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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Cake Ball Workshop: Tips, Tricks & Lessons Learned
I’m a dreamer and a reader. No wonder I became somewhat obsessed with cake pops after reading Wilton’s Sweets on a Stick how-to guide for making and decorating cake pops! If you can dream it, you can bake it. Designs range from princesses and pirates to Easter chicks and candy canes. Certainly anything that looks so adorable must be equally as fun to make, right?

Cake pops are fun to make but, in my opinion, they’re even more fun to eat! This past Wednesday, about 30 ladies and I gathered for a two-hour cake ball workshop. Each of us decorated 12 cake balls. Those bite-sized balls of bliss were so tempting that only 9 remained in my box when I left the class. There were 6 in the box when I reached my car, and there were only 3 in the box by the time I got home. (Seriously, you can pop them in your mouth like popcorn.) By bedtime, none remained!

I’ll share with you a few tricks we learned this week in case you’d like to make your own cake balls:
- Dough must chill at least two hours before cake balls are dipped. Dough at room temperature literally falls off the stick. If the dough is too cold, the dipping chocolate will crack.
- Set your frosting in a water bath to dipping ease. Our “baking coach” put the frosting in two, small loaf pans surrounded by warm water in a roaster on low heat. It kept our frosting at the perfect temperature for long periods of time without the worry of overheating, which makes it stiff and unusable.
- Dip a wooden skewer in melted chocolate or melted almond bark before placing the stick in the cake pop. This way the frosting asks like “glue.”
- Be sure to poke the blunt end of the skewer into the cake pop, so the pointed end can be used to hold the pops in place.
- Styrofoam is a simple way to keep the cake pops in place while they dry.
- Chocolate hardens quickly, so have sprinkles and candy toppings at the ready. To make fancier designs, you can shape the cake mixture and decorate with royal icing.
My first experience with making cake balls was so much fun that I’m considering hosting a Bake Once for a Bunch (fashioned after my Cook Once for a Bunch party). If time permits this autumn – in between combine rides and football games – it would be fun to try my hand at making pumpkin pops. (I’m sticking to “round designs” for now after discovering how difficult it can be to make shapes like footballs. Maybe I’ll get more daring with more practice.)

Should you decide to make cake pops at home, following are a few more tips and frosting recipes.
Team Latham

July 13, 2012

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Join the National Celebration with Fried Chicken, Ice Cream and Kisses
July 6 just might be one of the most fun, non-holidays that Americans have to celebrate. Who knew? It’s not only National Fried Chicken Day and International Kissing Day, but it’s also National Ice Cream Month. And just when you didn’t think the day could get any better, you realize it’s Friday to boot!

With an intense heat wave hitting much of the Midwest for the second straight week, it makes me wonder how many Americans will actually fry chicken at home. I’m guessing more folks will opt for the KFC drive-thru. If your travels take you cross-country, Fox News has compiled a comprehensive guide to the best fried chicken in America.

As much as I love fried chicken, I’m not going to stand over the stove. I’d be more tempted to turn on the oven and bake Rice Crispy Chicken. It’s seriously finger-lickin’ good! Another chicken recipe that’s well suited for the season is this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken, which was given to me several years ago when my aunt was visiting from Canada. I think it would be refreshing served with a side of Orange and Cashew Lettuce Salad.

The more I think about it, the more apt I am to serve Lemon Chicken for Sunday dinner and try to beat the heat today with ice cream instead! Links to ice cream recipes previously shared on TheFieldPosition follow:
- Ice Cream Sandwiches – a county fair ribbon-winning recipe
- Dairy Days of Summer – Oreo® and ice cream sandwich cake
- Buster Bar Dessert – my mom made it earlier this week for me, so all I have to do is get it from the freezer! It definitely one of my faves.
Stay cool! And feel free to share your best tips to “beat the heat.”
Team Latham

July 6, 2012

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

Franklin County Farm Family Shares Favorite Bread Recipe
Guest post by Kourtney Determan, Marketing & Communications Intern

Like all things, the 4-H program has changed a great deal through the years. Gail Castillo of Latimer, Iowa, not only recognizes those changes, but appreciates them.

