Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Practice paid off for Ashton Yarbrough last week when she was awarded first place for her Chicken Chili Lasagna at the Arkansas Dairy Foods Contest in Little Rock. It was fun to watch the contestants working diligently to prepare recipes for the judges.

                        Ice Cream was the perfect dessert for celebrating a job well done! I'm thankful for Arkansas Farm Bureau's support for programs  that  focus on education and youth development.

Dairy Farmer's Pantry

Our dairy cows rely on us to provide plenty of good feed every day so they can produce high quality milk. Because feed costs are the largest expense on the dairy farm, we're always carefully shopping for the best deals in grain and hay purchases. We rely on grain farmers,hay farmers,feed companies and the trucking industry to help us feed our dairy cows. When we receive grain or grain products, it is unloaded into the farm's kitchen pantry known as the commodity storage shed.

We rely on our dairy nutritionist to formulate a balanced and nutritious diet with the combination of grain and hay that we have availiable. Each of our cows will eat approximately 90 pounds of hay and grain that is mixed together for what is known as a total mixed ration. Providing a balanced diet is important to the cow's health and producing high-quality milk. Watching the cows eat in the feed barn is one of my favorite places on the farm. I love to see them bury their nose in the feed,take a bite,and then lift their head as though they were just coming to the surface after a dive in the pool!


Since 1944, improvements in dairy cattle nutrition and dairy science have played an important role in reducing the environmental impact of a gallon of milk that has resulted in:

• 90 percent less cropland
• 75 percent less manure
• 65 percent less water
• 63 percent less carbon

You can find more facts and  information about dairy production or dairy sustainability  at http://www.midwestdairy.com or http://www.dairyfarmingtoday.org.



                                                                         

Dairy Party Recipe

Two  of the best outcomes of the Arkansas Dairy Foods Contest and the dairy recipe contest that we sponsored in our county, are  getting to taste  alot of delicious  food and taking home a new selection of recipes to share with family and friends. Congratulations to   Alexis Looper of Greenwood,Arkansas for  winning first place  in the party idea category with Vanilla cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Filling and Cream Cheese Icing.  What's not to love about a sweet treat  recipe full of dairy products!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Filling and Cream Cheese Icing
Cupcakes:
3 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter,softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with baking cups. Sift together flour,baking powder, and salt;set aside. In large bowl,cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk,beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute. Pour into prepared baking cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack; cool completely.

Strawberry Cream Filling:
1 package (16ounces) frozen sliced strawberries in syrup,thawed
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine strawberries,cream and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and chill before filling cupcakes. Fill cupcakes with strawberry filling using decorating tip #230.

Cream Cheese Icing
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,softened
2 packages (8ounces each) cream cheese,softened
8 cups confectioners' sugar (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon milk
Icing color,if desired


In large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat on high until smooth (30-60 seconds). If icing seems too thin, add confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.  If it seems too thick,add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until icing reaches desired consistency. Add icing color as desired, and mix well.
Frost cupcakes using a disposable decorating bag and a 1M decorating tip. Hold decorating tip approximately 1/4" above cupcake top, at a 90-degree angle to cupcake surface. Pipe a spiral of icing beginning at outer edge and working inward. Pipe a second spiral,smaller (not as wide) on top, and end spiral at center. Pull tip straight up and away. Add any sprinkles or decorations at this time.

Arkansas Scrub Cow Extinction

While researching for information about agriculture history in Benton County, I learned  how the dairy industry evolved in Northwest Arkansas. In the late 1920's and early 1930's, Arkansas "scrub" cows produced not more than a gallon or two of milk a day and had a butterfat content lower than today's standards. With limited production from the family cow and only occasional surplus to sell, most farmers were content with status quo. Status quo was pushed out of the way in the early 1930's by drought and disease that opened the door to improved cattle genetics that lead to improved milk production without increasing the feed cost. Dairy herd improvements led to the extinction of the Arkansas "scrub"cow.

Extinction of the Arkansas "scrub" cow brought increased productivity that led to the development of markets for the milk. In 1947 Kraft opened the Bentonville plant. It was recorded that 740 producers provided 77,000 pounds of milk in 10 gallon cans on 18 routes. The plant was originally equipped to produce cheddar cheese but later changed to Swiss production. Today the plant produces cheese product ingredients.

On opening day of the Kraft Plant, five thousand people came to the rural town of Bentonville to celebrate and tour the plant. It was stated that people came from four states in wagons,battered pick-up trucks,and on horseback. I found this even more interesting when my mother told me that she was marching in the parade with the Bentonville High School Band for this special celebration!
 

Learning about Benton County's dairy industry history has given me a greater appreciation for the hard work and dedication of Arkansas dairy farmers and industry leaders that blazed the trail for the fourth generation of dairy farmers in my own family! 

June Dairy Month Recipe

The Arkansas Dairy Foods Contest is a great way to celebrate June Dairy Month! Although Arkansas Farm Bureau has sponsored this contest for many years, it was my first time to attend this very special dairy event.
I was amazed at the composure of the eight 4-H contestants   as they worked to prepare and present their recipes to the three judges. From the efficiency and organization displayed by each youth, it was obvious there must have been a lot of practice in the kitchen to prepare for this  event.  Congratulations to the contest participants for a job well done!

I'm sharing the winning recipe of the  main dish category prepared by Ashton Yarbrough from Benton County.

Chicken Chili Lasagna

Ingredients:
2 packages (3oz) cream cheese,softened
1 medium onion,chopped
8 green onions,chopped
2 cups shredded Mexican-cheese blend,divided
2 garlic cloves,minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin,divided
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley
3 cups shredded chicken
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies,drained
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 flour tortillas (6inch),halved

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese,onions,1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend, garlic,1/4 tsp. cumin, and cilantro. Stir in chicken;set aside. In a saucepan,melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add chicken broth. Remove from the heat. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese,sour cream,chilies,thyme,salt,pepper, and remaining cumin. Spread 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce in a greased 13x9x2 in. baking dish. Top with six tortilla halves,a third of the chicken mixture and a fourth of the cheese sauce. Repeat tortilla,chicken and cheese sauce layers twice. Top with remaining tortillas,cheese sauce and Mexican cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
Yield: 12 servings

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Winning a trophy at the Dairy Days cattle show is a perfect part of June Dairy Month in Benton County.

   I'm thankful for all the dairy farm families and 4-H  friends that come together  to celebrate June Dairy Days!

Milk's Merits

I never questioned my mother when she told me to drink all my milk  but with the many food choices available to us, it's important to know that all  milk has merit.  Whether you choose to drink regular or flavored, whole,2%,1% or skim milk, all kinds of milk have nine essential nutrients.  Healthy nutritional choices are important in every age and stage of life. Dairy foods provide essential nutrients for good health and are an excellent way to build a healthier diet. Milk's nine essential merits include:

• Calcium--helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth
• Potassium--regulates the body's fluid balance and helps maintain normal blood pressure plus aids in normal muscle activity and contraction
• Phosphorus--helps strengthen bones and generate energy in the body's cells
• Protein--builds and repairs muscle tissue and serves as source of energy
• Vitamin D--promotes the absorption of calcium and enhances bone strength
• Vitamin A--maintains normal vision and skin and important to bone growth
• Vitamin B12--helps maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve cells
• Riboflavin--helps convert food into energy and important to normal eyesight and healthy skin
• Niacin--helps bodies digest sugars and fatty acids

In case you question your mother's advice or just want to learn more about the nutritional and economical benefits of milk,more information can be found at http://www.dairymakessense.com or http://www.midwestdairy.com.

   June Dairy Month is the perfect time to celebrate Milk's Merits!