Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Favorite new quote

Today I'm at a young farmer's conference learning about corn. Wait until this spring's corn report!

Anyways one of the presenters shared this quote with me and I am pretty sure it is my absolutely favorite.

You can have everything in life that you want, if you just help enough people get what they want. - Zig Ziglar

Hope you all have a fantastic day!

p.s. Posting this with my new Blogger app so we'll see how this all shakes out.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Barbie Girl Loves Lambs

A belated happy Australia Day!

I was able to wish a few of my friends a Happy Australia Day on Wednesday, and here is a belated have an awesome day to the rest of you. My friends Shelley and Matt posted this awesome video to their Trio Angus blog and I had to share.

I had some of the best lamb I have ever had on my trip to Australia, I just wish I had enough confidence to try and cook some myself!



Just remember marination leads to salivation!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Turquoise Thursday - Gift giving and gift receiving

Who doesn't like opening gifts!

This Turquoise Thursday I am want to share two things with you. First, this beautiful turquoise necklace that I bought for my mom for her birthday.




I found this necklace at the Kansas City Royal and am really kicking myself for not being a second one for myself. It was pretty hard putting this necklace in the mail, but I knew she would love it. If anyone ever sees another necklace like this PLEASE let me know!

The second is a gift I received for Christmas. I have talked about Purple Banner Designs a lot on my blog, and I finally have a little something of my own. I asked Santa for one thing this year and it was a Purple Banner Design stuffed cow.

Isn't she cute with her turquoise ear tag.
My cow was actually created off of one of my favorite old show cows named Harmony. 


See the resemblance? If you are looking for a unique customized gift I would definitely check them out.

I hope you all have an awesome Turquoise Thursday, and don't forget to join me tonight for the Rockin Rural Women #BeautyChat on Twitter and Facebook. 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Calling all fans of barnyard beauty (and city beauty too)

Make-up, skincare, and lip balm

I am crazy about make-up. Some girls get crazy about shoes or boots, some love boutiques, I love make-up. I really have to use strong will power to control how much make-up I actually purchase. Living in kind of the middle on now where Iowa (this post explains it) has really helped keep thing under control.

This site makes me giddy. FYI no all this fabulousness is not mine. 
On Thursday (Jan 26) all of us make-up lovers can come together in the Rockin Rural Women Twitter and Facebook beauty chat! That's right a place for all of us ladies to chat about must-have-it products, best deals, where to shop online, home made remedies, etc. I know there are others out there. Just like this post from Debbie Lyons 

To join in all you have to do is follow the #rockinruralwomen hashtag on Twitter or visit the Rockin Rural Women Facebook page at 9 PM CST and join in on the conversation. I'll be moderating the Twitter chat and Amy Charest will be asking the questions on Facebook. Hope to chat with you! 

Monday, January 23, 2012

Move over Farmville, time for Cow Chow

Get your gaming on. 

Love that popular Facebook game Farmville, then Cow Chow is right up your family's alley. This computer game brought to you by the good folks from the Beef Checkoff have created an interactive game about what cows eat. It event includes a video made by strapping on a camera to a calf so you can see what a day of eating looks like for a cow. 



The game helps explain what Cow Chow really is. The Boy and I's cows receive a ration of forages (grass in the summer time and hay in the winter), grains, water, vitamins and minerals just like other cows from across the country. 


Play along with Jill or Bill and learn about grass fed cattle, feedlots, and how cattlemen feed their cattle. Did you know that 80-85% of a cow's life is spent on grass, and on 100-120 days are spent in a feedlot if that animal is being raised for consumption. 

At the end of the game you even have a chance to learn about common misconceptions or submit your own question about cattle and the food they consume. Check out Cow Chow with your family and let me know how you score. 

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Farm Kids go Vegan

Vegan Bloggers

photo via here
I recently ran across Carrie Issacson and David Jones quest to try the vegan path. From January 15-21 they are swearing off animal products. Two farm kids just wanting to experience the other side of the fence.

AgWeb is where I first saw their Vegan Adventure story, but both Carrie and David are blogging on their own blogs as well. From failed cooking attempts to trying to pick Vegan friendly items off a restaurant menu it is pretty entertaining. Out of all the posts though David's Where I come from... is my favorite because of this quote.

