return during fall harvest time.  (It would have been helpful if I'd planned to make it yesterday, since I made two parts runs to Hutchinson and two trips to Stafford, too!)

Tune in tomorrow for the sandwich recipe!

Easy Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetables

Adapted from Facebook - Buzzfeed

2 lbs. sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast, sliced thin
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
2 cups coarsely chopped multi-colored peppers

For serving:
White or brown rice, cooked as directed on package

In the insert of the slow cooker, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic. Place slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, whisk together cornstarch and water in small bowl. Pour into crock pot and stir to mix well. Add the broccoli and peppers; gently stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook an additional 30 minutes to cook vegetables and thicken sauce.

Serve over warm white rice.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Steak and Orzo Salad

I should probably say this is a lunch-sized plate, not a dinner plate, but the photo doesn't offer that perspective.

It's now Dairy Month, but why don't we backtrack to Beef Month for just a moment, OK? It was just a few days ago in May. And, technically, the feta cheese in this recipe would qualify for a nod to Dairy Month, so we're good, right?

I saw this recipe in the Summer 2015 issue of the Kansas Farm Bureau's Kansas Living Magazine, and I knew I wanted to give it a try. We weren't disappointed.

Perfectly grilled medium rare slices of seasoned sirloin steak are perched on top of orzo pasta combined with colorful grape tomatoes, chopped green onion and feta cheese in a light vinaigrette. The original recipe called for soy nuts. I didn't have time to make a run to Glenn's Bulk Foods, where I might have been able to purchase them (though I'm not sure about that). But, since Randy isn't the biggest nut fan (not counting me, of course - ha), I just deleted the nuts. Leaving out salted nuts makes the addition of some salt a must to this recipe, though. I did throw a few shelled and salted pistachios on my serving of leftover salad, which was delicious.

This made a lot, so we've enjoyed it as leftovers, too. The recipe says to keep 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette separate to be able to add later. Even though pasta salad often absorbs moisture, we haven't added any additional dressing as we've eaten the leftovers.

Dairy Month or Beef Month or any old month ... This recipe is a keeper!

Orzo Pasta Salad 

with Grilled Steak

From Kansas Farm Bureau's 

Country Living magazine, Summer 2015

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. beef steak, seasoned and grilled to desired doneness
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. chicken base paste (I used a bouillon powder)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. orzo pasta
Additional chicken broth, base or bouillon
2 cups red and/or yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup feta crumbles (can be plain and/or sun-dried tomato feta)
1/2 cup minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 cup sliced green onions
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup soy nuts (opt.)

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions, using chicken broth (or water flavored with paste or bouillon instead of water). While orzo is cooking, prepare dressing by combining vinegar, lemon juice, honey and chicken base pasta. Whisk in olive oil. (If fresh basil isn't available, add the dried basil to the dressing)

When orzo is cooked, drain completely, then place into large serving bowl. Toss with tomatoes, feta, basil and green onions.  Add all but 1/3 cup of dressing and toss to coat. Stir in soy nuts (if desired) and serve immediately with steak, which has been grilled to desired temperature and cut into strips across the grain.

Keep remainder of dressing on hand in the refrigerator for serving with salad at a later time. (Pasta absorbs moisture, so additional dressing may need to be added; however, we didn't find that to be the case with this salad.)

Note:  Soy nuts are not something I can get at my grocery store, so I did not use them. I did use some salted pistachios on some leftover salad, and that was tasty.

Beef Enchilada Mac & Cheese

 

May is Beef Month. Of course, pretty much every month is beef month around here. With a freezer full of beef and a farmer who much prefers beef over chicken, beef is on our table 9 times out of 10.

I've enjoyed searching the Beef: It's What's for Dinner website, especially recipes from The Healthy Beef Cookbook. Dieters may not think about beef as part of a plan for smart eating. However, the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study, conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, found consuming lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet lowered LDL “bad” cholesterol by 10 percent, which was just as effective as the DASH diet. That's good news for Kansas cattle producers like us.

This research provides support that nutrient-rich lean beef can be an everyday part of a heart-healthy diet:

• On average, a 3-oz. serving of lean beef is about 150 calories.
• Beef is an excellent source of nutrients, including protein, zinc, vitamin B₁₂, vitamin B₆ and niacin.
• Many of the most popular beef cuts sold at retail are lean, including T-Bone, Tenderloin, Top Sirloin and more. 

