MOBeef Update

In the beef industry, we’ve got a lot of passionate farmers and ranchers who really love taking care of their land and animals. Need proof? Meet Lance Zimmerman. Lance is from the farm and describes himself like this:

Lance Zimmerman, blogs about his life on a beef farm

“A small-town boy at heart, I spent my summers working fields, fixing fence, and working on 4-H projects. I am the first person in my family to earn a college degree. Now, I want to help consumers and ranchers learn a bit more about what happens on the other side of the pasture gate.”

Lance writes a blog to help share his experience raising beef cattle with those of us who don’t live on a farm. At his blog, titled The Beef U Eat, Lance provides a place to discuss what it takes to feed the world. This venture helps consumers who have a desire to connect with their food, while also highlighting farmers who generally aren’t the type to call attention to themselves.

In a recent post, Lance writes about his decision to wash reusable grocery bags to eliminate bacteria. Now that’s something all food lovers should consider!

We’ve done a variety of posts in honor of National Grilling Month. We’ve included tips for healthy grilling and even asked our friends to share their grilling tips with us! Here are the 19 responses we got from our Facebook friends commenting on the type of grills they choose to use. It’s safe to say charcoal took the majority from these folks, but we sure did get some creative ideas for modifications!

Now we want you to come to our cookout party! All it takes is a visit to our Facebook wall or Twitter page, where you can post pictures of the beef on your grill from now through the weekend!

All party guests will be entered to win some great grilling gear! So fire up your grill and let’s eat!

As families are traveling the summer, there are a lot of different ideas of the best way to travel with children. I know a couple of families that drive through the night, while the kids sleep. I’ve never been a fan of that tactic, because it leaves everyone tired and cranky the next day.

We don’t have a DVD player in our car, but we do have some hand-held electronic games for entertainment. And, yes, I’m the mom that has math and spelling games on those devices.

Here are a few tips and tricks that make our family vacations fun!

Travel Fairy: The “travel fairy” visits our car every once in a while (2-3 times on a 4-5 hour trip). She leaves things in plain brown lunch sacks for us to find. One bag might be a game, fun notepad with blinky pen, or a book the little one has been wanting, while other bags have snacks/ treats in them. You never know until you open it, but that crazy fairy always seems to know exactly what we need and when we need it!

Scavenger hunt for kids- this one's for a road trip to Iowa

Scavenger Hunts: A little due-diligence prior to traveling makes it easy to set up scavenger hunts. A car trip to Iowa would justify a search for wind mills, big white barns, John Deere tractors and round hay bales. A trip that includes air travel might have a hunt that includes ice cream, flip flops, boots and luggage carts. Some generic things might be road signs such as a green exit sign, yield, stop or speed limit.

Give a (fun) task: Have your kiddos find their “favorite” piece of luggage in the airport, or their favorite pair of shoes at a rest stop and draw it for you to guess what the person who was hauling the bags/ wearing the shoes was wearing. Not only does this activity spur creativity, it’ll also boost memory skills.

Sing along to the radio: Someone once told me about a game she played that included putting the radio on “seek” and the first person who could sing the next line of the song (no matter the stations/ genre), got a point. At the end of the set amount of time, the person with the most points wins- they might get the option of where to stop to eat or the next game to play.

Don’t forget snacks: bringing nutrient-dense snacks, like 90% lean beef jerky can help kids (and their parents) feel satisfied longer than if the snack was sugary and lacked nutrients. And, let’s face it- who wants to be in a car with a child on a sugar-high?

Spin a story: This game from www.family-mealtimes.org will really bring out your family’s creative side … and have you rolling in laughter when the stories get crazier and crazier! There’s nothing to it… someone starts a story (take turns!) and, after a couple of sentences, the story starter points to another person to continue the story – and so on and so on. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Sure, I’ve seen cows on a FARM, but in a…?!
Sam and Susie knew that ______ would be the perfect meal before _______

Regardless of the way you choose to travel, and the games you play along the way- here’s to a happy, safe, healthy summer to build some great family memories!

