A Chip Off the Old Block

By Sarah Correll

While I’ve never needed an excuse to eat chocolate, they’ve given us one.  It’s National Chocolate Chip Day! Let's see what some of the Indiana bloggers over at Real Farmwives of America and Friends are baking up.

In honor of this great idea of a holiday, why not start the day with some of Amy over at A Latte with Ott, A’s Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins?

 And maybe some Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake for dessert?

 This Chocolate Chip Pie from Megan at Gal in the Middle also looks fantastic!

Or, if you’re more of a chocolate chip purist, Amy at Two Maids a Milking has a great cookie recipe!

No matter which recipe you choose to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day with, there’s nothing better to pair it with than a glass of ice cold milk!  Enjoy!

Winners Drink Milk at the Indy 500

By Mary of Winners Drink Milk

In my head right now I’m hearing “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, except for all the references to activities associated with the winter holidays.  But much like Christmas, there is a lot of anticipation, and preparations are being made for family and friends to visit for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500.

   

It didn’t use to be this way.  Growing up in southern Illinois, Dad always had the race on TV, so I was well aware of it.  Likewise, Dad often had golf on TV, but that didn’t turn me into a golfer.  However, moving to Indianapolis within five miles of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a step in the right direction.  Then working for the American Dairy Association of Indiana really moved the needle!  It has really been an incredible experience being involved, even slightly, with the tradition of the Drink of Milk in Victory Circle. 

This tradition began with a simple request.When Louis Meyer, the first three-time winner, won his second Indy 500 in 1933, he asked for a cold glass of buttermilk to quench his thirst. Three years later, Louis repeated the win and was photographed drinking his buttermilk. For the next two decades, the Milk Foundation presented milk to race winners off and on. But in 1956, Tony Hulman made the Bottle of Milk a permanent part of the Victory Lane (now Circle) celebration.

Writer Pete McEntegart’s “The 10 Spot” on si.com -the Sports Illustrated web site – declared the Indy 500 to be the “Sports World’s Coolest Prize”. That’s some tradition, isn’t it?

Did you know that there are others in Victory Circle who also get a bottle of milk?  Not only is the winning driver handed a bottle of milk; the winning team owner and the winning chief mechanic are also recipients of their own commemorative bottles.  And who is handing out those bottles?  Two Indiana dairy farmers! 

A new board member from Milk Promotion Services of Indiana (the parent company of the Dairy & Nutrition Council and the American Dairy Association of Indiana) is chosen each year by his/her peers to represent all of Indian’s dairy farmers in Victory Circle. The first year, the board member serves as the “rookie milkman” and the second year as the “veteran”. It’s an honor that is taken quite seriously.  The milkmen don’t just show up on race day and that’s that. No, there is a fair amount of work that goes on before the big day. Media training, interviews, and bottle hand-off practice, to name a few. This is not something that’s generally a part of life on a dairy farm!

   

So this year when you watch the Victory Circle activities, look for the two men in cow-spotted hats.  You’ll see that, in fact, Winners Drink Milk!

A May Thanksgiving

By Sarah Correll

Almost everyone who enjoyed school had at least one class, and one teacher, that they really enjoyed.  For countless students in Indiana and across the country, these teachers are their agriculture teachers and FFA advisers. You can’t have one without the other, as FFA is a part of the agricultural education model.  Add in the supervised agricultural experience and the classroom and laboratory learning components of their jobs (more about that here), and agriculture teachers have a pretty full plate.  May 7th was National Teachers Day.  The theme this year was Thank a Teacher, and we would like to do just that.  Here is what a few agriculture students in Indiana had to say.

 “My FFA advisors are different from my other teachers because they are not only my teachers, but they are also my friends. It makes it easier as a student to work with advisors who are easy to get along with and are passionate about their job and the organization.” – Allie

“My FFA advisors are different from my other teachers because they genuinely care about all of my endeavors. They are willing to help with anything, in or out of the classroom.” – Leah

 “My FFA advisors are great because they care about me as a person not just a student. Even though I have graduated, they still text and call me to check in and make sure I am doing good! I appreciate their continuous, active involvement in my life!”- Cameron

“My FFA advisors are great because of their dedication to not only the organization, but also to their students. They have a passion for seeing us excel in every aspect of our lives. They have truly supported me in everything that I do and have inspired me to reach my goals.” – Mallarie

 It is not uncommon for my agriculture instructor to be at the school before 7 in the morning and to still be there at that same hour in the evening practicing with students.   His passion for success, growth, and, most of all, the growth of all students is something that is truly admired throughout the community and the state.  He is a true example of positive relationship building, hard work, compassion, and integrity.  When asked by current agricultural education students what made all of the long hours and Saturday work days worth it, he replied, “I have a file at home. It is full of letters from former students.  That’s what makes it worth it.” 

Allie, Leah, Cameron, Mallarie, I, and thousands of others like us certainly appreciate our agriculture teachers.  Who made a difference in your education?  Have you told them thank you?