We enjoy the steaks and roasts that we get when we harvest one of our farm-raised animals. But hamburger fills a good portion of the freezer, so I'm always looking for new ways to use it.

The original recipe for this dressed-up mac and cheese used chicken, but I substituted hamburger instead. I made it for our church's potluck to honor our graduating seniors. It makes a lot, so it's probably a recipe you'll want to prepare when you have more than two people at the dinner table (though we're not opposed to leftovers)!

I used mild enchilada sauce, but you could definitely bump up the heat by using a zestier sauce. The sauce used four different cheeses - pepper jack, Cheddar, Parmesan and cream cheese - for a creamy and tasty combination that spices up traditional mac and cheese. Enjoy!

Beef Enchilada Mac and Cheese

 Recipe adapted from A Dash of Sanity blog

16 oz. bag pasta (rotini, bowtie, shell or other favorite or combo)
1 lb. hamburger, browned
2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
10 oz. can enchilada sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro, if desired

Brown hamburger and drain. Set aside. (The original recipe called for 2 cups of grilled or rotisserie chicken.)

Cook pasta in large pan of boiling water until al dente. (I used a combination of rotini and bowtie.) Drain and set aside in a strainer.

Using the same pan, add cream cheese, sour cream, milk, enchilada sauce and all the cheeses. Stir over medium heat, until melted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add in pasta and hamburger. Stir until well combined and heated through. Serve immediately. Top with chopped cilantro, if desired.

I was serving this for a potluck at church, so I knew it was going to sit in the refrigerator before I warmed it up later in the day in the oven. Pasta absorbs liquid, so I added additional enchilada sauce before putting it in the pan. I put it in an oven-proof pan and topped with additional cheese, warming it up until it was heated through.

Where's the Beef?

An old Wendy's commercial used to ask, "Where's the beef?"

My answer? "It's in my freezer."

Half a beef - 419 pounds' worth - is now packed into my downstairs chest freezer. It's been packaged as hamburger, roasts, steaks, ribs and brisket.

Additional beef went to our daughter's house in Topeka. (Brent is still working on his last installment of County Line beef.) It's also filling freezers for three other families.

No, it's not certified organic. It's not totally grass-fed. But I know exactly how the animal was cared for because I helped take care of it.

The story ends on a dinner plate.

This beef was star of the plate in a Farmer's Market Salad.

But it began in the winter of 2013. The two animals we most recently butchered were born then.

We cared for them throughout that cold, snowy winter.

 

In late April and early May 2014, it was time to take them to summer pasture.

I can't believe it, but I found photos - albeit not very good ones - of both the calves that ended up in our freezer. They were No. 3033 ...

... and No. 3069.

They and their "classmates" spent the summer at the Ninnescah and Rattlesnake Pastures.

In late October 2013, we gathered them off the summer pastures.

We brought them back to the farm to be weaned from their mamas and to spend the winter.

 All winter, they got a steady diet of grain, hay and silage.

This shows the silage being fed via the feed truck being augered into the feed bunks.

In February 2014, we sorted steers and heifers. We kept the heifers that we wanted to breed and add to our herd. A semi came and picked up the steers and their sisters who weren't going to be added to our operation.

They were transported to the Pratt Livestock Sale Barn, where they were sold. 
No. 3033 and 3069 were among the "girls" who stayed on the County Line to join the cow-calf operation.

Last April (2014), they had "visits" with the bulls. Then, in May, they went with the other heifers - and a bull - to spend another summer in the pasture.

In November 2014, we brought the cows and heifers back to the farmstead. Our veterinarian came to do pregnancy checks.

No. 3033 and No. 3069 did not pass that test. But they now had a new job: We continued to feed them to prepare for their important job of feeding our family.

On a cold and snowy day, March 1, 2015, we hooked up the trailer ...

... and loaded the two cows. Randy estimates they tipped the scales at approximately 1,400 pounds each.

We took them to Ellinwood Packing and unloaded them.

They were harvested the next morning, March 2.

