John and I helped host coffee and fellowship at church on Sunday. For occasions such as this, I always enjoy making recipes that are easy to prepare ahead of time,  make large quantities and require little prep time. Plus,  they must look and taste delectable. This weekend I chose two recipes that fit the bill on all accounts: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, which are one of my kids’ favorites, and Blueberries & Lemon Cream in Phyllo Shells. 

Blueberries & Lemon Cream is most likely a recipe you don’t already have in your collection. I do hope you’ll give it a try! It’s a nice, light recipe for spring and summer. May this recipe help bring a little “spring” into your kitchen, too.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
3. Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well.
4. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Blueberries and Lemon Cream in Phyllo Shells

Source: North American Blueberry Council

Ingredients

• 48, pre-made Phyllo shells
• 3/4 cup SYSCO Classic powdered sugar, sifted
• 1-1/2 qt. SYSCO Classic reduced fat sour cream
• 3 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 cup SYSCO Classic lemon juice
• 3 qt. SYSCO Classic IQF blueberries
• 24 each lemon twists, garnish

Preparation

1. Stir powdered sugar into sour cream. 
2. Add zest and juice; stir smooth. Cover; chill.
3. For each serving, spoon about 1 T. lemon-sour cream mixture into bottom of pastry shell.  Top with approximately 3 blueberries.

NOTE:  Unless you’re feeding an army or planning to make large pies with the leftover filling, you’ll want to half this recipe.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke March 5 at the Commodity Classic in Anaheim, Calif. Vilsack, as reported by Successful Farming, shared his hopes to expand global market access for U.S. farm products with corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers.

Vilsack discussed the USDA’s efforts to reenergize rural economies by promoting U.S. products throughout the world with a different approach than has been used in the past. The USDA previously looked at agricultural trading partners by geographic region. But in a new strategy outlined by Vilsack, the USDA will be looking at countries based on their position on an agricultural market continuum. This new approach will open the door for strategies that can increase exports to each individual market.

“USDA’s continued work to expand trade opportunities for America’s hard-working farmers and ranchers will play an important role in our effort to rebuild rural communities across the country,” said Vilsack. “Increased trade will not only create important income opportunities for producers, but also the off-farm jobs that are so critical for revitalizing rural America.”

What are your thoughts on the USDA’s new approach to export markets?

As you’ve heard and read recently, Chile was hit with one of the hardest earthquakes ever recorded. The magnitude of the 8.8 quake and the following tsunami waves have been a huge blow to the people and infrastructure of this South American country.

Latham Hi-Tech Seeds does winter production and research in Chile for both corn and soybeans. We use several different companies there, and fortunately, the people whom we work with have been reported safe. There doesn’t appear to be any major structural damage to any of their facilities at this time, although travel is difficult and electricity has been cut throughout much of the region. The main national artery, the Pan-American Highway, also has substantial damage but appears to be operational.

The southern area of Conception, where many of our earlier varieties and hybrids are raised, was probably closest to the quake’s epicenter. The ports in Conception (south) and Santiago (further north) are both open and operating, but many of the customs facilities were damaged.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this tragedy.

Experience has taught me that the key to hosting a successful party – whether it’s for adults or children – is having large quantities of good food. And our daughter’s 9^th birthday party was no exception.

Last Friday, my daughter requested to take cupcakes to school for her birthday treats. Since her party theme was Zany Zebras, I tried my best to make her treats fit the theme. My artwork leaves a little to be desired, but these cupcakes were a hit in the classroom. Kids were pleasantly surprised to bite into the mini Oreo® center. 

That night we hosted six girls for an overnight, and those little girls had big appetites! For supper, I put a new twist on pizza by serving a casserole. Some of our guests had second – and even third – helpings!  Best of all, it’s easy to make and costs less than ordering take-out. Add baby carrots and apples slices to complete the hassle-free, well balanced meal.

Breakfast the next morning was a snap, too. Monkey Bread is not only delicious, but it’s an easy recipe for kids to help make. From the time my kids were in preschool, they’ve been able to help cut up the biscuits and shake them in cinnamon/sugar. Food always tastes better (in their minds) when they had a hand at making it! I just sliced a few strawberries and bananas, fried a little bacon, and poured glasses of cold milk to round out the meal on Saturday morning.

Hopefully, your “little monkeys” will enjoy these recipes, too. I always enjoy swapping ideas with other moms, so feel free to share with me your kids’ favorites.