If you’re like me, summertime means cooking out and taking advantage of fresh veggies. I bet I’m not the only one who can relate to having friends and relatives who deliver extra produce to my house and leave me wondering what to fix with my favorite veggies. Whether your veggies come straight from your garden, are produced by friends, or are purchased at the farmer’s market or grocery store, here are some of my favorite ways to highlight fresh ingredients in my kitchen!

Do you have more carrots than you know what to do with? Try these:

• Beef Spring Rolls with Carrots and Cilantro
• Easy Asian Stir-Fry

Dress up your meals with fresh spinach with these recipes:

• Top Sirloin Filets with Spinach-Lemon Pesto Pasta
• Beef, Arugula and Spinach Lasagna

If you need inspiration for the asparagus and green beans in your garden, here’s what you need to try:

• Beef and Asparagus Pasta Toss
• Beefy Potato Salad with Green Beans

To learn more about cooking with fresh ingredients all year long, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. You can search hundreds of recipes by the ingredient you want to use. While you’re there, visit our new Interactive Meat Case, a user-friendly way to learn how to use new beef cuts and recipes with your family!

This week’s Missouri Beef Checkoff Chat features John Kleiboeker with the Missouri Beef Industry Council talking about the recent annual meeting of the Beef Improvement Federation that was held in Columbia earlier this month.

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Morgan is interning with the Missouri Beef Industry Council this summer. Here is a story she shared from her visit to a Missouri cattle farm earlier this month.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to spend the day at a couple of Missouri beef farms. Jim Freeman, the gentleman pictured here on the right, is one of the farmers I visited. Like other cattle producers, Jim works hard to care for his cattle.

Jim and his wife Era live in Salem, Missouri, where he worked as a Livestock Extension Specialist. He has lived in Dent County since 1978, when he purchased the farm where he currently resides.

His role with Extension was to help local cattle farmers and other livestock owners better manage and care for their animals.

Now that Jim is retired to the farm, he spends his time “backgrounding” cattle. Backgrounding, which is sometimes also referred to as “stocking” is used to describe the farming practice that grows calves from weaning age to approximately 800-900 pounds. Because Missouri has such valuable pasture land and green grass, many of our state’s farmers are involved in this stage of the food production cycle. Backgrounding helps condition cattle for further feeding by using both forage and grain to provide the nutrients needed in their daily diets.

Jim explains the hard work that goes into producing food, rain or shine. “It can sometimes not be an easy job,” he says. “When it is really cold outside, you still have to go outside and care for the animals.”

He also says that one of his biggest challenges is caring for the health of the animals.  Making sure they have proper vaccinations and they maintain optimum health.  The welfare of the animals is very important to him, and it’s something that he says comes natural. “Raising cattle gets in your blood. It makes you very passionate about farming and livestock.”

Jim uses this passion to serve on the Missouri Beef Industry Council board of directors. This volunteer role allows him to help improve the industry he believes in by promoting research and education to farmers and consumers alike.

We tend to use a babysitter more often at our house during the summer months. Although, we are very fortunate to have two or three fabulous sitters to choose from; many parents struggle with the process of finding just the right person to watch your little angels. And, once you find the right someone(s)- how do you make the night go smoothly for the parents, sitter and kiddos?

Here are a few tips adapted from the US Department of Education:

• Ask for names and phone numbers of people who have hired the babysitter before. Call these people and ask what they liked and didn’t like about this sitter.
• Interview the babysitter. Look for someone who is trustworthy, capable and comfortable with your kids.
• Have a trial run. Have the sitter care for your children while you are at home cleaning- or at the park while you walk the track. You can watch the sitter interacting with your kids, but still utilize some valuable “adult” time.
• Describe your routines. Give the sitter information on your baby’s habits and preferences for eating, diapering, playing and sleeping. Also cover meals, snacks, etc.
• Give clear instructions. Make sure the sitter knows how to deal with emergencies; and be clear about your non-negotiable rules for safety.
• Tell the sitter how you can be reached. Give the sitter the name and phone number of a friend or relative to call if you aren’t answering your phone.
• Write down the phone number of the baby’s doctor and if you feel comfortable leave a copy of your insurance card.
• Give a tour of your house. Let the sitter know about anything unusual.
• Let the sitter know when you’ll be home. Call if you will be late.
• Have food (meals or snacks) either pre-prepared or ingredients laid out with precise instructions. Below is the recipe for the Beefy Taco Wraps. It’s easy to make up to 24 hours in advance. While being a kid-pleaser, it will also be a nice treat for your child care provider.