On April 1, about a month later, Randy brought home the custom-packaged beef. The two 1,400-pound cows yielded 1,714 pounds of processed beef, which went to five families, three getting half a beef and two getting a quarter.

So, where's the beef? It's in our freezer and on our dinner plates. But it's a story that's a long time in the making.

Quick Beef and Salsa Skillet

It's all about that beef, 'bout that beef (no chicken).

(Inexplicably, I have the song, "All About That Bass," playing on my mind's soundtrack. And since beef is in our freezer and my Farmer would pick it any day over chicken, it seemed to work.)

This Quick Beef and Salsa Skillet has a lot going for it.

1. It uses some of the beef in my freezer.
2. It uses one skillet, so it's quick and easy to prepare and clean up. 
3. It's got a Mexican flavor flair.
4. You can control the "heat" by using your favorite prepared (or homemade) salsa. You could also add more chili powder to amp up the spice.
5. At our house, it produces leftovers. (Revisit the quick comment above.)

I know some people don't believe in using convenience items like Bisquick. You can definitely make your own drop biscuit dough and use that instead.

Pair the skillet meal with a fresh green salad with lots of veggies and you have dinner (or lunch or supper - whatever your terminology) ready to go in a snap.

It's all about that beef, 'bout that beef (no chicken).

 

Quick Beef and Salsa Skillet

From the Bisquick Cookbook

3/4 to 1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (16 oz.) thick and chunky salsa
1 can (15-16 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8.5 oz.) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder (divided)

1 1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup water

1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Cook beef in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until brown; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, corn, tomato sauce and 1 teaspoon of the chili powder. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low.

Stir Bisquick, remaining 1 teaspoon of chili powder and the water together until soft dough forms. Drop by 6 spoonfuls onto the simmering beef mixture.

Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and cook 8 minutes longer. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 6.

Note: You can make this as mild or as spicy as you and your family like by anything from mild salsa to hot.

#FiveWordsToRuinADateWithAFarmer

I need to take a Twitter class. I keep watching the notices for technology classes from the Hutchinson Public Library, but one hasn't come up lately.

I'm on Twitter, but I'm not really ON Twitter ... though I sometimes stalk it. (Yes, I'm admitting it to my sister and my niece who have wondered if that's the case.)

A few weeks ago, there was an article in Grazing the Net, an email I get weekdays from Beef Today. I love their often humorous approach to serious animal agriculture issues. A hashtag title caught my eye:  #FiveWordsToRuinADateWithAFarmer.

Among the funniest to me were:

• I left the gate open.
• Can't you call in sick?
• I don't like gravel roads.
• I like my steak well-done. 
• Huh! The neighbors' yielded better.

And another one hit home:

Want to eat at Chipotle?

Our granddaughter likes the "rice and bean place," as she calls it. But I am going to campaign for substituting Jose Peppers or Qdoba. I am dragging my feet at spending money at a place that purports to be pro-farmer yet seems to denigrate modern agriculture at every turn.

Last summer, Chipotle said it was going to buy grass-fed, antibiotic-free beef from Australia because the restaurant couldn't find enough U.S. beef that met its "high standards." More recently, Chipotle said it stopped serving pork at a third of its restaurants because one of its suppliers was using gestation or farrowing crates, and there was a "pork shortage." (Read what a Minnesota pig farmer has to say about the Chipotle pork shortage and see Trent Loos' photos from pigs housed both inside and outside during the harsh Nebraska weather this week, along with his commentary. Thanks to my Christmas in the Country blog friend Dr. Lindsay for the link to that blog.)

We are conventional farmers. And while I certainly support organic farmers and the consumers who prefer to buy organic products, that doesn't mean we aren't raising cattle and crops with integrity, too.

We compassionately care for our animals, as do 99.9 percent of the rest of animal agriculturists - whether organically or conventionally raised. The animals are our business, and, if we don't take care of them, it impacts the bottom line. And, of course, we also believe it's the right thing to do. The same goes for crop production. We aren't using heirloom seeds and products. We are using the technology available to grow quality products. And we are feeding our own families from our corrals and fields.

I don't see Chipotle founder and CEO Steve Ells using technology from 150 years ago. If he was, he'd be sending advertising supplements out using the Pony Express, not paying for ads during the Super Bowl or designing his company's website around how much integrity his restaurants have.