PIZZA CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 2 c. twisted macaroni, cooked according to package directions
• 1 ½ lb. hamburger, browned with onion, salt & pepper
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1, 15-oz. can pizza sauce
• 1, 8-oz. can tomato sauce
• ½ tsp. sugar
• Dash of onion salt, garlic salt and oregano

Directions

Mix hamburger and macaroni.  In a separate pan, mix: tomato sauce and tomato paste, sugar, onion salt, garlic salt and oregano.   Then add the sauce mix to the hamburger and macaroni.  Put ½ of this mixture in a 2-qt. casserole dish and top with half the mozzarella.  Then add the remaining mixture and top with another layer of cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. 

NOTE:  I like to add Hormel’s mini pepperonis to this casserole, too.

OREO® SURPRISE CUPCAKES

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) package chocolate cake mix (2 layer size)
• 1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia Cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 48 miniature Oreo cookies
• 1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package.  Spoon evenly into 24 paper- or foil-lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 1/2 full.
2. Beat cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.  Place about 1-1/2 teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture over cake batter and add 1 cookie. Cover with remaining cake batter.
3. Bake 19 to 22 minute or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before moving cupcakes from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (There may be an indentation in top of each cupcake after baking.).
4. Frost cupcakes with Cool Whip®. Garnish with remaining cookies.

Monkey Bread

• ¾ c. sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 tubes of biscuits (cut into ¼’s)

Place sugar in cinnamon in a plastic bag; shake biscuit pieces.  Arrange coated pieces in Bundt pan.

Syrup:

• 1 c. brown sugar
• ¾ c. melted butter
• 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Mix well.  Pour over biscuits in Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Turn out on cookie sheet to cool.

Moe Rusell, who provides risk management tips for corn, soybean and livestock producers, says this year there is a drastic difference between the tone of meetings he’s conducted with soybean and corn producers verses that of the livestock producers. The following information comes from Russel’s article, “Build an Alliance,” in the February issue of Corn and Soybean Digest.

Generally, corn and soybean producers had a great 2009; a number of clients netted a $200+/acre profit. On the other hand, livestock producers have had their working capital, overall equity and financial stability severely hurt.

Grain producers need to remember the biggest corn user in America is the livestock industry. With every difficulty there is an opportunity, and I see potential for corn and soybean growers who have had great income the past two years to look for opportunities to develop alliances or partnerships with livestock producers who have suffered losses.

In many cases, livestock producers still have very viable businesses, says Russell, and you may both be able to benefit by developing a business arrangement. However, first be sure to ask yourself if the person you’re considering is trustworthy. If so, move forward. If not, stop right there.

How does the arrangement work?

If a hog producer has owned hogs and fed them in his own buildings, he could contract-feed for a grain farmer who would own the pigs and provide the feed. To compensate the hog owner for his facility, time and work, the grain producer would pay an agreed-upon contract fee, much like hog integrators do. A grain producer could buy the feeder pig, lock in corn and soybean meal prices and forward sell the finished hog and lock in a nice profit. This could be a short- or long-term arrangement between two parties, and a win-win for both.

Click here to read the full article.

The February issue of Wallaces Farmer contains the article “Time to pick crop insurance,” reminding farmers of the March 15 deadline to sign up for insurance on their 2010 crops.

One question many farmers have about purchasing insurance is whether to purchase by basic unit, enterprise unit or optional units. The four choices of crop insurance include:

Optional units: Each farm and crop is insured separately. If you farm three different farms in a county, each has its own coverage.

Basic units: Your owned and rented acres in the same county are combined, but each crop is separate.

Enterprise units: All acres of the same crop in the same county are combined. So, all your corn acres are insured separately from your bean acres.

Whole Farm units: All your corn and bean acres in the county are combined.

Work with your crop insurance agent to better understand each form available before determining the best option for your farm. Click here for more information that may help you make your crop insurance decisions.

Corn and Soybean Digest’s February issue included a story titled, “When bad things happen to good seeds.” The article discussed how an early spring bed isn’t an ideal situation for seeds and how avoiding germination and emergence problems can boost yields. 

“We put our expensive seeds into an environment that’s stressful,” says Bill Wiebold, University of Missouri Extension plant scientist. “Unfortunately, a number of bad things – including things other than diseases and insect pests – can happen to high-quality seeds.”

We asked our own Mark Grundmeier, seed product manager, about his thoughts.

“The trend has been to plant earlier and earlier over the past decade. While this practice – in general – has increased yields, there are some pitfalls to watch for and avoid. Farmers should avoid planting into soils that are too wet. This practice always causes problems later due to side-wall compaction and/or uneven emergence. When planting soybeans into cool soils, farmers should consider the use of a fungicide seed treatment such as Latham SoyShield to prevent the advent of seedling diseases.”

The article contained a number of good tips for planting preparation:

1. Monitor soil temperature. Wait to plant until the soil temperature is 50° F, lowering your risk of poor emergence.
2. Avoid compacting the soil. Delay tilling and planting until the soil is dry enough to minimize compaction.
3. Make sure your planter is well tuned. It should open the seed furrow without sidewall compaction.
4. Stop the planter often and look. Make sure you are getting uniform seed depth and good seed-to-soil contact.

