Arkansas Welcomes Flat Aggie

Flat Aggie from Miss Allard's first grade class in Nicolaus, California, rode into Bentonville, Arkansas, this week  on a cold north wind after an exciting visit on a Minnesota dairy farm with dairymom Janet Bremer and her family.  I loved reading about Flat Aggie's experiences  at My Barnyard View!

Since arriving on our dairy and beef farm in Northwest Arkansas, Flat Aggie has been helping me take care of Farmer Ryan as he recuperates from major reconstructive shoulder surgery this week. It's taking both of us to do this nursing job!!

One of our  main jobs is to make sure  our patient is getting plenty of good nutrition. During the healing process from any surgery, extra protein,vitamins A and C and increased calories are needed.  Dairy foods  provide the perfect power punch needed to aid healing since dairy  contains  nine essential nutrients, including calcium,magnesium,potassium and phosphorus, in addition to 48 percent of the daily value of protein.

I'm looking forward to showing Flat Aggie around the farm and really appreciate the extra help during the holiday season!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

 

We care for our dairy cows by providing a nutritious diet every day. This year's drought has created many challenges in the quantity and quality of feed that is available. I'm thankful for our dairy nutritionist who assists in making   sure that our cow's are enjoying a nutritious,balanced diet to produce high-quality milk.

Ninety Years Young

As we drove into the yard by the Logan Community Building in rural Benton County this afternoon, it was obvious by the number of vehicles and the people standing in line to enter the building that it was one whale of a party for our special friend, Ava. Celebrating your 90th birthday is a very Big Deal!!

Ava is a cherished icon to many of us in the county--a retired dairy farmer,wife,mother,dedicated 4-H leader and supporter of all 4-H activities and Benton County Fair superintendent for decades. Ryan and I also have another special connection with Ava as she was a childhood friend of my grandmother and Ryan's mother. We've heard lots of stories about fun in the good old days! Ava is a perfect example of how farm families live and work in their communities for decades volunteering to make sure that the community grows and thrives.

 

Ava's enthusiasm for life is contagious and her family made sure that her 90th birthday would not only be a celebration but completion of an item on her bucket list--a ride on a motorcycle!

 

90 years young!!

 

Busy Day Cake

Even though I enjoyed being with Ryan away from home for the last three days, I was excited to see the Christmas tree lights shining brightly as we drove down the lane to our house. I saw some beautiful Christmas decorations while in Nashville but there's just no place like home!


Any day is busy on the farm but tomorrow is going to be extra busy with catchup work, a special choir practice for our church Christmas program and our extended family is getting together late in the afternoon for our traditional extended family Christmas.

Thank goodness for small favors--chocolate cake is one of the items I am to provide for the family dinner! Chocolate Sheath Cake is a family favorite, easy to make and festive when served on a pretty pedestal or holiday cake plate.

Chocolate Sheath Cake

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Crisco
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspooon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs,slightly beaten

Bring butter,Crisco,cocoa, and water to a rapid boil. Pour over the sugar and flour and beat well. Add buttermilk and soda,vanilla and eggs. Beat, then bake at 400 degrees F. in 18 x 12 in. metal loaf pan for 20 minutes. Cover with the following.

Icing:
1 stick butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar,sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans (optional)

Bring butter,cocoa and milk  to boil. Add powdered sugar,vanilla, and pecans. Beat well and pour over cake while hot.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

After I drag all of the boxes out of storage,

one of my favorite Christmas traditions  is to decorate our tree with ornaments that have been given to me through the years by loved family and friends. It seems fitting that one of my favorite ornaments is the Swiss Cheese Lane lighted ornament that was a gift from Ryan's mother in 1985.  I'm thankful for every sweet  memory that is associated with the people and traditions of the Christmas holiday season.

Power Up With Cheese

Even though there are more than 300 different cheeses in the United States and 2000 in the world, you can always find Cheddar,Colby or Monterey Jack in our refrigerator. We've never had any cheese that we didn't like but these are our  favorites for snacking, to use as a salad topping or shredded and combined with other recipes.

Cheese packs a powerful protein punch that can curb hunger,supplies calcium,vitamin A and B12,riboflavin,phosphorus,potassium, magnesium and maintains muscles and builds strong bones and teeth. If you're counting calories or portions, one serving of cheese is 1.5 ounces of natural or 2 ounces of processed cheese. A serving is also the equivalent of 4 cubes the size of playing dice.

  If you are needing a quick,calorie light lunch or dinner to fit a busy holiday schedule, you may want to try Colby Cobb Salad. It's perfect for the Colby Cheese lover!

Colby Cobb Salad

For the dressing:
2 cups fat-free yogurt,divided
4 large basil leaves
1/4 cup parsley,stems removed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon additional pepper (optional)

For the salad:
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce (1 small head)
1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup diced cucumber
2 slices cooked turkey breast,cut into strips
2 tablespoons bacon bits
1 egg, hard boiled and chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded Colby or Colby Jack cheese

Preparation:
Place 1 cup of yogurt,basil,parsley,chives,lemon juice,honey and pepper in a blender or food processor. Cover and pulse until smooth (dressing will be green in color). Pour yogurt mixture into a medium bowl; stir in remaining yogurt and mayonnaise until just blended; refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the salad: Place lettuce at the bottom of a bowl and sprinkle the tomatoes,onion,cucumber,turkey,bacon bits, egg and Colby cheese on top. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss lightly. (Dressing may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated)

                    You can find Colby Cobb Salad and other delicious recipes at DairyMakesSense!

Crazy Day Recipe

 I'm not sure what possessed me to try a new recipe when my friends from church were coming to my house for our December Christmas potluck, but I'll just say I was crazy. I  found Creamy Italian Chicken   in Ecclesiastical Cuisine, a cookbook I purchased last year from the Central Presbyterian church Women's Association in Fort Smith,Arkansas.Whether you're having a crazy busy day during this holiday season or just feeling crazy--here's a recipe you may want to try!


Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
4 bonesless,skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/4 cup water
8 oz.cream cheese,softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz. can mushroom pieces,drained
Dash garlic powder

Put chicken in slow cooker. Combine dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Mix cream cheese,soup,and mushrooms. Add garlic powder and pour over chicken. Cover and cook 1 hour longer.

Creamy Italian Chicken turned out to be very tasty and a great success measured by clean plates and everyone requested   a copy of the recipe!