In the Kitchen

From Tractor to Truck to Table: IN Agriculture Appreciation Month

by Ann-Marie on March 18, 2013

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When you think of Indiana, what comes to mind?

The Indianapolis Colts.
The Indy 500.
Corn.
Basketball.
And for many, Home.

What about these add-ons?

Duck.
Watermelon.
Wine.

Gov_PenceHuh? Yep, it’s true. Indiana is THE leading commercial producer of duck, in the top 10 states for watermelon and 13th in wine production! Who knew?! (Well if you’re an Indiana farmer you may ‘knew’).

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a Legislative Luncheon to kick off Indiana’s Agriculture Appreciation Month, hosted by Indiana’s Family of Farmers. The event included talks by Indiana Governor Mike Pence and Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann along with representatives from Indiana’s agricultural associations, farmers and (my favorite part of all) … food trucks (such as the divine dish above from Little Eataly)!

As I’ve worked with Indiana’s Family of Farmers over the past year, I’ve gained a greater appreciation for agriculture, and respect for the process of moving “from tractor to truck”, and I’ll add “to table”.

One of my kids’ favorite things to do in the summer is to pick berries, and I love visiting farmer’s markets to try new cheeses, herbs and tomatoes. I love that my kids are getting their hands dirty and willing to try new things when they’re picked fresh from a field. Last summer we grew tomatoes for the first time, and we’ll be repeating it with new varieties this year. We may not grow duck, or watermelon or grapes, but we can still involve our kids in planting, watering, picking and tasting.

Here are a few fun facts I have recently learned about the foods we eat:

  • Family farmers grow a whopping 90% of corn in the U.S.
  • Most milk travels only 100 miles from the farm to the grocery store.
  • Pork is the WORLD’s most widely eaten meat, and 25 million people each year are fed by Indiana pork producers!

So the next time you’re at the grocery store buying milk, remember it likely came from your own state, and remember the farming families that are responsible for providing your family’s meals!

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Learn more about Indiana’s Family of Farmers, Indiana Pork Producers, Indiana Wine Grape Council and American Dairy Association of Indiana.

This post was sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers. All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure policy for more information.

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Salsa Me Krazy: Quick & Tangy Egg Muffin Recipe

by Ann-Marie on March 6, 2013

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My 3rd grade daughter just started ISTEP testing this week, so to try and give her a different protein source for her breakfast than the standard scrambled eggs, I tried something different!

Last weekend I gave a trial run of this recipe that I’ll call a Quick & Tangy Egg Muffin. It uses Salsa Me Krazy which is a sweet, tangy salsa that uses all-natural, American-grown ingredients and no artificial preservatives.

The “quick” part of the recipe is that I cooked the egg in the microwave (What?! I know!!). Not that eggs take a long time in the skillet, but to make a great round little egg patty for the sandwich, it just works so well this way.

Ingredients for 1 Quick & Tangy Egg Muffin:

Easy peazy directions:

Using a 1-cup round glass dish (I use this Pyrex one), spray the bottom with non-stick cooking spray. Crack egg and scramble with fork in glass dish. Add in 1-2 tsp milk, if desired. Cook uncovered for 1 minute on high in the microwave. You’ll notice it puffs up, then lays back down in a lumpish sort of way, kind of like how I feel on Mondays:

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Toast your English muffin and spread with a little butter. Lay the egg on the bottom, top with Salsa Me Krazy and sprinkle with cheese.

You can find out more about my first Salsa Me Krazy experience, and purchase a jar to try for yourself at SalsaMeKrazy.com. In fact, the entire month of March you can purchase as much as you like for 30% off! No promo code required, just head here to purchase and the discount will be automatically applied. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, your friends will too! Please consider sharing it with the buttons at the top of the post, or clicky right here for easy pinning:

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Be sure to check out more of my family favorite recipes!

This post contains affiliate links and was sponsored by Salsa Me Krazy. All opinions are 100% mine. Eating a Quick & Tangy Egg Muffin will not improve your child’s ISTEP scores. Or maybe it will. I don’t really know, but figured I should still include that in a disclaimer so you don’t come after me if your kid scores poorly. See my disclosure policy for more information.

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Brown Sugar Shortbread Recipe & Handy Tools for Holiday Baking

by Ann-Marie on December 5, 2012

Maybe it’s because I have been blogging Christmas deals since mid-November, or maybe it’s because stores have been playing Christmas music and selling their holiday wares since October, but I feel like Christmas is coming up fast, and I’m so not ready! Our house is 70% decorated indoors, and only 25% outdoors. Shopping is 50% done. Baking, something I truly enjoy, was 0% until today when I made these absolutely delicious Brown Sugar Shortbread cookies.

