Have you made New Year’s traditions?

My boyfriend, Spenser Gruis, and I have a few traditions we enjoy each New Year.  For the past 5 years, we have spent New Year’s Eve with his parents, Scott and Cheryl Gruis.  The Gruis family works hard at their family-owned towing company.  When we actually get the chance to sit down all together for a nice meal, we want to take full advantage of it!

That’s why, during the afternoon of each New Year’s Eve, Cheryl and I drive 30 minutes to Mason City where we wait about 3 hours outside the infamous Northwestern Steakhouse.  Northwestern Steakhouse is one of Mason City’s hidden treasures.  Established in 1920, it sits on the very most northern edge of Mason City nuzzled between the baseball fields where many citizens spend their summers playing ball.  When the steakhouse opens at 5 p.m., it’s a mad rush to get a table.

New Year’s Day is another afternoon filled with fun, family, friends and food – of course!  Spenser and I travel to the American Legion in St. Ansgar, Iowa, for Vegetable Beef Soup and pull tabs.  Every year we sit in the exact same spot with the exact same people.  Spenser has been doing this ever since he can remember, and I can’t help but call it a tradition myself.

The whole day is dedicated to help raise money for the American Legion.  The St. Ansgar community comes together, young and old.  We eat warm soup, pull some tabs and register for the annual drawing.  Last year I won $25!  I thought it was the greatest thing.

It’s become a tradition that none of us would miss for anything!  What better way to ring in the New Year than with family?  No matter who your family consists of, holiday traditions are important.  Traditions give family a reason to stay close by spending time together.  And, in my book, it doesn’t get much better than that!

Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-½ to 3 pounds)
• 4 quarts water
• 1 cup medium pearl barley
• 1-½ cups chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1½ cups chopped carrots
• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

1. Place roast in a large Dutch oven. Add the water, barley, onion, celery, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 hours or until meat is tender.
2. Remove meat; cool. Cut into bite-size pieces. Skim fat from broth. Add beef and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 

Yield: 18-20 servings (6 quarts).

It’s been a whirlwind seven months for Cole Danner.  After graduating in May 2012 from Iowa State University (ISU) with a degree in Animal Science, he moved to western Iowa to pursue his true loves: raising cattle, farming and planning a future with Mandy Maurer.

He also recently joined the Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds team as a dealer from Curlew in Pocahontas County.

“I joined Latham because it’s an independent, family-owned company,” says Cole.  “There’s a great support team in place, and I really enjoy working with people who have the same values.”

Shared family values and common interests are what brought Cole and Mandy together.  The two met at a social event hosted by the Block & Bridle Club at Iowa State.  They soon learned they shared interests in raising and showing cattle.  Both had been active members of both 4-H and FFA:  Mandy showed club calves; and Cole started his herd as a result of his 4-H Beef project.

Cole was also active on the 4-H Livestock Judging Team.  He competed in National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest at the National Western Stock Show and also at National FFA Convention.  He earned a college scholarship for livestock judging and also a spot on the ISU Livestock Judging Team.

While wedding plans were underway during the summer of 2012, Cole and Mandy were also busy making plans for their future.  They remodeled the kitchen of their farm house and are in the process of converting an old farrowing barn into a cattle shed for their SimAngus seed stock operation.  Next, Cole plans to put the finishing touches on an office and warehouse space for his growing seed business.

“Farming runs in both of our families, and we feel blessed to farm as a family,” says Mandy.  “It’s priceless to work side by side with the ones you love.  Cole and I both believe in the future of agriculture and look forward to carrying on our farming traditions.”

Today the Danners are helping promote beef by sharing one of their favorite recipes for Ground Beef Stew, as well as another recipe for Caramel Pecan Bars.  It sounds like a winning combination for a chilly, fall evening.  Think I’ll mix up a batch now!

