End of September and October Meals

 Harvest season has officially started.  A few weeks ago, we chopped corn, which is used as silage to feed our cows over the winter.  Then yesterday, we started picking beans.  After I got done with livestock chores, I took over running the grain cart (what the combine unloads into when it's full) so the girls could go home and do homework.  When harvesting beans, there's a bit of downtime between unloads, so I used it to plan some meals and make a grocery pick up order at both WalMart and Fareway.  This is the first time I have used the Fareway online ordering and pickup.  It was a good experience!  Part of their app is that you can actually shop the sales, versus trying to remember what was on sale that week. They didn't do substitutions like WalMart did.  They tell you it's out of stock and you have to choose to cancel that item (obviously) or pick something different.  Pick up was prompt.

Here are some of the recipes I am going to use for the coming month:

Breakfast for Supper: 

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole: 

https://juliassimplysouthern.com/2016/08/tater-tot-breakfast-casserole.html

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole: 

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58137/biscuits-and-gravy-bake-recipe/

Breakfast Burritos:

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 lb breakfast sausage or bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 onion, sauteed
• 1 green pepper, sauteed
• 1 orange or red pepper, sauteed
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Hashbrowns
• tortilla shells
• shredded cheese
• hot sauce and/or salsa

Brown the sausage or bacon, and chop up.  Sautee vegetables in the fat of the meat, add butter if a bit more fat is needed.  Remove from pan.  Melt some butter in the skillet and cook the eggs, scrambled.  In another pan, fry the hashbrowns as directed. Once eggs are cooked, as well as the hashbrowns, put all burrito items out so people can make their own breakfast burritos, or choose to have the hashbrowns on the side.

Breakfast Pizza: 

• One premade pizza crust, or a homemade crust.  
• My homemade crust recipe is as follows: 1 packet yeast, 1 1/2 cups hot water, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3c-3 1/2 cups flour
• Put the yeast packet in a mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid) and add hot water.  Let sit 2 minutes for the yeast to activate.  Add honey and oil, and mix (using hook attachment, if using a mixer, otherwise a wooden spoon or scraper works fine).  Add 3 cups of flour.  Mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl as you work the flour in.  If the dough is wet and sticky, add more flour.
• Cover and let rise for 1 hour
• Roll out on a pizza stone or pizza pan and form crust.
• Cheese Whiz
• Breakfast meat of your choice (we use ground sausage or bacon usually), 1 pound
• Vegetables such as peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms if desired
• Shredded cheese of your choice

Use the Cheese Whiz as your 'sauce.'  Add meat and vegetables as desired.  Add shredded cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Breakfast Sliders:

https://www.simplejoy.com/breakfast-sliders-recipe/

Sheet Pan Breakfast Sandwiches (I feel like I spend a small fortune on breakfast sandwiches, and we raise egg-laying chickens!)

https://www.organicvalley.coop/recipes/sheet-pan-breakfast-egg-sandwich/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_content=paid&utm_campaign=ov_eggs_rec&pp=0&epik=dj0yJnU9dFpGWFRyejBpZFpVek5ueUFkRW9yN3otQ21XZTF1QTEmcD0xJm49Sm1Na1NWNEJGREI3TEF4RTYyeDhvZyZ0PUFBQUFBR0ZGTjZR

Mexican

Beef Enchiladas

• 2 pounds hamburger, browned
• 4 oz can mild green chiles
• 2 packets of your favorite taco seasoning (I make a homemade one I found on Pinterest) 
• 1 package soft shell tacos
• Monterrey Jack Cheese (shredded)
• Cheddar Cheese (shredded 
• 1 large can El Paso Enchilada sauce
• chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream as toppings

Brown hamburger, and add taco seasoning and chilies. Cook until well combined.  Assemble tortillas, with a scoop of hamburger and some Monterrey Jack cheese.  Roll up and arrange in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Dump any extra meat over the top of your enchiladas before adding the sauce.  Spread the sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Add shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 5 more minutes.  Garnish as desired with toppings.  Add some Mexican Rice (I use Rice A Roni boxed Mexican Rice, or Old El Paso), some corn, or refried beans.

