A Super Starting Line Up for Super Bowl Sunday

Whether you’re watching the game for the commercials or rooting for one of the teams, few things bring friends together faster than a table full of game day food. We’ve rounded up some of our favorites here!

Delicious Dips

Liz’s Super Yummy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Amy’s Crock Pot Pizza Dip

Liz’s Layered Greek Dip

Cris’ Queso Dip

Heather’s Quick and Easy Pickle Dip

Meats and Mains

MaryBeth’s Mini Calzones

Cris’ French Onion Meatballs

Leah’s Honey Mustard Bacon Chicken Tenders

Heather’s Bacon Wrapped Smokies

Leah’s Buttery Three Cheese Ham Sandwiches

Jent’s Tangy Crock Pot Smoked Sausage Bites

Leah’s Spicy Garlic Baked Chicken Legs

Sweets and Treats

Megan’s Sweet and Saltines Candy

Leah’s Ooey Gooey Popcorn

Have a reliable recipe that you love to serve on game day?  Share it below!

A Firsthand Look at Indiana Agriculture

By Sarah Correll

Want to know more about what’s happening on Indiana farms? Looking for a great new recipe? Indiana has a wonderful group of food and farm bloggers that would love to fill you in!

From My Front Porch

Jent Campbell writes about her family’s life on their 6^th generation crop farm.

Walking the Off-Beaten Path

Curious about cattle? Life lessons and happenings from a beef farm are shared by Lana Wallpe here!

Fencerow to Fencerow

Professionally, she promotes Indiana wines and wineries. Personally, she’s a farmwife, farmer’s daughter, and farm mom. Jeanette’s blog is full of information about pigs, wine, and family fun.

The Farmer’s Life

Delphi wheat, soybean, and popcorn farmer Brian Scott shares the weekly happenings of his farm in photos.

3 Kids and Lots of Pigs

Read about Heather Hill’s family pork farm here!

Following the Future of Agriculture

The Indiana FFA State Officers, a team of seven recent high school graduates, share their adventures traveling the state learning and teaching about Indiana agriculture.

Hoosier Farm Babe Tell Tails

Meggie is an agriculture professional, farmwife, mom, and great cook. Keep up with her life here!

Winners Drink Milk

The American Dairy Association of Indiana blogs about dairy recipes and news.

Boilermaker Ag

Chelsea Nord keeps us up-to-date on her life as a young professional in agriculture.

Two Maids a Milking

Sisters-in-law Amy and Liz Kelsay live on a family dairy farm just outside of Indianapolis. Read their blog to find out about their families, farms, and food.

Alarm Clock Wars

MaryBeth balances a new baby and her job as a veterinarian all while keeping us informed of what’s happening on her family’s beef farm.

The (agri)Cultured Foodie

Abigail Maurer loves people, food, and words. She combines the three as she shares about Indiana agriculture on this great blog!

 A Latte with Ott, A

Gardening, cooking, and working in Indiana agriculture keep Amy Ott very busy. She shares her tips and tricks in her blog posts.

Are we missing anyone? Share your favorite Indiana agriculture bloggers in the comments below!

Dairy Healthy Diet

By Sarah Correll

We all know that dairy products are a part of a healthy, balanced diet. What makes them so great?

 Protein

 

Dairy products provide protein to help build and repair muscle. Chocolate milk provides the perfect combination of carbs and protein for athletes.

Vitamin D

 

The vitamin D in milk helps us absorb calcium and strengthen bones. Vitamin D is included in all types of milk, not just whole.

Potassium

 

Potassium helps us maintain normal blood pressure. Consuming dairy products is associated with a lower risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fat

Milk and milk products come in a variety of fat options. Whole milk is 3.25% fat (96.75% fat free), 2% milk is 2% fat (98% fat free), 1% milk is 1% fat (99% fat free), and skim milk is 100% fat free.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus helps our bodies generate energy.

Vitamin A

Dairy products are a good source of vitamin A, the vitamin that helps maintain normal vision and skin.

Calcium

 

Important for strong bones and teeth, calcium is a major nutrient found in dairy.

Be sure to include three or more dairy products (such as these Cheesy Chicken Chalupas from Two Maids a Milking) in your diet every day, and learn more about dairy nutrition and the farmers who care for the cows here!