This easy beefy taco wrap is kid-friendly, but will also be a nice treat for your babysitter.

Beefy Taco Wraps
• 3/4 lb thinly sliced deli roast beef
• 1/2 cup fat-free black bean dip
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1 cup thinly chopped lettuce
• 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 TBS taco seasoning
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced fat taco seasoned cheese
• salsa, if desired

1. Mix black bean and Fiesta Drip Mix. Spread mixture evenly over one side of each tortilla.
2. Layer deli roast beef over bean dip, leaving 1/2 inch border around edges.
3. Sprinkle equal amounts of lettuce, tomato and cheese over each tortilla.
4. Fold right and left sides to the center, overlapping edges. Fold bottom edge of tortilla up over filling and roll closed.
5. Wrap in parchment paper and twist the ends for easy storage and serving.
6. Serve with salsa, if desired.

Cooks Note: dry the tomatoes with paper towels to prevent the wrap from getting soggy.

Missouri Beef Industry Council Board member John Ridder, Marthasville, MO, might just get to throw out the opening pitch when his family goes to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game later this week. He is one of the farmers featured in the Step Up To The Plate promotion that is funded by the MBIC and other Missouri commodity groups. In this week’s program he describes his involvement with the promotion and what it means for Missouri beef producers.

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Here’s a look at some beef farmers from Missouri! These folks are part of the Missouri Beef Industry Council Board and have spent the past two days meeting to decide the plans for this coming fiscal year. They’ve been sitting through presentations from a number of representatives of consumer information projects they fund or are considering. This is one of the many ways farmers invest their time and efforts to improve agriculture, and the food on our tables.

Many of these folks will be heading to Denver in two weeks for the Cattle Industry Summer Conference. They’ll be involved in committee work on the national level, putting Checkoff dollars to work to improve and promote beef!

It seems like every day is declared a holiday in some shape or size. The more random holidays include “Clean up your room day,” which my mom would have supported as I was growing up, and even “National Hamburger Day,” which is one of our favorite ways to enjoy beef with family and friends. But did you know today is Bastille Day? It’s a French holiday…so why not celebrate, or shall I say Faire la fête, by indulging in French culture and their passion for food.

Today’s the day to expand your cultural knowledge with some easy and delicious French beef recipes, such as:
• Beef Bourguignonne — Pair with a classic French Burgundy Red Wine
• Ribeye Steak with Grape Tomatoes and Brie – It wouldn’t be a French meal without a little cheese!
• Beefy French Onion Soup – A French baguette or croissant is great for dipping into this hearty soup

Why not give tonight’s dinner a special theme and help your family learn at the same time? For more delicious beef recipes, visit the checkoff-funded BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. Cheers!

When it comes to grilled cheese, I’m fairly stubborn. Quite frankly, I really like the kind my mom has fixed for as long as I can remember so I just haven’t had any reason to step outside the box. There’s something special about simple grilled cheese. You know the kind…buttered slices of white bread and American cheese. It’s quick, easy, and tastes best when there is a bowl of tomato soup on the side.

Well, okay. The last part might just be me. So whether you enjoy your grilled cheese with soup, chili, or as a stand alone meal, you can at least understand that my love for this sandwich runs deep. In fact, it runs deep enough that in my 22 years of eating and loving food, I refused to branch out to the so-called “grown-up” grilled cheese.

Then I saw a picture. It was on the front of Bon Appetit magazine and it was a mouth-watering image of toasty bread, caramelized onions, melted cheese, pieces of tender meat, and bright colored greens. I had to eat this. Soon.

For the next week, I carried the magazine around in my bag just waiting for the day I would have the energy to try this new recipe. That juicy looking meat was the product of slow-cooked beef short ribs, which were going to take more than 30 minutes for this girl to prepare.

Man, am I glad I went to the effort! The taste alone was out of this world. As with most of my cooking adventures, I tweeted the photo of my sandwich. I was rather  surprised that it turned out half-way decent looking, compared to other food photo failures I’ve had!

