Category Archives: Sandwiches

Oh How Pinteresting!

A few months ago, I was introduced to a new website called Pinterest. If you’ve never heard of it, approach with caution as it’s very addicting!

Pinterest is a “virtual corkboard.” Users create a basic profile, identify general interests and create “boards” or categories like “Recipes” or “Kids Activities.” If a picture strikes your fancy, you can like it and “pin” it to your wall.

Pinterest is all about photos. A selection of photos and likes from pinners with similar interests to yours will show up on the home screen, making it easy for you to browse and share.

For me, Pinterest is the ultimate solution to my habit of searching online for ideas only to save them to a maze of files on my computer. Now Pinterest organizes ideas I want to keep in mind as my husband and I remodel our house. One of my favorites is filed on my “Mi Casa” pin board. It’s a can shoot that will “shoot” recyclables into storage bins.

Another great feature on Pinterest is that you can attach notes with instructions to your favorite photos or even save the original web URL. For example, the other day I stumbled onto this game of Lawn Jenga and pinned it to my “Craft Ideas” board. With a photo and a URL saved with directions, someday I’ll make this game for family campouts and tailgates. Thank you, Pinterest!

While all of this may sound a bit confusing, you can just think of Pinterest as a collection of inspiration boards. One Pinterest lover said it best, “I love to cook but who has time to come up with fabulous recipes that will impress everyone? Oh that’s right, with Pinterest, I do!” It’s so true! Check out this Turkey Veggie Tray. I always bring veggies to our family Thanksgiving dinner, so this will be a fun spin on a traditional dish.

Sound like something you’d like to try? To create a Pinterest account, you need an invitation to join. But, that’s no problem as I’d be glad to invite you! Contact me with any questions.

In the meantime, enjoy this recipe that I recently pinned to my “Kid Fun” board. Mater sandwich anyone?

Recipe Details: Oh How Pinteresting!

Prep Time: 
Total Time: 
Yield: 1 Sandwich
Ingredients: â€˘ 2 slices of bread (remove crusts, but save them for “truck parts”)
• 2 slices of cheese
• Deli meat of choice
• Sandwich spread of choice
• Another type of meat or vegetable for the eyes
Directions: Layer the bottom with one slice of bread.
Add your spread (remember all pieces are held together with sandwich spread, so keep it light), meat and 1 slice of cheese as you normally would for any sandwich but make sure the meat is on top.

Cut the windshield or “eyes” out of the second slice of bread as well as a mouth. Then add some sandwich spread to the back to help it stick to the meat/cheese layer.

Use the crusts removed from the slices of bread to cut pieces for: rear view mirrors, a bumper, tires, and a “nose”. Use the sandwich spread to adhere all of these pieces.

Use the second slice of cheese to create Mater’s teeth and headlights. You may need to stack pieces based on the thickness of your cheese.

Be creative for Mater’s eyes but keep in mind what might taste good with your sandwich choices. The photo uses pieces of cucumber, but perhaps more of your primary meat would work, or another type of cheese

Click to View Printing Options

It’s August: Let the Hogs Loose!

Posted on by

Summer is the perfect time to let loose, right? That’s why Latham Hi-Tech Seeds is getting ready to let the hogs loose along The Great River Road!

Latham Hi-Tech Seeds is hosting its 3rd Annual Freedom of Independence Ride on Saturday, August 27. Riders will learn about exciting new Latham® seed products as we travel some of the most scenic roads in northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin.

Open to all farmers – Latham Seeds customers or not – it’s a great way to mix and pleasure before the harvest rush. We’ll start in Prairie du Chien at noon with grilled lunch. Then we’ll visit four Latham Technology Showcase plots for agronomic insights and a look at new seed technologies. We’ll ferry across the Mighty Mississippi before returning to Prairie Du Chien for a hog roast around 6:00 PM.

Latham holds independence close to heart. And nothing shows an independent spirit like an American farmer – except perhaps an American farmer on a Harley or one who’s showing some “muscle.” By request, we’re welcoming muscle cars for friends who want share the spirit in their four-wheeled beauties.

Come join the fun! Rev it up with Latham Hi-Tech Seeds on Saturday, August 27. Register today as the number of riders/drivers is limited!

In honor of our upcoming ride and hog roast, today we’re featuring a recipe for pulled pork sandwiches by one of America’s most renowned grill masters. Bobby Flay is known for having fun while cooking up bold, vibrant flavors. And “fun, bold and vibrant” certainly describes Latham’s Freedom of Independence Ride. Enjoy!

