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Give Thanks!
You know Thanksgiving is getting close when the grocery store shelves are fully stocked with everything you could ever need for your holiday dinner preparation. This season always serves as a good reminder to thank the people and the industries that make it possible to create a feast on Thanksgiving and any other day of the year. We are truly blessed by the bountiful supply of food produced by America’s farmers. #foodthanks

As promised last Friday, today we’re featuring more recipes from proud Iowa turkey producers. Pam Larson, a turkey producer from Ellsworth, Iowa, shared with us her recipe for Easy Turkey Salad. I have to admit that I was practically doing the happy dance in my office when I received this recipe. If “easy” is in the title, I know I’ll like it! Another reason I’m going to enjoy making this salad is because it will give me a new use for holiday leftovers. I’ll simply cut up any uneaten, cooked turkey, measure 2 cups into each bag and freeze it. Future meals will be made with minimal preparation time.

Some weeknight after work, I’ll unthaw a bag of turkey and whip up some Turkey Reubens. Julie Jensen of Belmond, Iowa, told me about her tasty sandwich creation when the two of us met during a tailgate luncheon before the ISU v. Nebraska football game in Ames earlier this month.

Special thanks to Julie Jensen, Pam Larson and the Iowa Turkey Federation for providing the following recipes. Enjoy!

How are you showing thanks for the food we enjoy this Thanksgiving season? #foodthanks

Easy Turkey Salad

Recipe from: Pam Larson, Ellsworth, Iowa
Makes 8 servings

Pam Larson

Ingredients:
- 2 cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salad dressing
- 2 ounces shell macaroni, cooked and drained
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup halved green OR red grapes
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
Directions:
1. Wash hands.
2. In a large bowl toss ingredients together except the mandarin oranges.
3. Add the mandarin oranges and gently stir until combined.
1 serving: calories 239, protein 13 g; fat 13.3 g (saturated 1.9g), cholesterol 36.6 mg; sodium 577.9 mg, carbohydrate 16.8 g, fiber 1.6 g

Some Turkey Facts:
- Turkey sandwiches account for 48% of all turkey consumption.
- Hormones and steroids are not used in any turkey production. It is illegal. Their use for any turkey production was federally banned in the 1950s.
- A newly hatched turkey is called a poult.
(Source: Iowa Turkey Federation)
Team Latham

November 19, 2010

General, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Gobble Up!
Did you know when you enjoy a turkey sandwich from SUBWAY® or Jimmy John’s®, it’s more than 80 percent likely the turkey in your sandwich came from Iowa? The Iowa turkey industry is incredibly important to our state, adding significant economic activity and creating employment in rural Iowa (www.iowaturkey.org).

As we work to honor farmers in our Friday family recipe posts, I couldn’t think of anyone more fitting to feature this month than the turkey producers who help feed our families and put a delicious turkey on the table at Thanksgiving.

Turkey is a fitting meal for just about any occasion and any day of the week. So now that the weather is getting a little cooler, I’m going to add Becke Dorenbush’s Southwestern Turkey Soup to my list of “go to” meals. My mouth was watering just looking over the ingredients, so I can’t wait to give it a try. Even better, it’s low in calories and fat (something I wish I could say for all of my favorite winter recipes). Becke also recommends this soup as a great dish to accompany football festivities, so perhaps this year I can serve it on Soup-er Bowl Sunday. (Hope you’ll forgive my bad pun here, but I couldn’t resist!)

I’m also looking forward to making Rich Hogrefe’s recipe, “Shoot the Turkey.” This recipe is named so because you inject the marinade to “shoot the turkey” with great flavor. With butter and garlic, it can’t help but be good!

Be sure to stay tuned for next Friday’s post when we feature more recipes from proud Iowa turkey farmers. A special thank you to the Iowa Turkey Federation for providing the following recipes submitted by their members. Bon appétit!

Southwestern Turkey Soup

Recipe from: Becke Dorenbush, Jewell, Iowa

Becke & Mark Dorenbush

Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients
- 6 cups turkey OR chicken broth
- 1 (14 ½ ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups cubed cooked turkey
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 2 to 3 cups frozen whole kernel corn
Directions

1. Wash hands.

2. In large Dutch oven combine all the ingredients except the frozen corn. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

3. Stir in frozen corn and return mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the corn is tender.

Serve with: coarsely crushed tortilla chips and Mexican shredded cheese over soup.

Some Fun Turkey Facts:
- Economic value per turkey is about $20.00. (Farm – processing)
- Yearly, all of Iowa’s turkeys will eat about 62,000 acres of corn and 69,000 acres of soybeans.
- A female turkey is called a hen and a male turkey is called a tom. Toms and hens are raised separately. Most Iowa turkey growers raise toms.
Team Latham

November 12, 2010

General, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Festive Foods Make Entertaining Simply Delicious

Now that temperatures are cooler and we’ve turned the calendar pages to the festive month of November, I can’t help but think about warm, comfort foods and holiday entertaining.