Click here to read the full article.

Please let us know if you have any questions we can help with.

As you all know, agriculture has faced a lot of attacks in the media this year. We don’t have to go very far back to see the reports and events that have made life difficult for some of our friends in agriculture. First, H1N1 is referred to as the swine flu and nearly cripples the pork industry. Just two weeks ago, Nightline aired a story on the dairy industry that was bias even in its title, “Disturbing Reality of Dairy Land.” Then, just last week, CBS aired a report on antibiotics in livestock and littered the report with references to “factory farming.”

Before I get too upset, I’ll first state my agreement with an editor who said the media reports sensational stories, because that’s what we viewers/readers have decided we want. It’s not speculation. It’s proven. So, they grab the sensational.

However, I still feel these reporters could have done a better job at airing the truth. Because, the truth as I know it first hand from the dairy industry, is that the majority of producers care for their animals better than we care for our pets. Providing regular vet visits to ensure health, taking care of hoof treatments, and providing a nutritionist who has them on a healthy diet. And the truth, as I know it from the pork industry, is that the antibiotics given to their animals are only antibiotics approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat pigs, and are administered when pigs are sick, susceptible or exposed to illness. Click here for more information.

When someone talks about agriculture negatively, it’s important that we all speak – with one voice – about the truth of agricultural practices. Spread the message about how you care for your land and water. Let them know your passion for your work, and your dedication to helping feed our world. That’s the true story.

What stories are you going to share with consumers?

I heard a bird this week that I haven’t heard since last spring. I know, I know. There’s five feet of snow out there and this is a very small slice of hope in it all, but it is hope nonetheless! It means that soon more and more birds will return to the northland. And soon, we’ll see green again.

In honor of green – and of our trip to Key West last week – I’m sharing a recipe straight from Kermit. Kermit’s Key (West) Lime Shoppe was a popular stop for the Latham group.  And thanks to a recipe posted on foodnetwork.com, we can all enjoy it from the comfort of our own homes.   Below is the recipe for Kermit’s delectable Key Lime Pie. Enjoy!

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 (9-inch) graham cracker piecrust
• Whipped cream, to garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a mixer on low-medium speed, blend the milk and egg yolks at low speed until smooth. Add the key lime juice and finish blending.
3. Gently pour the mixture into the piecrust and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for another 15 minutes before refrigerating.
4. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Serve cold and top with fresh whipped cream.

Do you have a favorite pie recipe that screams spring? Oh, who are we to judge? We love all pie!

After a winter spent digging out from record-breaking snowfalls, customers and dealers of Latham® Hi-Tech Seeds enjoyed heading south for a few days of warmth and relaxation. Nearly 80 Midwesterners traveled to Key West, Florida, from Feb. 7-10.

The trip began with “Cheeseburgers in Paradise” during a private Super Bowl party at the Hard Rock Café. The next day we toured Old Key West via trolleys with stops at Truman’s Little White House and the Hemingway House. As an avid reader, aspiring writer and fervent cat lover, I particularly enjoyed touring Hemingway’s house.

The legendary author’s presence can still be felt in his studio, which he built on the second floor of a carriage house. One can just picture Hemingway penning his famous novels while his beloved cats nap in the sunlight. In fact, decedents of Hemingway’s unusual six-toed tomcat still roam freely around the grounds. Nearly half of the 60 cats that currently inhabit the grounds are polydactyl. All of the cats are named after famous people, upholding the tradition that Hemingway started. I couldn’t resist snapping this photo of “Charlie Chaplin.”

In addition to Hemingway’s cats, Key West is famous for its fowl. Chickens have roamed freely since the pioneer days and are now part of the Southernmost’s quirky charm. About 2,000 birds now inhabit an island that measures 2-by- 4 miles. I snapped this colorful photo as our group enjoyed lunch on Monday.

Tuesday was our “water day.” Some members of our group got a very different view of Key West as they toured the area by jet ski. Others in our group enjoyed snorkeling, fishing or parasailing. During our free time, we enjoyed walking down the famous Duval Street, as well as soaking up the sun poolside and napping on the beach. That night we celebrated the sunset – yes, it’s an actual celebration in Key West, complete with a champagne toast – onboard a catamaran for a dinner cruise on our final evening.

With reluctance, Wednesday morning I packed my bags for our return flight to the frozen tundra. I didn’t enjoy walking through a two-foot drift to get inside our vehicle, but I was eager to be snug inside my home again. Thankfully, spring isn’t too far off now – at least that’s what I’m telling myself as our area braces for more snowfall!

Thanks again to everyone who participated. We’re looking forward to next year!