Ground Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 pound hamburger, browned and drained
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. oregano leaves
• 1/4 tsp. basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp. seasoning salt (Lawry’s)
• 1 package of  dry onion soup mix (1 envelope)
• 5 cups water
• 1 quart tomato juice
• 1 T. soy sauce
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 cup frozen peas (add last)
• 1 cup macaroni

Directions:

1. Cook all ingredients (except the peas) until celery and carrots are tender.
2. Then add 1 cup macaroni.
3. Cook until noodles are tender
4. And then add peas.

Keep the grill fired up during football season. Whether you’re filling up the stadium parking lot with the aromas of grilled burgers and steaks or tempting guests with smoked beef brisket at home, beef is the perfect way to celebrate your team to victory!

Tailgating Tips:

1. Grill like a master:
   1. Grill burgers and steaks over medium heat.
      1. Check for medium heat by cautiously holding the palm of your hand above the grate at cooking height.  Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away; it’s approximately four seconds for medium heat.
   2. Use a long-handled spatula to turn burgers and tongs to turn steaks.
      1. Don’t press, flatten or pierce the meat as flavorful juices will be lost.
   3. Remove beef from grill when temperature reaches 10° below desired doneness.
      1. Beef continues to cook when removed from grill; allow beef to “rest” by tenting loosely with foil for 10 minutes.
      2. Visit http://iabeef.org/grilling.aspx for more grilling tips including a timetable.
2. Keep food out of danger zone – 40° – 140°.
   1. Never leave food out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
      1. Keep hot food hot — at or above 140 °F.  Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.
      2. Keep cold food cold — at or below 40 °F.  Place food in containers on ice.
3. Plan your menu early.  Do prep work a day or two before the game.
   1. Chili, stew, meatballs, taco meat or brisket can be prepared the day before the game giving you more time to enjoy the tailgating festivities!

If you don’t want to haul the grill, make these quick and easy Beef Rollups the night before.  They work great as an appetizer before or after the game or as a no-mess lunch.  For added flavor, stir in ranch dressing, blue cheese or horseradish to the cream cheese.

Farmers are known for wearing many caps, and Val Plagge is no exception.  She’s a farmer, a farm wife, mother, as well as an independent leadership development and event planner.

Val met her husband, Ian, when they were students in the College of Agriculture at Iowa State University.  Upon graduating from ISU, they got married and moved near Ian’s home farm in Latimer, Iowa.  They began farming in 2005; today they raise corn, soybeans and finish hogs.

Active in their community, both Val and Ian serve on the Franklin County Farm Bureau board and are members of the Farm Bureau Young Member Committee.  Ian is a member of the Franklin County Extension Council, and Val is the Franklin County 4-H Communications Project leader.  Val is also a volunteer and vice chairman of the North Iowa Make a Wish Foundation.  Together Val and Ian serve as youth sponsors for the Senior High youth group at their church, as well.  Plus, Val teaches high school Sunday School.

When she has free time, Val enjoys experimenting with new recipes.  It’s no wonder that her most recent charity project combines many of her interests.  She developed a recipe for Cy’s Cook Off.  Here’s how Val describes the contest in her Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids blog spot:

I produced my “Cardinal & Gold Cream Cheese Burgers” by modifying and coupling other burger recipes together. I created the burger for a Pinterest contest for Iowa State Athletics. There contest is called Cy’s Cook Off, and whoever receives the most repins and likes wins a $100 gift card to Cy’s Locker Room and an autographed Coach Rhoades mini helmet. I’m planning on giving the helmet to Make A Wish North Iowa for the Wish Upon A Par auction on June 27, and I’m planning on decking out the family in new ISU gear for football if I win.

Val does a fantastic job of showing each of the burger-making process in her blog post.  The color photography makes me wish I could sink my teeth right into one of those burgers right now!  From reading her post, I learned to place a thumbprint in the center of each patty to help them cook evenly.  Who knew?  You can bet I’ll give it a try now!

You can try your hand at making Cardinal & Gold Cream Cheese Burgers, too.  In honor of May Beef Month, today we’re featuring Val’s recipe on TheFieldPosition.com.  Remember to also either “like” or “repin” this recipe by May 7 on Iowa State Athletics Pinterest page.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Val Plagge on her WIN for ISU’s “Cy’s Cook Off Challenge”