June Dairy Month Lasagna

If you love lasagna, you will love Farmer's Market Lasagna.  Adam Richter of Boone County  won third place  with this winning combination of fresh herbs and dairy products in the Main Dish category  of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest.



Farmer's Market Lasagna

Ingredients:

Pan spray such as Pam
Aluminum foil
Deep dish 9 x 13 pan
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin oil
3/4 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 teaspoon Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
1 small finely chopped yellow onion (about 3/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary (stem removed),finely chopped
1 sprig oregano (stem removed), finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley (stems removed), finely chopped
2 24 oz. cans Hunt's 100% Natural Simply Pasta Sauce
15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
24 oz. shredded Italian blend cheese
1 package ready to bake lasagna noodles
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach,chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray pan and set aside.

Meat Filling: Place 1 tablespoon olive oil,ground beef,pork, Cavendar's Seasoning and onion into skillet. cook until meat is cooked through and is crumbly. Remove from heat.

Red Sauce: Place 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped garlic, rosemary,oregano and parsley into pan and heat over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes to release fragrance. Add sauce and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

White Sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, heavy whipping cream, egg and Italian herbs. Whisk or stir with spoon  until smooth. Now it's time to layer. Using a ladle, add a small amount of red sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with a small amount of red sauce, white sauce then sprinkle with meat, spinach and cheese. Repeat these layers two more times for a total of 3 layers. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 45 minutes.Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes or until all sides are bubbling and top is browning slightly. Let lasagna sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes prior to serving in order for the sauce to set and allow for better serving.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                           As we finished feeding the calves yesterday afternoon,
                                        these soon to be mamas gathered up next to the fence.

                                       It seemed like they had a lot they wanted to talk about
                                but when I moved closer to the fence most of them moved back.
                                       I didn't take it personally because though they are large
                                       curious creatures, cows don't usually want hugs and kisses.

                             I'm thankful for the one that listened to me and for the fact  that we
                        are given the opportunity to care for these beautiful dairy cows everyday!


                                       
                                                  June Dairy Month--it's all about the cows!

Dairy Recipe Winner

If you love strawberry shortcake, you will love  Bossy's Buttermilk LeMoo-Cakes created by Aggie Richter of  Boone County for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods contest.  It's a perfect recipe for enjoying dairy products and local Arkansas grown fruits during June Dairy Month!

Bossy's Buttermilk LeMoo-Cakes

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter,room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
Zest of 2 lemons (approximately 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (takes about 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk

Topping Ingredients:

Heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 pound of seasonal berries-strawberries,blackberries,raspberries are all perfect for this recipe.


Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray muffin pans with Pam. Place butter and sugar in mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low until butter and sugar are creamy. You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl a few times. While mixture continues to beat, add eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth. Add lemon zest,lemon juice, vanilla extract and continue mixing. Add 1 cup flour,1/3 cup buttermilk. Mix until incorporated. Repeat two more times. Using a cookie scoop, measure batter and fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Place in oven and bake for approximately 20-22 minutes. Use a toothpick and test center to make sure cakes are done before removing from oven. Let cool on counter for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Topping Directions:

While the cakes are baking, remove any stems from the berries and if needed slice into bite sized pieces. Rinse under cool water and drain. Place fruit in a bowl, drizzle with honey and toss slightly. Let sit at room temperature until cakes have finished baking (up to 30 minutes). This allows the berries to release their juices and creates a sweet sauce for the cakes. Using a whisk, beat together the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until it forms slight "peaks". Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Once cakes have cooled slightly, place on plates and add a spoon of whipping cream and fresh berries. Cakes served warm.

Happy Father's Day

From all the mothers down on the dairy farm...

  Happy Father's Day!

Celebrate Dad With Dairy

I can't think of a better way to start a Father's Day celebration than by preparing a delicious breakfast featuring Sausage Enchiladas.  Sue York of Monroe County proved to us that this is a winning recipe at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest by being awarded  second place in the Main Dish category.

Besides tasting delicious and having the ability to be prepared ahead to fit a busy schedule, Sausage Enchiladas definitely qualifies for  celebrating  the use of dairy products during June Dairy Month.


Sausage Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb. bulk sausage
1 1/2 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese (divided)
1 bag (2 oz.) of real bacon bits
1 bag (8 count) 8 inch flour tortillas
1 cup of heavy cream (whipped)
1 cup of whole milk
1/2 teaspoon of salt
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon flour

Directions:

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage while breaking it up with a spoon. Drain the fat. Let meat cool slightly then stir  in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 of the bag of bacon bits. Spoon mixture down the center of 8 flour tortillas. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs,flour and salt. Mix in heavy cream and milk. Pour over the tortillas in pan. Cover the dish and place in the fridge overnight (or bake immediately). When ready to bake, sprinkle remaining cheese and bacon bits over the tortillas. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Uncover dish and bake 10 minutes longer or until eggs are set and cheese is melted.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 75 minutes
Serves: 6

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Dairy farmers in Northwest Arkansas can be found celebrating

 June Dairy Month in the hay field!

Today's hot,sunny weather  was perfect for cutting,baling and 

wrapping hay for our dairy cows. 

I find it amazing to watch this process...

                                                                                and
                                I'm thankful for the two sons who work on our Arkansas dairy
                                  farm  to make sure we  have quality feed for our dairy cows.

Dairy Recipe Winner

If you're looking for a fun and delicious  party idea, this dairy recipe is it!  Natalie Lester of Williford,Arkansas (Sharp County) placed second in the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest with Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Parfaits.
Served in a small mason jar, tied with a pretty ribbon, it would be perfect for any party.

As we watched Natalie prepare this recipe, it is obvious that she mastered whipping cream. If you follow her recipe directions, you too can be successful!

Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Parfaits

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups pretzels,crushed
1 cup pecans,chopped
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter,melted
4 cups strawberries,diced
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese,softened
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Whipped Cream: The most important step before you begin to make homemade whipped cream is to make sure everything is really cold. Place the beater and the bowl of the mixer in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Also place the heavy whipping cream, in the freezer at the same time. Place the cream, 1/4 cup granulated  sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on low at first. until all the ingredients are fully mixed. Then turn the mixer on medium speed. Medium speed is key to making the best homemade whipped cream. Whip the cream until almost stiff peaks form. The best way to tell if it is ready, is when the beaters are lifted out of the cream you can see little peaks that do not fall right away. If yo mix too much you will make butter. The best whipped cream is right before it gets to the butter stage.

For remainder of the dish: Mix together crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, brown sugar and melted butter. Spread on a large baking sheet with sides and bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and then break it into small pieces. Beat together softened cream cheese,remainder of granulated sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream mixture. Now layer in the jar as follows: pretzel mixture, strawberries, cream cheese mixture and sprinkle a little more of the pretzel mixture on top.