I grew up in a household with fresh, great tasting meat, milk and eggs and I saw first-hand how these products were brought to the table. The idea that someone could hate me because I’m a farmer, or because of my nutritional choices seemed so foreign to me. I don’t think I even knew vegetarians or vegans existed until I was a teenager. I am so happy we live in a country where we are free to speak freely and eat the kind of diet we most desire. I do my best to be respectful of everyone’s choices and lifestyles, and all I ask in return is the same.
AMEN.

It is pretty cool to see the comments from people that have come in - both carnivores and vegans. Did you know that Oreos are a vegan product. Learn something new everyday.

Check them out, and give them a little encouragement too! Maybe today they'll want to cook up my Flat Iron and Green Pepper recipe!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Flat Iron Steak with Green Peppers

Beef get in my tummy. 

I'm lucky I have beef I
can pull right out of
our freezer.
The Boy and are are still not over our Denver Crud yet, but we knew we wanted to have something filling for supper last night. If I don't go to chores with the Boy I always try and have supper started when he gets home, and then we finish the rest cooking together. I think it is one of my favorite things to do.

Instead of popping another B12 pill (B12 is known to boost the immune system) we turned to mother nature's multi-vitamin beef to do the trick.

In our recipe we choose to use the Flat Iron steak. It is one of the 29 lean cuts of beef, is the second most tender cut of beef, and is pretty reasonably priced. You could also use a flank steak or round steak for this recipe.

Recipe:
1.5 pounds of flat iron steak, sliced thinly against the grain
1/2 cup soy sauce (I try to use the reduced sodium kind)
1/4 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
2 green peppers (cut into chunks)
3 teaspoons of olive oil (canola oil would work too)
As much rice as you would like (we made 2 cups)

1. Add your oil to a saucepan and begin heating on medium

2. Mix soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar and corn starch in bowl. Add the sliced beef and coat. Set aside.

3. Once the oil is hot add the green peppers to the oil, be careful it is going to sizzle. Cook for about a minute or two. You don't want the peppers to get too soft. Remove peppers and put in a bowl.

4. Allow the oil to become hot again, and then add half of the beef, leaving most of the sauce in the bowl. Ensure that each strip is flat. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. The great thing about this recipe it the meat cooks really fast because of the thin strips. Remove meat and put in a clean dish.

5. Cook the second half of the meat, again leaving most of the sauce in the bowl. Once the meat is brown add in the first half of the meat, the green peppers and the sauce. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, it only takes a minute or two.

6. Serve over rice.



This recipe really takes no time at all. We used 1.3 pounds of Flat Iron steak for this recipe, and there was only a tiny bit left for me to take for lunch the next day. If you have a family of four you may consider doubling the recipe. The Boy liked it so much, he said so we are going to make this twice a week right?

Have fun cooking!

p.s. My wedding dress arrived in Chicago, and will be in Iowa Tuesday. The big day is getting close.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Quick update surrounded by Kleenex

Hello friends. 

Well, as promised I'm going to get back to blogging very soon. Since the beginning of the month I have been in five different state, six if you count the quick layover I had in the Dallas airport. A big chunk of that time was spent at one of my favorite events of the year the National Western Stock Show. (You can read about one of my cab rides here).

NWSS is an opportunity for cattlemen and stockman from around the United States, and many from Canada too, to exhibit and market their cattle. For me it is a chance to view these incredible genetics in person and catch up with family and friends. NWSS is also so sweet to provide the opportunity to catch something called the Denver Crud. It is a sneaky little cold that I thought I had escaped this year, but two days after leaving the stockyards, bam I am sick so is the boy.

So while I pump the vitamin C, B12 (I asked the boy why I couldn't just eat a steak), Mucinex, and Tylenol, the blogging might be a few more days delayed. Thanks for understanding.


A picture of the Yards in Denver.

Monday, January 9, 2012

A conversation about cattle with a cab driver

All the cowboys are coming to town. 

This week I'll be in Denver for that National Western Stock Show. The company I work for sponsors several of the cattle events, and the Boy's family will be showing their Hereford cattle. Throughout the week I will get in numerous cabs, and people will have several conversations about cattle and the beef industry. Today's conversation.

Cabbie: You here for the bucking bulls.