I’ve put this recipe in my pile of favorites  and will use it again soon. I will be making a few changes to simplify the preparation time quite a bit. For starters, I wasn’t patient enough to let the ribs simmer for three hours. Instead, I cut that time in half, which decreased the tenderness of the meat. Next time, I’m going to use this as my go-to meal with leftover roast meat. It will be so much easier to use bite-size chunks of roast, rather than slaving over the stove all night! Plus, who ISN’T looking for ways to use up extra roast meat?

Since it’s summer and you may not be fixing roasts as often during the hotter months, simply try this with fresh roast beef from your deli. I’d still use the caramelized onions and the Monterey Jack cheese to give it that same great taste!

If you ask me, grilled cheese just got a lot more glamorous! Enjoy!

You might remember us telling you about July as National Grilling Month. Of course we don’t know of anyway to celebrate this month other than enjoying America’s favorite protein: beef! The best news is that you can grill your way to better health, all while using beef! Lean beef is low in fat, high in protein and packed with essential nutrients. Plus there are 29 lean cuts to choose from, meaning they have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3½ -ounce serving. With so many lean options, it is easy to incorporate this delicious option into your healthy grilling menu.

All of these lean beef options – including exciting new choices like the Ranch steak and more traditional favorites such as T-Bone steak and 95 percent lean ground beef – may make you question which to choose. With the Interactive Meat Case you’ve got the resources you need to learn more right at your fingertips! This new online tool including cut descriptions, recipes and cooking tips.

As you fire up your grill, here are just a few simple steps to delicious and healthy grilling with the 29 lean cuts:,

Farm Fresh
Lean beef pairs well with seasonal fruits and vegetables that are bountiful during the spring and summer. Step outside of the traditional grilling fare of burgers and corn-on-the-cob by serving your guests a cool salad made with crisp romaine and arugula, grilled sweet bell peppers and zucchini and top with slices of grilled Flank steak. For dessert: grill stone fruits such as peaches or apricots and serve with low fat frozen yogurt.

Mouthwatering Marinades
Opt for marinades with little or no sugar to help protect meat from charring. Instead, try a taste bud-tantalizing, yet simple and tenderizing marinade by using an acidic ingredient like lemon or lime juice, balsamic vinegar or wine or a natural tenderizing enzyme found in fresh ginger, pineapple, papaya and figs.

Avoid the Burn
For even browning and cooking, turn occasionally using a spatula for burgers and tongs to turn steaks and kabobs. Do not press, flatten or pierce the meat as flavorful juices will be lost, which can also lead to fire flare-ups. And, cut off any burnt or charred pieces before eating should minimal overcooking occur.

Visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for recipes, nutrition information and to learn more about how to include naturally nutrient-rich lean beef during your next grilling occasion.

Earlier this week, we wrote about July as National Grilling Month.

Now we’re taking a poll to see what grilling methods YOU prefer when it’s time to cookout. This is a topic that we all have opinions about, and we want to know what methods you prefer!

Share your thoughts here. And while you’re at it, be sure to join our Fan Page, to stay up-to-date with everything you wan to know about the beef we eat!

In this week’s Missouri Beef Checkoff Chat, the executive director of the Missouri Beef Industry Council John Kleiboeker talks about upcoming elections for representatives to serve on the council’s board of directors and a new registration process for producers who have never voted or not done so recently.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ok, so the picture below isn’t pretty. I get it. And while I was debating to share a photo that lacks such photogenic appeal, I decided the pizza itself was too good to keep to myself! Yes, that’s a pizza, in case you were confused. Like I said, I know it’s a bad photo!

The good news is that I don’t make my living as a food photographer. Instead, I get to be a food-lover for a living, which is why I want to share this with you!

Last night was just like any other evening. I wanted something tasty, healthy, and simple for dinner. Now to be honest, I’m getting ready to move and trying to use up some ingredients in my pantry and freezer instead of making endless trips to the grocery store. Luckily, I found a few key items to whip up a fast BBQ beef pizza, without a real recipe in mind.