So, I guess I will go to other Mexican restaurants. Or I'll make my own burrito bowls. 

Homemade Burrito Bowls

adapted from Iowa Girl Eats blog

Serves 4

1 lb. chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or other chopped. fresh tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups sweet corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen corn
4 oz. shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped

Seasoning Mix:
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

For Cilantro-Lime Rice:
2 cups water
1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime

Quick Guacamole
3 ripe avocados
Juice from 1/2 lime
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Garlic salt, to taste

For Seasoning Mix: Mix the seasonings together in small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon to season the beans.

For Chicken:  Mist or brush chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil, then season on both sides with the mix. Grill for 3-4 minutes a side over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Let rest for 5 minutes before chopping.

For the Cilantro-Lime Rice:  Bring water, oil and salt to boil in a saucepan. Rinse rice in a strainer under cold water, then add to boiling water. Place a lid on top; turn head down to medium-low and simmer until rice is done, about 15 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro. Stir to combine.

For Beans: Put drained and rinsed black beans in saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of seasoning mix. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low to stay warm.

For Guacamole:  Add all ingredients to a bowl and mash with potato masher. Taste and adjust garlic salt, if necessary.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Scoop cooked Cilantro-Lime Rice into bowl. Top with grilled chicken, seasoned beans, tomatoes, sweet corn, shredded cheese, romaine lettuce and guacamole. Serve with salsa, if desired.

NOTE:  I also prepared and grilled steak to substitute for the chicken. (though I didn't get a photo taken of it.) Randy prefers beef over chicken.

Power Bowl with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans

April has arrived. While I like soups all year 'round, it's also a time to think spring and main dish salads. Thankfully, my farmer likes salads, especially when they include homegrown beef.

I saw a recipe for Chicken Power Bowls on Iowa Girl Eats, a blog recommended to me by Jill's father-in-law, Alan, who works for Iowa State University Extension. Jill and I have both tried several of Kristin's recipes.

Kristin patterned her Chicken Power Bowls after the Panera version. Randy will eat chicken if that's what I offer, but in typical beef farmer fashion, he prefers red meat. I seasoned and grilled sirloin steak for this main dish salad. (You could also use your favorite marinade.)

We loved the crispy baked garbanzo beans so much that I bought another two cans so I could make more and add them to other salads. The next time I try them, I'll probably bake them just a little longer. I didn't want to burn them, but the ones that were crunchy inside and out were the tastiest. Plus, they need to be fairly dried out if you have any leftover for storage in an airtight container. They provided the crunch of croutons with more nutritional boost. Bonus!

I couldn't get chevre cheese at my local grocery store, so I substituted feta. However, by reading the comments on Iowa Girl Eats, goat cheese gives another dimension to this tasty main dish salad, so I'll likely try it again with the chevre once I get some at a larger store.

Notice those beautiful hard-cooked eggs with no unsightly green ring? If you cook them as recommended in the recipe directions, you, too, will have perfectly yellow eggs. Enjoy ... we did!

 Beef Power Bowls 

with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats blog

Serves 4

15 oz. can garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas)
About 16 oz. total Sirloin or T-bone steak
4 eggs
9 oz. spinach or other salad greens
1/2 cup shelled pistacios
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 oz. chevre (goat cheese) or feta cheese

Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette
6 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. honey
1 garlic clove, microplaned or minced
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain garbanzo beans, then rinse and pat dry with a paper towel (the drier the better). Pour onto a baking sheet, then add extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, or until caramel in color. Beans will continue crisping as they cool. Sprinkle with salt, then set aside to cool completely. This can be done ahead of time; beans can be stored in an airtight container after they are completely cooled.

Place eggs in a saucepan then cover with cold water 1 inch above the tops of eggs. Bring to a boil, place a lid on top, then remove pan from heat and let sit for 12 minutes. Drain, then plunge eggs into ice water or run under cold water for a few minutes. Peel eggs when cool enough to handle. This, too, can be done ahead of time. Cook, then peel eggs and store in refrigerator. Slice just before serving.

Prepare steak as you desire. I sprinkled with steak seasoning before grilling to desired doneness. Let rest before cutting into strips.