“The biggest difference is that families and young people have so many different opportunities and choices. It changes the time factor,” Gail explains. Her own two children, Andy and Abby, are involved in many different 4-H projects, so Gail understands how families have had to adjust.

Gail grew up in Franklin County, graduating from CAL (Coulter, Alexander and Latimer) High School. She was involved in 4-H during the time when girls clubs were given the option to focus on one project per year, rotating through Home Improvement, Sewing and Foods project areas. Gail learned to sew, bake and refinish furniture.

“I remember having to constantly battle the heat and humidity when trying to refurbish furniture,” she says. “I also loved the pie baking contest at the fair and then auctioning off the pies after the swine show at the fair.”

Gail is still involved in the 4-H program as a Regional Program Specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. She provides leadership for five different counties including: Franklin, Cerro Gordo, Mitchell, Worth and Floyd. She helps provide Food Safety and Quality Assurance training, regional camps, leadership training, science, engineering, and technology opportunities, as well as a variety of other programming. Gail also loves the opportunities she gets to share her agricultural background. “Most of our kids are from towns and cities, but it is still a spectacular thing to teach kids where their food comes from, even through horticulture projects.”

Living on acreage outside of Latimer, Gail’s own children get to experience rural living. “I wanted my kids to have the experience of being away from town. Even though we don’t live on a working farm, they get the farm life on my parent’s farm only three miles away.”

Andy and Abby are both active in a variety of 4-H projects including photography, robotics. Sixteen-year-old Andy also serves on county council, while 12-year-old Abby is interested in baking.

Perhaps Abby will even try her hand at baking bread, which is one of the projects Gail entered as a 4-H member. “We call it ‘Bob’s Favorite Bread,’ because it was my dad’s favorite when I was growing up.”

Today Gail is sharing her dad’s favorite bread recipe on TheFieldPosition.com. Do you have a “blue ribbon recipe” that you’d like to share? Feel free to post it below or send it to shannonl@lathamseeds.com.

Gail’s Pizza Dough (adapted from Fleischmann’s Yeast)

Makes 2 crusts

Ingredients:
- 2-1/2 to 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup corn meal
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pkg. rapid rise yeast
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
Directions:
1. Combine 2 cups flour and other dry ingredients (including yeast).
2. Stir in olive oil and water. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
3. Knead until smooth.
4. Cover and let rest.
5. Shape into pan and add ingredients as desired.
6. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes (until cheese is warm and bubbly).
Team Latham

June 22, 2012

Food & Family, General, Recipes, Sides
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Feast on Prime Rib for Father’s Day
“Father taught us that opportunity and responsibility go hand in hand. I think we all act on that principle; on the basic human impulse that makes a man want to make the best of what’s in him and what’s been given him.” — Laurence Rockefeller

Time to buy the card, wrap the gift and light the grill because Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 17! If you’re looking for creative gift ideas, the New York Times shares some inexpensive ways you can create life-long memories. Or, you can put a new twist on traditional gifts with these 2012 Father’s Day Ideas including a tie-shaped bottle opener from World Market.

How does your family plan to spend the day? Many Americans, according to my quick and unscientific Google® research, will celebrate Father’s Day by:
1. Golfing
2. Spending a day at the beach
3. Boating or fishing
4. Attending a baseball game
5. Treating Dad to breakfast out or a home-cooked meal
What’s your favorite way to spend Father’s Day? Please feel free to share your family’s traditions below and/or on our company’s Facebook page. As for the Lathams, we’ll be grilling prime rib and playing backyard games. That reminds me… I think it’s time we dusted off our croquet set!

P.S. While searching for Prime Rib recipes, a photo of yogurt-marinated chicken caught my attention. It doesn’t sound fitting for Father’s Day, but it does sound like a nice summer Saturday lunch. Maybe we can try it tomorrow!
Team Latham

June 15, 2012

Beef, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrate June’s “Dairy Days of Summer”
Many people think of the hot, sultry days of July and August as “the Dog Days of Summer.” Who knew that June calls for the “Dairy Days of Summer”?