Pasta

Instapot Lazy Lasagna: https://mealplanaddict.com/instant-pot-lazy-lasagna/

Chicken Alfredo: use your favorite jarred Alfredo Sauce (it's true, I don't make EVERYTHING homemade!), shred some chicken, and boil some fettuccine noodles.  Eat with some garlic bread and a salad! 

Lasagna: confession...I have not boiled my noodles for lasagna in YEARS.  It still turns out fabulously.  

• 2 lbs hamburger--sometimes I use 1 lb Italian Sausage and 1 lb hamburger
• 2 quarts spaghetti sauce
• 1 cup water 
• 1 box lasagna noodles (get the regular noodles)
• 1 tub cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, divided in half

Brown the hamburger, and add the sauce.  Once it is well combined, add the water.  You want a runny sauce so the lasagna will absorb liquid.  Put about 2 cups of sauce in the bottom of a DEEP 9x13 pan.  Put a layer of lasagna noodles, spread ricotta, and mozzarella.  Repeat layers.  Then SLOWLY add all sauce over the top of the layered noodles.  It will incorporate in the layers.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.  After 1 hour 15 minutes, remove the foil and put on the other half of mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 5 minutes more to melt.  Remove from oven and let sit 15 minutes to cool and set up.  Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

Instant Pot

Crack Chicken:  I used this recipe, but instead of chicken breasts, I had cooked a whole frozen chicken in the instant pot ahead of time.  Only took an hour.  Then I used this recipe to finish up, after I had taken the cooked chicken off the bone. 

https://www.eatingonadime.com/instant-pot-crack-chicken-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-21368

Meal Planning and Being Meal-Prepared

 Since we live out in the country, even though it's less than 10 minutes from town, I try to keep a well-stocked pantry and freezer.  This helps with being able to put a meal on the table quickly, efficiently, and with not a whole lot of stress.  

In full disclosure, we have 2 refrigerator/freezers, and a total of 4 deep freezers (2 personal and 2 for our business, and one 'spare' in case a catastrophe happens).  I like to stock up so in our busy seasons, Fall and Spring, I have options.  

I do use many of these tips mentioned in The Pioneer Woman's blog about stocking a pantry: 

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/a10740/stocking-up/?fbclid=IwAR28BiDTw8Uhd5yO7lP_vix2iIqHG3yQseQjuevh3uccJxGskPFI5Hu9gPE

Tweak it to work for you.  There are certain things I make sure I NEVER run out of.

Other time saving tips I use: 

• Meal plan.  I use a calendar and plan meals for a month at a time.  That way I can see what nights are busy, with activities that I need a quick meal or a crockpot meal.  I also always write my plan in pencil so I can erase and move around meals on my calendar if needed.
• Make a grocery list as I meal plan.  I have my cookbooks/recipe file, meal calendar, and grocery list all laid out.  My kids often help with this, so they have voice and choice in what we eat.  They always make sure to ask dad too! 
• I also like being wise with spending on groceries, so I make a monthly trip to Aldi.  I'm known as the lady with 2+ carts.  I use this list to organize my trip to Aldi: https://passionatepennypincher.com/ultimate-aldi-grocery-list/.  (Different Aldi stores specialize in different things sometimes, and prices are different based on locations, FYI).
• I do use grocery pick up on occasion, it forces me to stick to my 'needs' on my list.  Sam's Club & WalMart are the most economical, easiest to navigate the app (in my opinion), but also has the most substitutions. 
• Keep plenty of meat (duh, I raise beef, chickens, and turkey) and frozen veggies in the freezer.  Garlic bread, and frozen pies/desserts are also handy.  
• I make several pies at a time and freeze them so I have a quick dessert.

I am going to try to post some of my monthly meal plans, so keep an eye out! 

