Tag Archives: Beef It’s What’s for Dinner

Fall means harvest, moving cattle & pheasant season in South Dakota

October is a busy month for all Midwest farmers, but it’s an especially eventful time for the Eich family of Canova, South Dakota.

The Eichs graciously made time for my visit on Saturday, Oct. 15, although they were in the midst of corn harvest and had a yard full of guests – all of whom were eagerly awaiting the noon opening of pheasant season. (NOTE: It didn’t take me long to realize that the opening of pheasant hunting season is virtually a state holiday in South Dakota. Combines shut down and harvest practically comes to a halt statwide. Until I witnessed it first hand, I thought such tales were only tall.)

When I pulled into the yard that morning, everyone was busy. The husband-wife team of Cory and Leanne run the combine and the grain cart respectively. Their nephew, Kelly Endorf, hauls the crop. All three play a role in the family’s cattle operation, as well.

In addition to growing row crops and selling Latham® Hi-Tech Seeds, the Eichs run a cow-calf operation that keeps them busy year round. The summer months are spent stock piling feed for the feedlot and winter months. After harvest, the calves are weaned and fed-to-finish for 7 months; the cows are moved to cornstalks for winter forage, weather permitting.

It’s no wonder that the Eichs are so passionate about promoting the product they produce. Cory serves as President of the McCook-Miner-Lake-County Cattlemen’s Association and is 2nd Vice President of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association.

“We never have to worry about what we’re going to do because there’s always something that needs to be done,” says Leanne. “We enjoy working together and charting our course. We enjoy operating our own business and the independence that comes along with farming and raising cattle.”

“Beef, it’s what’s for dinner!” isn’t just a slogan, it’s a way of life for the Eichs.

“Our main meal for the day is dinner (at noon),” says Leanne, who keeps her freezer stocked with beef and homemade bars and cookies. “Home-raised beef is our favorite, so most of our sit-down meals consist of roast beef, grilled steaks or hamburger.

A family favorite of the Eich’s two grown daughters, Rachel and Leslie, is Country Beef Roll-Up. Give the Eich’s recipe a try and complement your meal with one of my favorite autumn dessert recipes for Pumpkin Tarts.

Recipe Details: Fall means harvest, moving cattle & pheasant season in South Dakota

Prep Time: Country Beef Roll-Up
Total Time: -
Yield: 
Ingredients: 2 beaten eggs
1/3 c. tomato sauce (small can)
½ c. chopped onion
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1/3 c. crushed saltine crackers
1½ pound lean ground beef
2 c. Mozzarella cheese (do not mix in)
Directions: Mix the above ingredients (except the cheese). On a piece of wax paper, pat meat mixture into an 11×8-inch rectangle that’s about 3/4” thick. Sprinkle with 1 3/4 c. Mozzarella cheese. Starting from a long side, use the waxed paper to help roll up the meat into a spiral. Pinch edges and ends to seal.

Bake uncovered in a loaf pan seam side down, for 50 minutes. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Then bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Click to View Printing Options

Food & FamilyCelebrate Healthy Living with Beef!

Posted on by

Guest blog by
Amanda Radke, BEEF Daily editor, and fifth-generation rancher from Mitchell, SD

After a long, cold winter and spring on the ranch, the sun is finally shining, the birds are chirping, the pastures are greening up, and I’m dusting off my running shoes to start training for an upcoming half-marathon this summer. May not only brings a change in weather and our spirits, but it’s also a time of celebration. Did you know May is Beef Month?

As a busy rancher, writer, blogger, speaker and wife, I believe in the power of protein found in beef to keep me strong, healthy and energized to conquer the things I need to accomplish throughout the day.

Beef Stuffed Peppers

In honor of Beef Month, I hope you will try this family-favorite recipe, “Beef-Stuffed Peppers.” This is an oldie, but a goodie, found at BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. The best part about this easy recipe is that it always wows a crowd and makes a bold statement when entertaining. Be inspired by this recipe and have a May fiesta to celebrate family, friends, healthy living and May Beef Month!

BEEF Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 4 medium green, red or yellow bell peppers
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup uncooked white rice
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sauce:

  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian-style stewed canned tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Cut tops off bell peppers; remove seeds.
  2. Combine ground beef, onion, rice, 3 tablespoons ketchup, salt, 1/2 teaspoon oregano and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
  3. Spoon beef mixture into peppers; stand peppers in 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
  4. Combine sauce ingredients; pour over peppers.
  5. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in 350°F oven 1-1/2 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pepper registers 160°F.

More about Amanda Radke:

When BEEF magazine decided to initiate BEEF Daily, an online roundup of beef-industry news and commentary presented each morning from Monday through Thursday, Amanda Radke was the logical choice to serve as its Editor.

She’s a fifth-generation rancher from Mitchell, SD, and a recent South Dakota State University graduate. She grew up on a family-owned Limousin seedstock operation in which she’s still very active.

At a young age, she already has a long record of advocacy for the U.S. beef industry. She’s the 2006 National FFA Extemporaneous Speaking champion, and the 2006 National Beef Ambassador. And she’s served previous internships with USDA’s Ag Marketing Service in Washington D.C, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in Denver, Colo., in addition to an internship with BEEF magazine this in 2008.

Just how much of an advocate is she? You might ask. Perhaps you heard the story of a young FFA member who led a walkout of several thousand members from a Carrie Underwood concert a couple of summers ago in protest of the country singer’s anti-meat positions and association with the Humane Society of the U.S. That young person was Amanda.

On BEEF Daily, Amanda will be providing timely industry news each morning from Monday through Thursday, to which readers can comment; along with her blog chronicling her experiences and adventures as a young ag professional.