As a working mom, I look for every opportunity to save time. That’s why I love crock pots and make-ahead salads! Since I’d be remiss not to “talk turkey” this month, below is one of my favorite turkey recipes to feed hungry groups with ease. I’m also including an easy-to-make cranberry jell-o salad recipe with Caramel Apple Cheesecake for dessert. Mash some real potatoes, open a can of green beans and call it good… Menu planning doesn’t get much easier than that!

Herbed Turkey Breast

Ingredients:
5 to 6 pound turkey breast, fresh or thawed
2 T. butter or margarine
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. fresh parsley, minced
¼ c. garden vegetable-flavored cream cheese
½ tsp. dry basil
½ tsp. rubbed sage
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
Place turkey in stoneware. Combine remaining ingredients and brush over turkey. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

Cranberry Pineapple Salad

Ingredients:
2, small packages of cranberry (or raspberry) flavored gelatin
1 ¾ c. boiling water
1, 16-oz. can jellied cranberry sauce
1, 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
¾ c. orange juice
1 T. lemon juice
½ c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Then break up the cranberry sauce and stir it into the liquid gelatin. Add pineapple, orange juice and lemon juice. Chill until partially set. Stir in nuts. Pour into an 11x7x2 dish. Chill until firm; cut into squares. Serve on lettuce leave and top with a dollop of mayo.

NOTE: While this red salad looks pretty against a dark, green lettuce leaf, I rarely take the time to serve it this way. It just becomes so fancy! Perhaps I should try it this holiday season…

Team Latham

November 5, 2010

Desserts, General, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrating a Merry (Not Scary) Halloween
One of the things I enjoy most about being a parent is the opportunity to relive all of my favorite memories from my own childhood. When I think about “Halloween pasts,” I remember how much excitement I felt about choosing my costume and going trick-or-treating with my cousins. Each week I religiously read TV Guide to see when “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” was going to air and marked my calendar so I’d be sure not to miss it. And Halloween preparations also meant my mom and I would be busy in the kitchen.

Making “Great Pumpkin Cookies” became an annual tradition. This tradition lives on, and this week my son spent some time after school baking up these delicious holiday treats in my mom’s kitchen. Because they’re as fun to eat as they are to make, we’d like to share our treasured recipe with you. I’m also including the “Charlie Brown theme song” in case you need a little background music as you bake.

What are your family’s Halloween traditions?

P.S. While the cookies are baking, your aspiring artists can try their hand at making jack-o-lantern or Frankenstein luminaries. This also makes a great “rainy day” activity. Check out this Website for more ideas to fight boredom when kids are stuck inside: http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/bored.htm#in

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT WITH HALLOWEEN LUMINARIES

Materials
- Glass jar of any size
- Paint brush or 1” foam brush
- Tissue paper, cut into approximately ½” wide strips
- Black and white construction paper (other colors as desired)
- Paper maché paste or wallpaper paste
- Electric candle
Instructions

Coat the jar with paste and smooth on tissue paper. Don’t worry about making all of the strips nice and neat; it actually makes a neat effect when strips are placed every which way. Cut out eyes, nose and mouth; adhere to jar with another coat of paste. Put on one final coat of paste, making sure all of the tissue strips are covered. You’ll see that we also used a glue gun to adhere bolts to Frankenstein’s head. Last fall my daughter and I made jack-o-lantern luminaries. For directions on how to make these, click here: http://www.craftideas.info/html/recycled_jar_pumpkin_b.html
Team Latham

October 29, 2010

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

What Kind of Nut Are You?

I’m a big fan of the seeds covered with hard shells in all varieties — as a sundae topping, in baked goods, or simply by themselves! (You probably thought I was going to talk about how I’m a raving fan of Latham Seeds, eh? Instead I’m taking a break from promoting our company’s products to talk about nuts.)

National Nut Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 22. So, today I decided to devote a little time to studying this topic. I learned that people around the globe are encouraged to celebrate National Nut Day by eating large quantities of baked goods, nuts or snacks. Any holiday that encourages you to eat baked goods is worth celebrating.

Sound nutty to you? Well, I’ll admit it — I’m a nut! According to a Fisher^® Nuts personality quiz, I’m an almond to be exact. You can take this short quiz, too: http://www.fishernuts.com/fisher/press_pdfs/nut_quiz.pdf.

The Fisher® Nuts Website also includes a link to all the nut recipes you could ever dream of. For some reason, I’m drawn to the Almond Cookie Bites …

What kind of nut are you?