Getting Ready For Fall

 Our 'Harvest Season' can be crazy hectic, between our full time jobs, kids' activities, our livestock, and of course the coveted harvest time.  Yet it is a favorite time of year for us.  One non-negotiable in our family is to eat our evening meal together.  Most of the time it's around our supper table, but during busy seasons, it can be eaten on the tailgate of a pickup or out of the trunk of a car.  We call this 'taking supper to the field.'  Thankfully all of our kids are able to help with field & farm work to some degree as well as preparing meals, so the work doesn't fall all on a couple of people.

Here are a couple more of our quick and easy meals...I am acquiring an instapot soon (I've never had one), so maybe I'll find time to experiment with that.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 bag Reames frozen egg noodles

1 small chicken cooked, deboned, and shredded or 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded

4 cups chicken stock

2 cans cream of chicken soup (or cream of something else, doesn't really matter)

1 bag frozen carrots, sliced or chopped (or you can use fresh...about 2-ish cups)

1 onion chopped

2 cups chopped celery

2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

1-2 tsp. Seasoned Salt

Put cooked chicken, all vegetables, chicken stock, cream soup, and seasonings in a crockpot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  30 minutes before serving, put frozen noodles in.  I have put raw frozen chicken breasts in this before and then just shredded them before I put the noodles in.   This soup is a nice thick soup, not your normal runny chicken noodle.  Freezes well and reheats well.  May need to add some water or extra stock.

Cream Cheese Biscuit Casserole

2 lbs hamburger

1 8oz block cream cheese

1/2 cup catsup

1/4 cup milk

1 can cream of something soup (usually I use mushroom)

1 small onion chopped

1 tube Grands biscuits

Brown hamburger and onion.  Add cream cheese, mix it in as it is melting down, catsup, milk, and soup.  Stir until all incorporated and bubbling.  Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Add biscuits on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.  My cookware is oven safe to 425 degrees, so I usually use the pan I brown the hamburger in and mix the other ingredients in as my baking dish as well.  One pot meal!  A side salad, favorite veggies all go well with this meal.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I'm sure I would surprise people when I told them that I often use instant potatoes in my meal rotation.  They just take so much less time, and by the time I doctor them up, and add some gravy, no one can tell! 

6 cups instant mashed potatoes

2 cups sour cream

1-8 oz block of cream cheese

3 cups water

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Put all items in a crockpot with a crockpot liner (trust me, you want the liner).  Mix up and cook on low 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  This pairs well with one of our favorites, salisbury steak and gravy.

Salisbury Steak

Here's my salisbury steak recipe...thank you Ree Drummand...aka Pioneer Woman! 

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10549/salisbury-steak-mashed-potatoes-and-peas/

Hot Beef Sundaes

My family enjoys the hot beef sundaes from The Cattleman's at the Iowa State Fair.   Here is a simple recipe to make the mat home!

Use the Italian Beef recipe from my crockpot section

Use the Garlic Mashed potatoes recipe above

To make the gravy:  

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

All the liquid from the crockpot (add some beef stock if needed) 

Make a roux (melt the butter then whisk the flower into it) over medium heat on the stove. Once mixed up and bubbly, add the liquid from the beef in the crockpot slowly, whisking into the roux as you pour.  Keep stirring until it reaches your desired thickness.  Season with garlic or garlic salt if desired/needed.

To serve, we use bowls to put a scoop of potatoes, then the gravy, then the meat, some shredded cheese, and cherry tomatoes.  So easy and hearty!  

School Lunch and Quick Meal Ideas

 

Homemade Lunchables

Cut your favorite flavor beef or pork sticks in half.  Put in baggie or reusable container.

Cut your favorite cheese sticks in halves or thirds.  Put in baggie or reusable container.

Add favorite fruit, fruit cup, cut veggies, and dip.  I love to mix ranch dressing mix with plain greek yogurt.  No one knows it's really yogurt dip! 

Add favorite crackers, pita chips, if desired.

So much cheaper and healthier than store-bought lunchables! 

Chicken Salad

Put a whole chicken in the crockpot on low for 8 hours, and filled about half full of water. After 8 hours put on 'keep warm' setting until ready to shred.  OR purchase an already cooked rotisserie chicken at your favorite grocery store.