I simply used a pizza crust mix, leftover BBQ beef and shelled edamame. I was excited to use the little soybeans not only because they’re one of my favorite veggies, but I also wanted to add color to the pizza. However, I hadn’t considered it would look like I had stuck green M&Ms on my dinner. Luckily, looks can be deceiving, because the edamame absorbed the smoky BBQ flavor while in the oven and tasted great! If you’re conscious about your food appearance, maybe go with chopped broccoli, green peppers, shredded carrots, or red onions. You could even substituting the pizza crust for flour tortillas, canned biscuits, or English muffins.

I’m looking forward to making this again with additional veggies to compliment the beef! Best yet, this simple meal took no more than 25 minutes to get on the table, and even after we ate there were leftovers for today!

Now comes the fun part! We want to see pictures of the pizza you make! Simply visit our Facebook page and upload the picture of the pizza you make on our wall. We’ll send a free “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” apron to the winner we deem as the prettiest BBQ pizza! Send us your pictures today!

Can you smell the freshly cut grass and feel the warm sun on your skin? Can you hear the ice cream trucks off in the distance? With July being National Grilling Month, there’s no better time than now to light up your grill! The best part, is you can choose from plenty of quick and easy grilling recipes from the beef checkoff’s comprehensive grill guide. These dishes are sure to transform your family’s meal-time, into summer-time.

After a long day in the sun or a day in the office, make a tasty and healthy meal like one of these:
• Caribbean Beef Burgers with Mango Salsa
• Quick Beef Fajitas with Pico de Gallo
• Calypso Beef Burgers
• Red, White and Beef Salad

The beef checkoff’s easy, three-step approach to grilling will help you to create delicious summer meals. From burgers to kabobs, we understand your need to grill up perfect meals for entertaining or just a simple, yet tasty, meal for everyone to enjoy.

For more information and tips on grilling, as well as hundreds of delicious beef recipes, visit the checkoff-funded BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. While you’re there, don’t forget to visit our new Interactive Meat Case, a consumer-friendly tool we just launched to help cut down on the confusion at the meat case.

This morning’s jog felt like a “what’s grosser than gross” conversation from middle school. One of the ladies I run with told the most heinous food safety faux paux story I’ve ever heard… and the culprit was a reputable corporate CEO- well respected, intelligent- someone you would expect would follow simple rules that are proven to prevent food-borne illness.

During a weekend barbecue by the pool, the hosts thawed frozen ground beef ON THE PORCH in the 100 degree heat for about 5 hours…. By the time they brought the beef in to form it into patties, the edges were already partially cooked. It amazes me that in this day and age, after we talk about food safety until we’re blue in the face, that this kind of thing would still happen!

I’m hoping this story grosses you out as much as it grossed me out… but I also hope that it serves as a reminder that food borne illnesses are preventable. Here are some really easy tips that you should commit to memory:

- Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator
- Separate raw meat from cooked meat and other raw vegetables (use a clean plate, clean cutting board- and wash hands and utensils often- with warm, soapy, water)
- Cook to a proper internal temperature (steaks and roasts to 145 degrees, ground beef to 160 degrees). Use a food thermometer to determine doneness
- Chill promptly. Leftovers shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than an hour…. Less if you’re in the heat

Still don’t know why I’m making a big deal out of this event?
Here is some data compiled by FSIS, Food Safety Inspection Service for the US Government.

Temperature and time are the factors that affect bacterial growth most. Below 45° F bacteria grow slowly and at temperatures above 140° F they start to die. In the so called “danger zone” between 40° – 140° F many bacteria are growing quite well. Most bacteria will grow exponentially at temperatures between 70° F and 120° F. When bacteria grow, they increase in numbers not in size. Bacteria reproduce by dividing and it is assumed that under ideal conditions bacteria divide every 20 minutes.

Now you can see what can happen to a piece of meat left for many hours on the kitchen table on a beautiful and hot summer day. The thermometer drawing that follows below has been compiled from the data we found at the College of Agriculture at Auburn University in Alabama. It shows the time that is required for one bacteria cell to become two cells at different storage temperatures. At 40° F one bacteria cell needs 12 hours to become two cells, but at 90° F one bacteria cell will become two cells in just 30 minutes.