Pulled pork sandwiches, courtesy of Bobby Flay

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 cups chicken stock or water
  • 1 (3 pound) boneless pork butt
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • BBQ Sauce, recipe follows
  • 8 to 12 soft buns with sesame seeds
  • Pickled Jalapenos, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium heat (the grill should maintain a constant temperature of 350 degrees F). Place a drip pan filled half-way with the chicken stock on the briquettes. Season the pork butt with salt and pepper and place on the grates of the grill over the drip pan. Close the cover of the grill and let the pork cook for 1 hour. Turn the pork over and continue grilling for 2 to 3 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. More chicken stock may be needed to refill the drip pan during grilling. Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 15 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, shred the pork into strands with your fingers. Add the shredded pork to the BBQ Sauce and serve on sandwich buns with the Pickled Jalapenos.

BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 small Spanish onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt

Heat oil in a medium saucepan on the grates of the grill. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until soft. Add the fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes and juices, vinegar, honey, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce, and cook until the sugar has completely melted and the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened. Season with salt, to taste. Add the shredded pork and stir to coat.

Pickled Jalapenos:

  • 3 cups rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 3 jalapenos, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 7 sprigs fresh cilantro

Special equipment: 1 (8-ounce) jar

Combine the vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, seeds, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes, and then remove from the heat and let sit until cooled to room temperature.

Place the jalapenos, stem side up, into the jar and pour enough cooled vinegar mixture over them to cover. Pack the cilantro sprigs into the jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 4 days.

In my humble opinion, nothing goes with barbecue quite like a slice of homemade peach cobbler or pie. Here’s a link to my favorite, fool-proof and delicious recipe for Colorado Peach pie.

Beef Production Has Been This Family’s Tradition for Five Generations

Posted on by

Medberry's Stone House

Nestled in the rolling hills and green pastures of Clayton County, Iowa, you’ll find Rob and Dawn Medberry’s generational home almost blending into its native landscape.

“The attractive old stone house, erected in 1860 of stone quarried on the farm, still stands staunch and strong. The tall barn, erected in 1864 with a hewn oak frame and stone foundation, stands straight with nary a sag in its roofline,” according to an article printed in a 1967 newspaper that Rob shared with me. More than four decades later, this report is still accurate.

The farmstead was built by James Kerr, who moved from his native Scotland to New York state as a young man. He worked as a bargeman on the Erie Canal before moving to Elgin, Ill., and taking a bride. The young, married couple moved 5 ½ miles north of Volga, Iowa, and stared acquiring farmland. Kerr bought this farm in 1856, just 10 years after Iowa gained its statehood. He was truly a Scottish pioneer, gaining notoriety for his registered Shorthorns and fine horses.

James Kerr’s son, John, took over the farm in 1908. John Kerr’s daughter, Agnes, married Perry Medberry and the young couple became the farm operators in 1924. Rob’s father, Glenn Medberry, was born on the farm and lived there until 1988.

Rob Medberry's Latham Dealer Sign, with frame built by his son Max. A purple-ribbon award winning 4-H project!

Rob’s family is the fifth generation of Medberry’s to live in the beautifully crafted stone house. He and Dawn will celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary on June 11. They’re also the proud parents of four very active children: son Max, 17, is just finishing his junior year of high school; 13-year-old daughter Madelin is a 7th grader; Maria, age 7, is finishing second grade; and daughter, Mayleigh, is three years old.

Activities on the farm keep the brood busy when school dismisses for the summer. From the time he was old enough to enroll in the program, Max has been active in 4-H. Last summer he earned a purple ribbon at the county fair for his woodworking project, which involved building a frame for his dad’s Latham dealer sign. This summer Max is showing a steer at the county fair, and Madelin is showing a heifer. Both of them have also entered a Pen of 3, which will be judged according to feed efficiency and cost of gain, as well as for amount of back fat and length of ribeye.

Rob Medberry and part of his cattle herd.

Raising beef is a natural in this part of the state, where pastureland and forage is abundant in the hillside. The Medberrys have 70 cow-calf pairs plus 110 feeder cattle. They also plant Latham® Hi-Tech Hybrids and Soybeans.

Rob is in his first season as a Latham® dealer and says he’s enjoying it. “Nick Benson (Latham’s regional sales manager here and corn product specialist for the west) knows the products and is great at placing them in these soils,” says Rob. “I don’t have to worry about product performance because Latham has developed a reputation for quality. And, the people are just great to work with.”

With chores and field work, plus a household of busy children, the Medberrys rely on quick fixes and kid-friendly meals like this recipe for Sloppy Joes. It’s a crowd pleaser for all ages!

Sloppy Joes

You will need:

  • 1 pound of ground beef
  • 1 can of tomato soup
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Hamburger buns
  • Skillet
  • Container for excess fat
  • Strainer
  • Stove top, hot plate or outdoor oven

Directions:

  1. Brown the meat in a skillet.
  2. Hold the strainer over the container for fat. Pour everything from the skillet into the strainer. It will catch the meat and let the fat run through.
  3. Put the meat back in the skillet. Add the soup, ketchup and mustard. Heat until thoroughly cooked.
  4. Serve on buns.