Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Five years ago, America's Dairy Farmers and the National Dairy Council teamed up with the National Football League and others to empower kids to make their schools a healthier place. So far, Fuel Up to Play 60 has reached over 38 million kids in 73,000 schools, encouraging them to choose good-for-you foods, including dairy, and get 60 minutes of play a day!

I had a front row seat in the auditorium of Pulaski Elementary in Chicago last week when the public announcement was made that funding for the Fuel Up to Play 60 would be funded for #5MoreYears!
We heard from every representative  in this public-private  program--the National Dairy Council, National Football League, GENYOUth Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education.


Activity with Chef Carla, from the Chew, leading the NFL players kicked off the celebration,

 

followed by comments from the partners,

activities with the NFL players,

 

and, of course,

enjoying a healthy dairy snack!

 

 I'm thankful for the impact Fuel Up to Play 60 is making to  improve the health of this  

                next   generation and  that as a dairy farmer, I'm contributing to this program  
                                                 everyday from down on the dairy farm.

Cookies for Santa's Milk

I can't imagine Santa refusing any kind of cookie but  I decided to have a trial run  just to make sure before Christmas Eve arrives!

One of my hobbies through the years has been saving recipes  from  magazines that appeal to me or that I think my family might like. To tell the truth,  I could probably try a new recipe everyday for the rest of my life.  Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars was a recipe clipped from an issue of Country Woman magazine several years ago.  

Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
12 cup chopped nuts,optional
4 cups miniature marshmallows
Topping:
1 1/3 cups (8oz) chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups crisp rice cereal

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
 Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over cake; return to oven for 2-3 minutes. Using a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows evenly over cake. Cool.
 For topping, combine chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and well blended. Remove from heat; stir in cereal. Spread over bars. Chill.
Yield: about 3 dozen.

                                     These cookies   will be a perfect match for Santa's milk!

Dairy Farm Snow Days

                           Snow days, like everyday  on the dairy farm, are filled with activities
                                           that focus on caring for our cows by making sure

 

they have plenty of nutritious food to eat,

 

 

fresh water to drink,

 

windbreaks for protection,

 

and

hay to lay on instead of snow.

 

Sunshine and warmer temperatures  were a welcome sight today for both farmers and cows!

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It's very unusual for all of my family to be away from the farm together  for more than one day, but I'd say that Christmas came early for me when the Arkansas  ice and snow storm was delayed and allowed our plans to happen. 

Although we didn't travel to Chicago together, I did get to spend one full day with my sons  and my Mother enjoying the sights and sounds of the big city  

 

 

                                                                             and

                                                                                
                                   one snowy evening walking around Chicago with Ryan.

 

                                                                     

                                                                                 
       I'm thankful for  these special times with my family and for each day down on the dairy farm.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

My church began the Christmas Advent season this past Sunday by hanging symbols of the season on the tree. Sharing this service with other members of my church is always a  great way to begin this joyous season.

 

 

                           I'm thankful for these two faithful members of my church--members
                               of the Vaughn  Presbyterian Church  for more than 50 years!

Crying Over Raw Milk

I don't cry about spilt milk but as a dairy farmer,mom, and registered nurse, I do feel like crying when I read about children or adults who have gotten sick from drinking raw milk. Drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk is a health risk. Is it really food freedom to subject your children to illness? Reading about the nine children in Tennessee sickened and hospitalized in November due to an E.coli outbreak caused by raw milk is distressing because it was unnecessary.

 According to Food Safety News, two of the nine children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially fatal kidney disease associated with severe E.coli infections. In just two weeks, five year old Maddie Powell's medical bills had mounted to more than $125,000 and that's not the final bill. Is food freedom worth risking your family's health or life?

From the dairy producer that was involved in this recent outbreak, to the comments from the head of the largest raw milk dairy in the nation, it's obvious they don't seem to understand or believe the proven science that pasteurization is the only way to kill  harmful bacteria that can be present in milk regardless of how diligent the dairy farmer works to provide a safe product.

Here are some proven facts about milk and pasteurization:

• Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria.
• Pasteurization DOES save lives.
• Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself.
• Both raw milk and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins.
• Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value.

If you're considering purchasing raw milk for yourself or your family, please consider that children, pregnant women, the elderly and any person with a suppressed immune system are more  susceptible to raw milk illness. You can find more information at  Real Raw Milk Facts or Midwest Dairy. I'm also happy to answer any questions about how we work every day to provide safe, high-quality  milk on our Arkansas dairy.

Raw milk illness is preventable---real  freedom involves making a  a responsible,informed choice.

Twice Baked Turkey

Even though my family enjoys the left-over Thanksgiving turkey sandwich or warmed up turkey and dressing, we're ready for a  cheesy twice baked  turkey twist in a short time.  Turkey Tetrazzini  (also known as Chicken Tetrazzini) is also perfect for an easy supper after a day of Christmas shopping!

Turkey Tetrazzini

9 1/2 oz. spaghetti, uncooked
3 Tablespoons onion,
chopped (optional)
1/2 clove garlic, minced (optional)
4 Tablespoons butter
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
5 Tablespoons water
1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese,shredded
1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese,shredded
2 cups diced, cooked turkey

Preparation:

Cook spaghetti until tender, drain and mix with a little melted butter.   Cook onions and garlic in butter until tender; blend in soup and water. Stir until smooth. Add cup of cheese, stirring until melted. Stir occasionally. Fold turkey into soup mixture.

Place spaghetti in bottom of greased 13x 9 inch baking dish. Cover with turkey mixture. Top with remaining grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.