Me: Nope my family will be showing cattle here.

Cabbie: You ride bulls.

Me: Nope, we show these cattle in a showring.

Cabbie: Ah, and where do you come from.

Me: My fiancé's family brought 25 head of cattle up from Oklahoma, but people from all over the U.S. will be showing cattle.

Cabbie: Do you bring their food too.

Me: Yes, that came in a separate stock trailer. We bring grain and hay for the to eat.

Cabbie: How much does a bull weigh?

Me: Well taking a guess the big bull they have here might weigh 1,800 lbs.

Cabbie: How much do they sell for?

Me: Well they can sell for anywhere between $3,000 and a $100,000. (This is when you clutch the door real tight, and hope that they don't swerve off the road from shock).

Cabbie: (In shock) Per pound! For meat?!

Me: No our cattle here are for breeding purposes, we won't eat them. However, they do have really good meat producing genetics and the progeny from the bulls may go into the food chain.

Cabbie: Ah I see. Maybe I should get some cows.

It happens every time. But I love it. Nothing better than learning what the consumers think about agriculture in a cab ride down to the Stock Show grounds.

This is a video that I put together last year at the Stock Show. It'll be you a better idea of what will go on this week.

<iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8xeKcSF47r0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Friday, January 6, 2012

PETA and HSUS and Rick Santorum

The power of social media

I posted this note about Rick Santorum on my Facebook page earlier this week, and now wanted to share on my blog. It has been shared nearly a 100 times on Facebook, and I encourage you to click on the link and share with your friends if you feel passionately about this as well.

I don't get to vote yet, but I sure have heard a lot about Iowa politics the past few months. I think there are a positives and negatives in a lot of the Republican candiates, however supporting HSUS would definitely scratch you off my list. 

"Jan Swan Wood, columnist in Tri-State Livestock News told readers that have friends in Iowa to be careful who they vote for in the primaries. Rick Santorum, (R-PA) supports PETA and HSUS. Both of those animal rights organizations love him, too. The animal rights political action committee, HumaneUSA, gave $5,00 to Santroum's 2006 re-election bid and has promised to campaign aggressively for him in a presidential big. HSUS's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, has nothing but praise for Santorum as well."

Thanks Jennifer Carrico for sharing. And if you have Iowa friends, feel free to share. 

Update: Check out this blog to find out which Senate and House members support HSUS. 

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Just me and my MAC make-up on the Prairie

Hello UPS man

Well, it has been two months since I have moved to Iowa, and I would say I am adjusting well. Although, the Boy would say I travel so much I am never here. I think my clothes and mail like the place.

My first online MAC purchase
Until the recent move I had spent almost eight years living in town (time in college and then my first big kid job). I absolutely love living back on the farm now, but I'll admit I had gotten comfortable with my life in the city. There was lots of shopping and dining options in my towns and Kansas City was 40 minutes away. Definitely close enough to fulfill my love of shopping and MAC make-up.

However, on the prairie (it's really not that bad I live outside a town with 6,000 people) there is no MAC insight. You see Iowans must not have discovered the wonderful line of MAC make-up. The one and only store in the state is almost three hours away.

I kind of had a panic attack last week when I realize there was only a drop of my NC15 foundation left in the bottle. Hello, online shopping and thank goodness MAC frequently has free shipping. What would use prairie girls do without the Internet?

Yes, the locals might not know me yet, but the UPS and FedEx guys sure do. Between work mail, online Christmas shopping and MAC make-up delivers they know our home well.


My mom and sister bought me this awesome MAC brush case for Christmas! Clean brushes make me so happy. Yes, I am a nerd. 

Monday, January 2, 2012

The Burger Cupcake and other brilliant ideas

Awesomesauce. 

When I saw this I knew I had to share with my readers. Now I can't promise this burger falls into the 29 lean cuts of beef category, but I bet it is good. Now presenting the Burger Cupcake.


How awesome is that. Even better Rock UR Party Recipes provides step by step instructions. #winning The best way to celebrate your love of beef is by eating beef, the second would be eating one of these cupcakes. 

And if cupcakes aren't your thing, how about these...


Again thank you Not So Humble Pie for coming up with this amazing what to celebrate beef. Check out the step by step Big Mac(arons) how to. I love people's creativity. 




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