Spilling the Beans about Bean Day

By Sarah Correll

 

 

Beans are celebrated with their own holiday each year on January 6^th. What’s so great about beans?

They’re nutritious.

 

 

Dry beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, and pinto beans, among others) are a relatively low-calorie and low-fat source of protein, with less than 165 Calories and more than 7.7 grams of protein per 100 grams. They also provide calcium, fiber, iron, and folic acid. See the full nutritional value of beans here.

They’re important tools in the fight against hunger.

 

Beans are inexpensive and packed with nutrients. Combine that with their long shelf life, and we have a great tool to fight hunger at home and abroad.

They’re versatile.

 

 

They can be cooked in everything from cookies to chili to bok choy.

They’re delicious.

 

What is your favorite bean recipe? Find a list here!

Now no one can say that you don’t know beans.

You Had Me at Bacon

By Sarah Correll  

Bacon is a favorite meat of many, and I’m sure I don’t need to sell you on the savory, salty, and slightly sweet meat. Whether you prefer it crispy, chewy, or burnt, these recipes are sure to be stars with your family!

Mountaintop Oven Baked Bacon from Beyer Beware

 

Do you dip your bacon in syrup? Leah’s oven baked bacon combines sweet and savory in a similar way!

Spaghetti Carbonara from Two Maids a Milking

 

Liz combines pasta, bacon, chicken, and cheese in this recipe. What could be better?

Loaded Potato Soup from 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs

 

This slow cooker soup is a hit with Heather’s family!

Honey Mustard Bacon Chicken Tenders from Beyer Beware

Leah has an entire category dedicated to bacon on her blog, and these chicken tenders are sure to be a new favorite!

Country Potato Bake from Fencerow to Fencerow

 

Cheese and bacon star in Jeanette’s simple and delicious casserole!

Quick and Easy Strawberry Bacon Spinach Salad from Two Maids a Milking

 

If you’re looking for a little lighter bacon recipe, Liz’s salad has tons of flavor!

Local Soup Kitchens – Benefitting The Community with Nutritious Meals

By Michelle Plummer of Winners Drink Milk

Food Pantries, Food Bank, Soup Kitchens may not be like you see in Oliver Twist.  Today there are many folks working and volunteering to serve hot, wholesome and nutritious foods and meals that those who may not have enough to eat regularly.

I recently had the privilege of touring Gleaners Food Bank, where skids of canned foods, juices, and refrigerated products were available.  In fact, in the produce area there were bags of beautiful purple topped turnips cleaned and ready to cook, and I could not miss the skids of jellied cranberry sauce.  As I walked this vast area, I could not help but think this literally looks like Thanksgiving shopping in the grocery store.

I am working with a group who is writing recipes that are easy to prepare, nutritious and taste good that can be handed out to the patrons of the food banks and pantries.

I have also had the great blessing of being involved with Second Helpings, both as a volunteer and educator.  I have seen first hand the beautiful hotel pans of Chili with corn bread or Southwestern Chicken that are going to the more than 3500 persons that Second Helpings serves daily.  Second Helpings and Gleaners both offer an array of ways to help in the community and always can use two more hands, just give them a call.

OK, back to the cranberry sauce.  Every year at the family table is the canned cranberry sauce and at our house there are always left overs, so I got to thinking, cranberry sauce is red, sweet, and easy to smash, SMOOTHIE? Well maybe.  So after a bit of work, the Cranberry Creme Smoothie was served.

Cranberry Crème Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 c yogurt
• 1/4 c jellied cranberry sauce
• 2 T orange juice

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in blender
• Blend until smooth
• Pour into glass

Also, look for the Choppin Indiana Hunger cooking event at the Indianapolis Home Show on Saturday, February 1, 2014.  See local chefs cook off using a surprise basket of goodies.  Watch the website and blogs for more information.

Minting a Holiday Classic

By Sara Correll



 

Candy canes are a classic holiday treat. Did you know they also have some Indiana connections?

Mint production is big business in Indiana. Indiana farmers raise over 594,000 pounds of peppermint each year, some of which is used in producing candy canes.

 

The well-known J shape and peppermint flavor were not always the norm. Candy canes have been around since the 17^th century, but it was an Indiana candy maker who chose the shape and colors of the candy we now know.

 

Several Indiana candy stores still make candy canes in house. You can watch candy canes being made at the Martinsville Candy Kitchen and pick some up at McCord Candies in Lafayette!