Divide spinach between four large bowls or plates. Top each with 1/4 cup crispy baked garbanzo beans, 1/4 of the prepared steak, 1 sliced hard-boiled egg, 2 tablespoons each pistachios and dried cranberries and 1 ounce crumbled goal cheese. (I had to use feta since my grocery store didn't have chevre.)

For the vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients in a jar or a bowl. Shake or whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Pour over salads and serve.

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I think the Orange Vinaigrette on this main dish salad would be tasty as well.

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Today, I'm linked to Wake Up Wednesdays with Wichita blogger Ashley's Kitchen Meets Girl blog. Check out what else is cooking in kitchens across the country by clicking on the link.

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I'm also linked to the Country Fair Blog Hop hosted by Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom, Dirt Road Charm and High Heels and Shot Gun Shells. Click on the links to check out their blogs. 

Autumn Chopped Salad

The calendar is quickly moving into soup weather. I'm all for that. I love homemade soup on a chilly fall day. In fact, I made this season's first pot of Vegetable Beef Soup this past drizzly Monday.

But I also love salads all year 'round. A few weeks ago, Jill told me she'd tried an Autumn Chopped Salad from the blog, Iowa Girl Eats. (Jill's father-in-law, Alan, steered both of us toward this blog awhile back. Good advice!)

I've now made this Autumn Chopped Salad three times, including once as a side dish for a ladies' luncheon, where it got great reviews. The last time I made it, I served it as a main dish salad by adding seasoned grilled steak. Randy is glad to eat salad as long as he gets some protein to go along with it. Even though the original recipe had bacon and it provided good flavor, that's not enough protein to make it a main dish at our Kansas-beef-raising house.

Pears and apples are favorite fruits for the fall. Throw in some dried cranberries, feta cheese and, of course, that bacon, and it's a winning combination. The dressing is a blend of purchased poppy seed dressing and balsamic vinegar. Yummy - no matter the season!

Autumn Chopped Salad with Marinated Steak

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats blog

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 slices center-cut bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
1 pear, chopped, with skin on
1 apple, chopped, with skin on
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup Poppy Seed Salad Dressing (more or less)
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (more or less)
Grilled seasoned steak (about 3 ounces per person)

Cook bacon until crisp (I used the microwave.) Cool and chop. Grill seasoned steak to desired doneness. Set aside to rest. 

Combine romaine lettuce, pear, apple, peanuts, dried cranberries, cooled bacon and feta cheese into a very large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine poppy seed dressing and balsamic vinegar to taste. Toss salad dressing with salad, coating well.

For main dish salad, put dressed, chopped salad onto serving plates. Top with sliced grilled steak. Serve immediately.

This generously serves 2 for a main dish salad. As a side, it serves a big crowd.

Notes:

• Even though I'm a vinegar lover, Randy is not. And we both preferred the dressing with only 1 tablespoon of the balsamic. 
• Next time I make it, I might try this homemade dressing, Orange Vinaigrette, which I've used on other main dish salads.
• I've used peanuts every time, but it would be great with walnuts or pecans, too. 

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Today, I'm linked to Wake Up Wednesdays through Wichita blogger Ashley's Kitchen Meets Girl. Click on the link to see what's cooking. 

Beef Up Lunch Plus A $50 Giveaway

I served Sweet Potato Beef Mash-Up Wraps with cherry tomatoes, grapes and baked zucchini crisps.

Move over, turkey! There's a new partner in town for your buddy, sweet potatoes. You may have a "beef" that you're getting booted aside, but taste buds don't lie, so mosey on down the road until November, won't you?

Hamburger and sweet potatoes are the new co-stars in Sweet Potato Beef Mash-Up Wraps, a recipe developed by the Beef Council to be used in school lunch programs to meet the revised USDA school lunch guidelines.

As a Kansas beef producer, I'm always glad to see beef included in school lunches. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef (about the size of an iphone) contains 150 calories, yet provides more than 10 percent of the Daily Value for 10 essential nutrients, including protein, which is important for kids (and adults) because:

• It helps maintain a healthy weight;
• It helps physical performance;
• It supports growth, repair and maintenance of the body's tissues;
• It supports the production of red blood cells;
• It provides satiety (a feeling of fullness).