Team Latham

October 23, 2010

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Joys of Country Living and Country Cooking

This week for National Pork Month we’re honoring the Gansen family – proud Iowa pork producers.

Ken and Jamie Gansen farm near Elma, Iowa, in the northeast corner of the state. They’re two youngest children, son Joey and daughter Josie, are their farming operation’s biggest advocates. Joey simply loves everything about farming, and his favorite role is serving as “resident expert” for all things related to machinery. He’s been fortunate to learn all about the original farm equipment from Grandpa Joe Gansen. Plus, young Joey is knowledgeable enough to teach his grandpa about the operation’s new technologies and is quick to offer his opinion on what equipment is “needed” to make chores easier or more efficient.

Josie’s favorite thing about living on a farm is having pets. She loves all animals, big and small. For Christmas last year, she asked Santa Claus for a house dog and/or a bottle calf. Josie must have been a good girl because Santa delivered her a Pomapoo house dog named “Buddy.” Her second wish was granted this summer when her dad brought home a bottle calf that she named “Tipper.” I can just imagine how Josie felt when Buddy – and Tipper, too – arrived. When I was 10 years old, Santa brought me a goat named “Merry” to wish me a Merry Christmas. Although that’s been more years ago than I care to admit, I can still remember how excited I was that Christmas morning!

The Gansen family wouldn’t be complete without their two Golden Retrievers, several farm cats, three horses, one pony, and a guinea pig. Joey is now in 4-H and using it as way to “plot” (as his mom would say) to add rabbits and chickens to their farm’s animal lineup. As a kid, I too plotted for rabbits and actually showed California Whites as a 4-H project. (Keep with it, Joey. Persistence pays!)

In addition to having a passion for living the country life, the Gansens have a passion for country cooking. Jamie has been serving home-made meals in the renovated farm house that has become the clubhouse at Maple Heights Golf & Country Club (www.golfelma.com), which she and Ken purchased fully in 1998.

The future site of Maple Heights Golf & Country Club in 1989.

They cater everything from wedding rehearsal dinners to birthday parties. With all of Jamie’s catering expertise, I was especially eager to see what kind of recipe she would share with me. She was generous enough to share her Pulled Pork recipe, which is a favorite at home and at the country club. Plus, she says any pulled pork that is leftover from supper makes a great harvest lunch for Ken the next day.

Jamie’s recipe is included below. I’m licking my lips already!

What’s your family’s favorite way to enjoy pork?

Team Latham

October 15, 2010

General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From their Family Farm to Your Family’s Table
In the tradition of celebrating National Pork Month, this week we’re honoring another Iowa farm family with a proud tradition of raising quality pork — the Wyatts, who have been a Latham® dealer for 15 years.

Frank and Susan Wyatt of Hudson, Iowa, started farming in 1970 when they purchased farm land that had been owned at one time by Frank’s grandfather. They started raising hogs by farrowing about 14 sows in a little chicken house right next to their home. Over time, they updated and expanded their farrow-to-finish operation. In 1981, Frank earned the Master Pork Producer distinction, and in 1984, he was awarded the district Hog Wild Award for outstanding promotion and support of Iowa pork.

Susan grew up a “town girl” in Reinbeck and readily admits she didn’t know much about raising hogs when she and Frank married. With her experience as a registered nurse, however, Susan offered to help with the piglets. She attended a six-week course at Hawkeye Institute of Technology where she learned how to cut tails and prevent infection, clip eye teeth and give injections.

The Wyatts are the proud parents of two married sons and the proud grandparents to six grandchildren. They’re also proud of their family tradition of raising quality pork. Susan says, “We want others to know that Iowa pork producers are committed to producing safe, wholesome food for our families and yours. We’re responsible caretakers of our animals with safeguards in place to protect the food supply. Our farms meet or exceed all environmental standards to protect the air and water in our local communities.”

Susan shared a long-time favorite recipe for ham balls with me that she says her grandchildren are always begging her to make when they visit. If kids like them, you know they’re delicious! Another one of her favorites is Orange-Glazed Pork Medallions. Both recipes are included below.