Because No One Likes Salmonella

By Sarah Corell

Salmonella and E. coli in spinach, peanut butter, and cantaloupe have all made headlines.  Nearly one in six Americans will experience food poisoning this year; however, the majority of food safety issues occur in homes, not on farms or in processing plants.  How can you keep your family safe?  Simple: clean, separate, cook, and chill.  Here’s even a song to get you in the mood to find out more! 

           

Clean hands and surfaces!  Be sure to wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and wash cutting boards, dishes, and surfaces with hot soapy water before handling food.  Mixing one teaspoon of bleach with each quart of water used to clean surfaces can up your safety even more. You also may want to consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen messes.  The next best alternative?  Cloth towels that are washed very frequently in the hot cycle in the washing machine.

Avoid cross-contamination!  Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and fresh produce.  Don’t place cooked food back on plates that once held uncooked meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs, and be sure to separate raw meats from the rest of your groceries in your cart and in your refrigerator. 

Did you know one in four hamburgers turns brown before it is cooked to a safe temperature?  Be sure to use a thermometer to check the internal temperatures of meats.  The chart below provides the proper temperatures for safely prepared foods.  You should also be sure to keep hot foods hot- hot foods on a buffet line should be kept at 140 degrees or higher.  They’ll taste better and stay safe!  Microwaves can be extra tricky- be sure to check foods for cold spots!

Make sure your refrigerator is consistently 32-40 degrees and that the proper foods are stored in it.  Keep all perishable foods chilled until serving time and place containers of cold food on ice for serving at buffets.  Be sure to thaw food in the refrigerator or the microwave, never at room temperature.  Don’t over-stuff the refrigerator and divide leftovers into small containers so that the can chill quickly.

The list of ways to keep your family’s food safe is definitely a long one, but most are simple methods and all are more pleasant than a bout of food poisoning!

Fruity Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

By Dianne Ruyack of Winners Drink Milk

Ladies and gentlemen, start your blenders: Smoothies make a quick, easy and healthy meal, snack or dessert. Smoothies are all the rage because they are a simple (and delicious!) way to bump up your daily intake of powerhouse fruits and veggies. Full of antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, they are the perfect way to sneak a whole lot of goodness into your family diet.You can use these recipes to make some yummy kid-friendly smoothies, or concoct your own tasty delights with what you have on hand at home.

It's not easy getting kids excited about fruit and vegetables. That's where smoothie recipes for kids come into play. If you present them a smoothie as something different and give fruits and vegetables a a new name (kid's smoothies) they are more likely to consume these foods.These bright, colorful, and delicious drinks will get kids to consume something healthy in a new and exciting way. Try starting your day with yummy smoothies.  Be creative and let the kids vote for their favorite!

Fruity Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

Rating: 5

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 2

Serving Size: 1 cup

Creamy and fruity breakfast in a glass and on the go!

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 banana, broken into chunks
14 frozen strawberries, 1 cup frozen blueberries, peaches, raspberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
Instructions

In a blender, combine milk, oats, banana and strawberries. Add vanilla and sugar if desired. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

For more Smoothie Recipes, check out Allrecipes.com.

A High What?

By Sarah Correll

Yesterday was National Haiku Day.  If you’re like me, you might not be exactly sure what that is.  I checked it out, and it’s a poem with three verses of 5, 7, and 5 syllables (it’s been a while since English class).  Nevertheless, here is my attempt!

Silos, corn cribs, cows

Indiana sights and scenes

Line the roads ahead.

Alright, so I’m no poet.  But this haiku about cheese from Cricket Creek Farm is pretty neat!

“cheese surprises me

i think i know her, but then

oh! impressed again”

While my poetry skills are still lacking, there is certainly a lot to appreciate about Indiana agriculture.  The Purdue University College of Agriculture hosted “SWAG Week” last week.  SWAG stands for See What Ag Gives, and they invited the entire campus to get involved with the event.

Buttons were found on jackets and backpacks with things that agriculture gives individuals all week.

Even the bell tower got involved with a special green glow.

But more than anything else, it was exciting to see students from across the College of Agriculture and from across campus come together to talk about what ag gives.  We already can’t wait for next year!

Great Grilling Recipes

By Sarah Correll

It’s warm.  It is finally warm. (Or we will pretend it is until it is!)  That means spring sports, show livestock in the barns, and, of course, grilling season.  In celebration of that, here is a recipe roundup of some tasty grilling recipes from the Real Farmwives of America and Friends!

 Ham and Pineapple Kabobs from Goodeness Gracious

 Grilled Pizza from A Latte with Ott, A

 Grilled Artichokes from 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs

Grilled Summer Salad from Goodeness Gracious

The Perfect Steak from Beyer Beware

Bourbon Tenderloins from A Latte with Ott, A

Barbeque Chicken Thighs from Goodeness Gracious

Asian Duck Burgers from A Latte with Ott, A

I’m definitely excited for this warm weather and everything (food and non-food) that goes with it!  If your favorite recipe isn’t listed above, be sure to share it below!