To help schools include high-quality protein, like beef, on the menu, a team of culinary experts developed five new beef recipes. (All five recipes can be found by clicking here.) Before final selection, the recipes were tested in schools across the U.S. to evaluate students' response, as well as ease of preparation and food sourcing for lunch personnel.

While it's not a combination that I would have dreamed up myself, the Sweet Potato Beef Mash-Up serves up a tasty and healthy meal with just enough Mexican spice to wake up your taste buds. And you can get dinner on the table in around 30 minutes - always a bonus in my book. 

There's still a little bit of time left for Kansas school food service directors to try one of the new ground beef school lunch recipes at home and then add it to their school lunch rotation for 2013-14. As an incentive, the Kansas Beef Council is offering to reimburse, up to $10 through September 1, school menu developers for ground beef purchases to try one of the new recipes.

But you don't have to be in food service for a chance to win a gift card! I was asked by the Kansas Beef Council to try one of the beef recipes and share it on Kim's County Line. The Beef Council has provided me with a $50 gift card to give away to one of you! To be eligible for the gift card, please leave a comment on the blog about your favorite meal featuring beef. If you have trouble leaving a comment, you may email me at rkjbfarms@gmail.com. The winner of the gift card will be chosen at random from all the comments received. The opportunity to win the $50 gift card will close at midnight on August 28, and the winner will be announced here.

Check out other beef recipes on Kansas Beef's Pinterest or like Kansas Beef Council on Facebook. Also, you can find recipes at Beef:  It's What's For Dinner.

I also received money to cover the cost of ingredients in making this recipe. However, the opinions are my own (and Randy's, of course)! I modified the recipe as indicated in the recipe notes. 

***UPDATE:  Ginger Sanders was the lucky winner of the $50 from the Kansas Beef Council. Randy drew her name from the bowl. (Really high-tech, right?!) Ginger shared that her hubby's favorite beef recipe is meatloaf. He likes it just as much the second day as meatloaf sandwiches. Thanks to all who participated by naming your favorite beef dish! UPDATE ***

Sweet Potato Beef Mash-Up

Makes 4 servings

Total Recipe Time:  30 to 35 minutes

1 lb. ground beef (93 percent lean or leaner)
1/2 cup water, divided
4 tsp. taco seasoning mix, divided
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup Greek or regular nonfat yogurt
1/2 to 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
Chopped fresh cilantro
Small whole wheat flour tortillas (6- to 7-inch diameter), warmed (opt.)

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove drippings. Stir in 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons taco seasoning; cook 3 minutes. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

Combine sweet potatoes, onion, remaining 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons taco seasoning in the same skillet. Bring water to a boil; reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring once. (Note:  When I checked this at 5 minutes, the potatoes were starting to stick, but weren't cooked. So I added another 1/4 cup water. That worked well.) After 10 minutes, remove lid; stir in oil. Continue cooking, uncovered, 4 to 6 minutes or until potatoes are tender and begin to brown, stirring frequently. Return beef mixture to skillet; continue to cook 2 to 4 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine yogurt and hot sauce, as desired, in small bowl. Note: I only used 1/2 teaspoon, but you can adjust it to taste.

Evenly divide beef mixture into four tortillas (about 1 cup for each serving). (This can be served as a hash without the tortilla and is 247 calories.) Garnish with cilantro and serve with yogurt mixture as desired.

Nutritional Information with 1 small tortilla, 1 cup of the beef-sweet potato mixture and 1 tablespoon of the yogurt mixture: 357 calories; 15 g fat (5 g saturated & 5 g monounsaturated fat); 76 mg cholesterol; 576 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 5.0 g fiber; 29 g protein; 6.3 mg niacin; 0.4 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 2.8 mg iron; 18.3 mcg selenium; 6.0 mg zinc; 82.3 mg choline.

This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6 and B12, selenium and zinc; and a good source of iron and choline.

Rock and Roll Beef Wraps

Want to try another of the recipes developed through Beef Checkoff dollars? I made this one, too, and the guys found them in their wheat harvest meals-to-the-field line-up.

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I'm linked today to Ashley's What's In Your Kitchen Wednesday.