Once cooked, pull chicken out and set on a jelly roll pan to cool.  Pull all meat off of bones and chop.  I pull meat off when chicken is still warm, it pulls off easier.

In a large bowl combine:

1 cup mayo ( prefer real mayo, not Miracle Whip)

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)

1/2 cup finely chopped carrots (optional)

1 -2 tsp. curry powder

1 cup grapes, halved.  I prefer red-

3 cups of cooked shredded chicken

salt and pepper to taste

Mix well, and add mayo, veggies, and curry powder to suit your personal taste.  Great in a pita, large romaine lettuce leaf, plain, on a bagel or other fancy bread.

Quick Taco Soup

My kids don't love school lunch so one of our staples is a good quality thermos to keep hot things hot.  I put boiling water in the thermos about 10 minutes (or more) before I put hot things in it to have it preheated.

1 lb hamburger 

1 packet taco seasoning

1, 16 oz jar favorite salsa (I use my homemade canned salsa)

1, 16 oz can tomato sauce

1, 32 oz can diced tomatoes

1 , 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1, 15 oz can corn

1 onion, diced

Brown hamburger then add taco seasoning as directed.  Add all other ingredients and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  I add chili powder, cumin, and a bit of seasoned salt to taste.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers.

Walking Taco

This is another 'home lunch' I would have stuff on hand for when my kids didn't want school lunch.  It's actually pretty easy to pack up the items in a lunch bag! 

Leftover taco meat (hamburger, chicken, turkey, fajita meat, your choice!)

1-2 individual bags of Doritos

Shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream-

I would put cheese and lettuce in the snack-size baggies for easy dumping.  I use the small Rubbermaid rectangle 'tupperware' for the salsa and sour cream.  Don't forget a fork or spoon! 

Crockpot Recipes

 Strogonoff

    This is a favorite crock pot recipe of ours.  I am guessing you can do it in an instapot as well, but we don't have one of those.

3-4 pound roast of your choice or round steak, frozen

2 packets of dry onion soup mix

5 small cans mushrooms, or 2 packages of fresh mushrooms

4 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

If using fresh mushrooms 1/2 cup water.  If using canned mushrooms, just use the liquid in the can.

3 Tbsp. flour

2-16 oz cartons sour cream

16 oz bag of egg noodles, or noodles of your choice

Put frozen meat, 2 packets of onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and mushrooms (see note about mushrooms above) in a crockpot.  Cook on low for 7 hours, then switch to keep warm.  When ready to eat, shred meat in crockpot, removing bone if needed, and keeping all liquid.  Turn crockpot back to low and add 3 Tbsp flour and stir around to thicken liquid a bit.  Add all of sour cream and mix well, then put the lid back on to warm it up. Meanwhile, boil noodles according to instructions.  Drain and add to meat sauce in crockpot.  Mix well and it's ready to serve! 

Pairs well with garlic bread or a lettuce salad.

Hot Beef Sandwiches

3-4 lb Roast of your choosing (frozen if desired)

1 can Beef Consume Soup

1 can French Onion Soup

1 envelope dry Italian Dressing Mix 

Hoagie Buns

Pepperoncini Peppers (optional)

Provolone Cheese slices

Put roast, soups, and dressing mix in crockpot.  Set on low for 7 hours then switch to keep warm setting.  When ready to eat, shred meat, and serve on hoagie buns with provolone cheese, pepperoncini peppers.

Pairs well with fries, a lettuce salad, green beans, or other veggies.

Welcome!

 Hi! 

This blog will accompany our beef and pork business, TS Van Manen Farms.  We rasie a small herd of angus beef cattle, from birth to processing.  They are born, raised, and processed all in Jasper County.  We work with local producers to purchase quality pork products to offer to our customers.

Through feedback from our customers, we will be offering recipes and cooking suggestions for some of our favorite meat products.  We are a busy family of 5, with both of us working full time off the farm, as well as having 3 teenagers.  Our meals are typically quick to prepare with easy to find items. 

This blog is a work in progress so please bear with me as I try to design it! 

~Sara