Category Archives: Appetizers

Dipping into the “Unofficial” Start of Summer

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Marc Johnson's cattle herd on pasture

There’s an old adage that says, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” But as I rode in the buddy seat while Marc Johnson planted corn in a field overlooking his cow-calf pairs on pasture, his herd looked content.

It’s no wonder these cows are happy because life is good on this Ida County farm. The damp, cool days of April have turned into mild, sunny days in May. As a result, the conditions have been fit for calving. The Johnson’s first calf dropped April 2, and there were 53 calves on the ground four weeks later.

What a difference a few weeks make in the country! Although Marc got a later start planting than he had hoped, everything ran smoothly and he finished planting corn in record time. Marc was able to keep the planter rolling, thanks to help from family members. His brother-in-laws worked the ground ahead of him and delivered seed to the field.

Marc and Lorraine Johnson

Family ties are important to Marc, and that’s one of the reasons he enjoys working with a family-owned seed company. “I really like working with Latham because it’s a family-owned business. I can talk directly to the owners if I want,” he said. “And, I really enjoy working with my RSM, Bart Peterson. I call him up if I need something or have a problem, and he’s always there for me.”

Marc says he achieved some of the best yields ever in 2010 with his Latham® seed products, and that says a lot. He’s been planting Latham brand soybeans since 1980 and has planted Latham Hi-Tech Hybrids for five years. With Latham genetics combined with traits like Genuity® VT3 PRO and Genuity Roundup® Ready 2 Yield Soybeans, Marc is looking forward to seeing the results from the 2011 harvest season.

Marc Johnson fills his planter with Latham brand seed

This year’s spring planting and fall harvest seasons will be especially busy for the Johnsons. Of course, life on the farm keeps them busy. Lorraine also coordinates the school-to-career program at the OA-BCIG High School, where she works with local businesses and places students for internships as they earn elective credits.

In their spare time, Marc and Lorraine are helping with wedding plans. Their youngest son, 25-year-old Jason, is getting married over Memorial Day weekend. Their oldest son, 26-year-old Jerrod, will get married in October. Of course, beef is on the newlyweds’ menu!

The Johnsons enjoy beef as the main course or as appetizers. Marc particularly likes Lorraine’s Pickle Beef Dip on crackers. He says it makes a great snack after a long, hot day in the field.

Lorraine’s recipe appears below, just in time to celebrate May Beef Month and to enjoy Memorial Day picnics. I’ve also included a beef dip recipe that I found online and have been waiting to try. Perhaps I can whip up both of these recipes during the upcoming holiday weekend, so we can snack on beef dip while our steaks cook on the grill. I can’t think of a better way for my family to kick off the unofficial start of summer!

What’s your family’s favorite way to enjoy beef in the summertime?

PICKLE BEEF DIP

Ingredients:
1, 8-oz. package cream cheese (softened)
4- to 6-oz. of chopped dried beef (or two, 2½-oz. packages of corned beef)
4 oz. chopped dill pickles
1 T sour cream

Directions:
Mix together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Stir in chopped beef and chopped pickles. Serve with crackers.

CHIPPED BEEF AND CREAM CHEESE DIP

Ingredients:
1, 8-oz. package cream cheese (softened)
2 T milk
1 package smoked beef – chopped fine
2 T dried onion flakes
2 T chopped green bell pepper
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Blend all ingredients, except pecans, together with mixer. Put mixture in casserole dish and cover with the pecans. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Serve warm or cold with corn chips or crackers.

Plan a “Fancy” Tea for Mother’s Day

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Throwing a party for your mom and her friends tops the list of “How to Celebrate Mother’s Day.” That’s all well and good for older children, but it might not be so practical for an 8- or 9-year-old child – unless you’re a Brownie Girl Scout!

Tomorrow our Brownie troop – 19 members strong – is hosting a Fancy Nancy Tea Party. We’ll be breaking out the boas and bringing the bling. “Pink” will be the theme of the day because Nancy wouldn’t want it any other way!

Fancy Nancy is a fictional character in the best-selling books by Jane O’Connor. Nancy loves everything fancy, from clothing and accessories to activities and words. (Yes, she’s a girl after my own heart! Nothing makes me smile like a fun pair of shoes, and I’ve always loved using fancy words – even before fancy words were cool.)

To keep with our theme, we’ll be serving a menu of fancy foods including:

  • Pink mints – thanks to Laura Cunningham for sharing her grandma’s recipe;
  • Pink Lemonade Cupcakes – thanks to Leslie Maynes for sharing the recipe below;
  • Strawberry Sherbet Punch – thanks to Mary Schumacher for sharing her family tradition; and
  • Ribbon sandwiches – thanks to my own mother for this one; plus
  • PB&J, using a Pampered Chef® Cut-N-Seal® to make them fancy, too!

While our Brownies are busy in the kitchen with food preparation, their mothers will be treated to manicures. We’ll also show a PowerPoint presentation that highlights our troop’s activities throughout the year. In addition, each girl will have the opportunity to have a “party pic” taken with her mother.

Tomorrow’s tea is sure to be Très Magnifique! How will you make your Mother’s Day extra fancy?

Special thanks to all of the special ladies below, who are helping make our Fancy Nancy party extra special:

  • Michelle Carlson Hartman, Michelle’s Country Cookin’;
  • Cathy Carlson, Cathy’s Country Cookin’;
  • Lori Sanders, Forever Yours Flowers & Gifts;
  • Sharon Sanders & April Sanders, Sanders Photography; and
  • fellow Brownie leaders, Beth Strike and Tracy Dirksen.

Cream Cheese Mints

Ingredients:
2½ c. powdered sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
½ tsp. flavoring
Coloring as desired
Rubber mint molds in desired shape

Directions:
Mix together sugar and cream cheese well. Add in flavoring, then coloring. Dust molds with powdered sugar. Press dough into mold, remove and chill on a cookie sheet. This recipe yields approximately 70 mints.

Note: If you don’t have rubber molds, the following method will yield great-tasting mints as well: Roll into balls and flatten with fork onto cookie tray. Sprinkle on powdered sugar. Chill 1 1/2 hours, flip and chill another 1 1/2 hours.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c. thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1/4 c. buttermilk
2 or more drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with liners. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until just smooth. Add just enough food coloring to turn the batter a light shade of pink.

Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting (see below).

Lemonade Buttercream:
3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate
Red food coloring

Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt, lemon juice, and a few drops of food coloring to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the buttercream is fluffy and uniformly pink. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

5 Reasons to Celebrate Soyfoods Month

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By Linda Funk, Executive Director
The Soyfoods Council

April is National Soyfoods Month, making it the perfect time to experiment with versatile soyfoods ingredients. There really are sound reasons as to why tofu, edamame, soymilk and other soy ingredients should be in every kitchen!

5 Reasons to Experiment with Soyfoods:

  1. Taste – The mild flavor of soyfoods make them an adaptable ingredient. For example, add edamame to home-grown sweet corn or vegetable soup. This time of year, you’re most likely to find it in freezer section. In the summer, look for edamame at farmer’s markets.
  2. Texture – Whether you want smooth, chewy, creamy or crunchy, there’s a soyfood perfect for you! Silken tofu is ideal for salad dressings. For protein with crunch, try soy nuts. Soy nuts also can be added to your favorite cookie recipe or trail mix.
  3. Health and Nutrition – Soybeans are a simple way to add protein and fiber to your diet. Soy protein is so healthy for you. It’s low in saturated fat and has no cholesterol. It’s also high in polyunstaurated fat and provide essential omega-3 fatty acids. Click here for more health benefits.
  4. Versatility – Soyfood ingredients lend themselves to beverages, appetizers, entrees, side dishes and desserts. Check out The Soyfood Council’s website for more ideas.
  5. Convenience – Soyfood recipes are quick and easy. For example, making “No Fuss Cupcakes” is as simple as adding silken tofu to a cake mix.

With all of these benefits, why not try adding it to some of your favorite recipes?

Spring and summer provide perfect opportunities to try something new like smoothies or dip as you relax on the patio with your family and friends. Soybeans make the perfect snack for people of all ages! To help you get started, below is a recipe for Edamame Dip.

Stay tuned to learn more about Soymilk Smoothies. And, let us know what you create!

Edamame Dip
1½ c. edamame, cooked
1 T. soybean oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. water
3 T. fresh lemon juice

Prepare edamame, according to package instructions but omit the salt. Place oil, salt, cumin and garlic in a food processor; pulse 2 to 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Add edamame, water, and lemon juice; process 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon dip into serving bowl. Serve with pita chips or your favorite vegetables.

Yields 8 servings