Several times this year I have had the privilege to share some recipes, tips and fun facts as a Table Talk contributor for Indiana’s Family of Farmers. I enjoy cooking and baking not just for my own family, but to share with others. Whether it’s a for a friend with a new baby, someone who is ill, or just because (which is my favorite), it brings me great joy to share meals and treats with others.

Indiana’s Family of Farmers sent me an array of wonderful baking tools, and a couple of them came in handy for baking these cookies today:
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The New Normal and Slow Cooker Chicken & Noodles Recipe

by Ann-Marie on August 30, 2012

This week has been an “Aaah” kind of week. My two older kids are finishing their 2nd full week of school, and my youngest has started preschool. Need I say more?

This is my New Normal.

Four days a week, I now have about 3.5 hours completely to… myself? Hmm, let me think on that one:

What My Husband Thinks I Do

  • Blog. Play on Facebook. NOT clean the house.

What My Kids Want Me To Do

  • Go through toy catalogs searching for the price of whatever they’ve been asking for.
  • Research hamsters and bunnies, their ideas of the next family pets.
  • Coordinate playdates for every day that ends in “y”.

What I Do When The Kids Leave

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National Dairy Month: Not Your Average Milkshake

by Ann-Marie on June 29, 2012

Much of the country has been under a heat advisory for several days. We hit 105 yesterday in Indianapolis and I just really feel like sticking my head in the freezer. Since June is National Dairy Month, what better way to end the hottest and driest June with a tasty, frosty & frothy milkshake!

Everyone knows (don’t they?) that a milkshake is made with milk and ice cream, plain & simple.

For a boost in flavor, texture, and yes, even some vitamins too – try adding in one or more of the following:

  • 1/2 Cup Fresh berries or peeled & sliced peaches
  • 1 Tbs Flax Seed
  • 1/2 Cup Greek Vanilla Non-Fat Yogurt
  • Skim milk instead of 2% of whole
  • 1/4 Cup granola or trail mix
  • 2 Tbs Peanut Butter or Nutella
  • For the kids … food coloring! You can even divide the milkshake, color each differently, then layer into a glass.

Indiana’s Family of Farmers provided me with a bountiful bag of goodies to help my family try many new and familiar dairy treats for National Dairy Month.

I even learned a few things I didn’t know about Indiana’s connection to Dairy …

  • There is a dairy farm in each of the 50 states. Indiana has 1500 of them.
  • A whopping 98% of Indiana’s dairy farms are family-owned.
  • 2012 is the Official Year of the Dairy Cows at the Indiana State Fair.
  • Indiana ranks 2nd in the nation in low-fat and regular ice cream production.

And how about these fun facts about cows …

  • Cows drink a bathtub-full of water every day!
  • Cows can use their sense of smell up to six miles away!
  • Cows are creatures of habit and don’t like change. You might hear an impatient “Moo!” to tell the dairy farmer he or she is running late!

Find out more about National Dairy Month with Milk Facts, Recipes and more from Indiana’s Family of Farmers and The American Dairy Association of Indiana.

 

Are you a Hoosier? You might like some recent Indiana deals & discounts. Also take a look at other recipes I’ve shared.

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Strawberry Bread Recipe

by Ann-Marie on May 26, 2012

After two visits to pick strawberries this week, I’m making everything from strawberry shortcakes to this delicious strawberry bread. It’s very similar to zucchini bread, and I’ve altered it a bit by using a little applesauce along with oil, and including whole wheat flour. It is moist and delicious, especially warmed a bit with a spread of butter on top. Makes a great gift, and it freezes well too! This recipe makes 2 loaves, so enjoy one and freeze the other. Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh chopped strawberries
  • 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tbs. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbs. flax seed (optional)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 cup canola oil + 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Easy peazy directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9″x5″ loaf pans. Add a little sugar to strawberries in medium-sized bowl and set aside while preparing bread mixture. Combine flours, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large mixer bowl; mix well. Blend oil and beaten eggs into strawberries. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture on slow speed, blending just until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (metal pan closer to 45, stoneware pan closer to 50-55) until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, invert onto cooling rack and cool completely.

If this sounds like something your family would love, please consider sharing this recipe on Pinterest:

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