How are you celebrating National Pork Month? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Orange Glazed Pork Medallions

Serves 8

Ingredients:
- 3, 1-lb. pork tenderloins
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 rounded tsp. ground garlic
Directions:
1. Slash the tops of the loins diagonally (about 1/2 inch deep).
2. In a small bowl mix together salt, thyme, ginger, pepper and garlic.
3. Rub the mixture into the tops of the loins, catching the slashes.
4. Place the loins in a zip lock bag and refrigerate (night before or early in the day).
5. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
6. Place meat on rack in roasting pan and cover with foil.
7. Roast for 45 minutes.
8. While meat is roasting prepare glaze.
Glaze:

Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 T. cornstarch
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 T. flour
- 2 T. yellow mustard
- 1 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 T. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. grated orange rind
Directions:
1. Mix together in medium saucepan: sugar, cornstarch, flour, orange rind, orange juice, mustard, lemon juice, soy sauce and water. (Mix dry sugar, cornstarch and flour together before adding any liquid to avoid lumps.)
2. Stir over medium heat until thick, smooth and boiling.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 1-2 minutes.
4. At the end of the first 45 minutes of baking the loins, brush meat with some of the glaze.
5. Roast another 45 minutes uncovered.
6. Remove loins to platter and cover loosely with foil for 10 minutes.
7. Slice into 1-inch medallions and serve with remaining glaze as a topping on each serving.
Team Latham

October 8, 2010

Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Picking and a Grinning: Apple Harvest
This week our kids were assigned homework that our entire family enjoyed: picking apples. Fortunately, my parents’ Red Delicious tree was especially productive this year and the apples were ripe for picking. To make it even better, we were harvesting apples on a beautiful fall afternoon with blue skies, sunshine and temperatures in the upper 70s. Our energetic nine-year-olds spent as much – if not more – time climbing the tree than they did picking the fruit but that’s how the best memories are made.

As much as I love the natural goodness of a crisp apple, I have to admit that I enjoy eating them more with a little dip! Last week while I was making farm visits in northeast Iowa, I had the pleasure of also visiting with one our salesmen’s wives. She had just whipped up some dip for their kids’ afternoon snack, so I requested it for my blog. While Meg got this recipe from a Cooking Light magazine, she admits to liberally sprinkling additional toffee bits on top of the dip – more chocolate is always better, right? Her family also likes this dip with graham cracker sticks and/or animal crackers.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy apples?

Apple Fun Facts
- Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, yellows.
- Apples are grown in all 50 states.
- Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.
- 100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.
- 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.
- 7,500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.
http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/National_apple_month.html
Team Latham

September 17, 2010

Desserts, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Cool, Fall Days Call for Apple Crisp

As I walked our dog along the creek, I couldn’t help but think of all the things I love about early fall. I love how the morning air is crisp and cool but the afternoon temperatures are pleasantly warm without all of the humidity we experience in the heat of summer. I get a kick out of watching children play touch football in our backyard. I enjoy decorating for fall and picking pumpkins. I marvel at the number of Monarchs resting on my flowers and delight when I find their eggs on the backside of leaves. I find beauty in the countryside as crops mature and leaves begin to turn color.

Most of all, I enjoy the fruits of this season. There’s nothing better than fresh apple cider and all of the wonderful home-made treats that are synonymous (at least to me) with fall harvest. My mom made the following recipe last weekend, and I thought it was simply delicious. I hope you’ll agree!

What do you enjoy most about fall?

Team Latham

September 10, 2010

Desserts, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Labor Day Weekend and large gatherings? Back-to-school snacks? End-of-the-summer bounty?

It was tough choosing just one of these topics to feature in my weekly recipe blog until I looked through an old Taste of Home magazine. I was searching for a new idea on how to put my family’s bountiful zucchini to good use when a photograph of a delectable-looking chocolate cupcake with a pull-quote caught my attention. The lady who submitted the recipe wrote, “I’m always asked for this recipe, which makes a tasty treat after school, after lunch or after supper. My grandkids love these cupcakes and don’t believe there are veggies in them!”

With Labor Day and family get-togethers around the corner, I thought cupcakes would be the perfect addition to a family picnic. Not to mention, getting kids to eat veggies without even knowing it is like a dream come to true! I thought to myself, “I don’t even have to count this as a dessert. Why these cupcakes really count as a serving of vegetables rather than a dessert. Perhaps I could eat two of them – one from the fruit/vegetable group and one as dessert.” (How’s that for rationalization, ladies? Of course, I won’t share this thought with my kids!)

What’s your favorite way to sneak veggies to your kids?

Team Latham

September 3, 2010

Desserts, Recipes

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Give Thanks!

Easy Turkey Salad

Some Turkey Facts:

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Gobble Up!

Southwestern Turkey Soup

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Festive Foods Make Entertaining Simply Delicious

Herbed Turkey Breast

Cranberry Pineapple Salad

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrating a Merry (Not Scary) Halloween

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT WITH HALLOWEEN LUMINARIES

Materials

Instructions

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

What Kind of Nut Are You?

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Joys of Country Living and Country Cooking

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From their Family Farm to Your Family’s Table

Orange Glazed Pork Medallions

Glaze:

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Picking and a Grinning: Apple Harvest

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Cool, Fall Days Call for Apple Crisp

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes