Melt Down Monday with Dairy

Instant macaroni and cheese has its place in my pantry because my sons love it, but they also enjoy trying new recipes that contain their favorite ingredients. Macaroni-and-Cheese Deluxe, found in my 1979 Southern Living Recipes  book,   has a rich flavor and would  complement any meat dish.  It's a perfect, family pleasing  recipe, and easy to prepare  for melt down Mondays!


Macaroni-and-Cheese Deluxe

1 (8oz.) package elbow macaroni
2 cups small-curd cottage cheese
1 (8oz.) carton commercial sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 cups (1/2 pound) shredded process American cheese
Paprika


Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.
Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir in shredded cheese.
Add macaroni, stirring well.
Pour into a greased 9-inch baking pan, and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Helpful Hint: To make shredding of very soft cheese easier, put in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 servings

 

Dairy Makes Sense Everyday!

Dairy Farmer's Rain Dance

 

We've waited all winter for this spring wheat crop to start growing and now with a few warm spring days you can  see it changing almost daily. It's our kind of excitement!

 

 

Field crops need nutrients to grow so  Casey spread a measured amount of commercial fertilizer over several fields today. With moisture and more growing days, this wheat will be chopped or baled for our dairy cows to enjoy as part of their balanced diet that provides high-quality milk.

 

 Just so you know,

the dairy farmer's rain dance is done with a tractor and a fertilizer spreader!

 

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

Whether it's being called to assist in rounding up the cows who found the hole in the fence,

 

 

or

 

picking flowers while the fence is being repaired,

 

or

 

 

witnessing the birth of a new dairy calf,

                I'm thankful for each experience I have working with  my dairy farm family everyday
               as we work to produce high-quality, nutritious milk by caring for our land and animals.
              

Spring Fling Down on the Dairy Farm

 

Even though it's spring, our chilly temperatures haven't enticed the pasture grass to grow very fast. 

 We'll continue  feeding large round hay bales in the manger for these soon to be mama cows until there is an ample supply of grass to satisfy every cow just like we've done all winter. I'm sure the cows are anxious for their spring fling in  lush grass after such a hard winter!

 

I love spring down on the dairy farm for a lot of reasons but it's always  fun to see how the cows behavior and attitudes seem to change with a few warm days and a little green grass.

I'm not so different from the cows--I think my attitude and behavior is a little bit better with warm sunshine and the beauty of spring!

 

 

It's hard to tell who is more anxious for the dairy farm's spring fling--the cows or the farmers!

Great American Milk Drive Supports Food Banks

Feeding America is America's leading domestic hunger relief organization with the mission to feed hungry Americans through a network of member food banks and engage our nation in the fight to end hunger.  Hunger is a reality for more than 49 million Americans. Through partnerships with public and private organizations and businesses , millions of meals are secured on behalf of local food banks to provide hunger relief.
 

Dairy farmers and dairy processors launched The Great American  Milk Drive this week in partnership with Feeding America to bring awareness about the scarcity of milk for food banks and to work for a goal of providing 2 million gallons of milk to food banks.

Hunger is a very real problem in America.  It's a fact that  1 in 6 Americans suffer hunger.
I'm joining in the fight against hunger by participating in the Milk Drive and by other opportunities   provided by partnerships with food companies at Outnumber Hunger. Involvement in these activities will help Feeding America to:

• ensure no child is at risk of hunger
• provide well stocked food banks   to help the needy
• improve families have access to food
• help people  in hard times

More information about the Great American Milk Drive can also be found at Midwest Dairy.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

Bridal showers are definitely a fun part of my transition into my soon to be mother-in-law role.

Our hostess had the perfect theme for the shower -- "Udderly in Love"!

 

 

I'm thankful to share in all the " Udderly in Love" memory making!

 

Nutritional Milk Deal

Although I haven't seen the price of milk change  at my local store, I know that there is a huge  variance in the retail price of milk from store to store and from city to city. Milk price is determined by the market forces of supply and demand and right now there is a global demand for milk that is putting pressure on local store prices.  We (dairy farmers) don't have anything to do with milk pricing but we are responsible for producing high-quality milk that offers more nutritional value than any other food America's families can buy.


If you're making hard decisions about the best nutrition for your food dollar, consider milk a nutritional deal because:

• Dairy products are an economical staple with great taste and nutrition.
• Milk offers more nutrients per penny than almost any other beverage option in the supermarket.
• Milk is one of the most nutrient -rich foods on your grocery list.
• At about 25 cents per 8 ounce glass, on a gallon basis, milk is a bargain.
• Milk supplies nine essential nutrients that you and your family need, including calcium,       vitamin D, protein, vitamin A and potassium.

You can find more information about dairy nutrition or how we work to produce high-quality milk at Dairy Makes Sense.

                                                            Milk is a nutritional deal!

Bessie Fact: Dairy foods provide 70 percent of the calcium in the nation's food supply;

milk is the top source of potassium,phosphorus, and vitamin D in the U.S. diet.