The refreshingly fun website by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is “the ultimate how-to guide” for celebrating June Dairy Month. The month-long list of events just might inspire you to pack your bags, load your family into the car and head out on the highway for a getaway. (A Farm Breakfast sounds especially good to me!) The beautiful food photography on this site will likely inspire you to head to the kitchen. (I’m speaking from experience on this one.)

With temperatures hovering around 90 for the next three days, I’m planning to beat the heat with ice cream! I was originally planning make an Oreo® and Ice Cream Sandwich Cake this weekend. I’ve had this particular recipe bookmarked since March 6, when America’s favorite cookie turned 100 years old. I thought this might be the weekend that I could get around to trying it. Now that I’ve discovered a whole new passel of ice cream recipes, however, I’m having second thoughts. An internal battle is brewing: Oreo and Ice Cream Sandwich Cake or Ice Cream Cupcakes. Which one gets your vote?

No matter what’s on your weekend menu, I hope you’ll join me in showing appreciation to America’s dairy farmers. Today I’d like to give a shout-out to a few dairy producers in Latham Country:
- Paulsen Dairy, featuring Double Chocolate Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Meier Dairy, featuring Strawberry Pizza with cream cheese
- Bailie Dairy, featuring Ritz® Cracker Ice Cream Dessert
P.S. You can also join in the “Dairy Days of Summer” celebration online via Facebook and Twitter. Here’s an example of a cooking tip gleaned from the Dairy Days of Summer Facebook page:

When cooking with sour cream, make sure not to overheat or boil it as this can cause it to break down and give it a thin, curdled appearance. Whenever possible, let sour cream be the last ingredient you add when cooking.
Team Latham

June 8, 2012

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Making History & Celebrating Dairy Month
Deb Brown teaches West Fork Girl Scouts a history lesson in the Maysville Schoolhouse.

Nearly 60 Girl Scouts from the West Fork Service Unit “got their hands on history” yesterday during Day Camp held in the historic Maysville district. I was fortunate to be one of the 15 adults, who accompanied the girls as we learned about pioneer living while experiencing a day of outdoor adventures.

In spite of the constant rainfall, we could not have had more fun trekking through the county! Our first stop by the Old Stone House, which is located south of Hampton on the road to Geneva. Built in 1854 by Leander Reeve of native limestone, this house was the first permanent structure built in Franklin County.

Photo Credited to Jody Halsted

“As all surrounding structures were log cabins, this two-story, seven-room house with a full basement must have seemed quite opulent at the time,” writes Iowa traveler Jody Halsted on her Family Rambling Blog. “Even today it commands attention: its thick stone walls stand tall, and its brightly colored door is only beginning of its tale.”

Interestingly enough, Reeve built this “proper” house to lure his wife from Ohio to Iowa. She only lived in it for three years before deciding she preferred the civilized East. What intrigues me most is that the Old Stone House was inhabited for 100 years by several different families, yet the floor plan was never altered, electricity was never installed and the two-seat outhouse remained the home’s only toilet.

The stage on the top floor of the Maysville Schoolhouse was the scene of many community performances. Local advertisers helped offset production costs.

Our next stop on the tour was the Maysville School House, a beautiful two-story structure used as both a schoolroom and a community center. Built in 1867, it was the county’s first school. It continued to be used as a community center and voting center until 2001. The first floor includes the schoolroom with blackboard and historical voting machines. The second floor includes a stage where both school-sponsored and community presentations were held.

After spending most of the morning on tour, it was time to return to “base camp” at Maynes Grove and prep for lunch. (SIDE NOTE: Maynes Grove is one of my favorite places in this whole county. It’s perfect for receptions, family reunions and meetings of all kinds. Too bad the weather prevented us from enjoyed the beautiful lake and walking trails, but we kept ourselves plenty busy inside the lodge.)

Who needs KRAFT® when you have a Dutch oven and elbow macaroni?

We divided into small groups and got to work! Each group was assigned a specific recipe including:
- Mac and Cheese made in a Dutch Oven
- Pizza Pasta made on a cook stove
- Snickers Brownies made in a box oven
- Peppermint Brownies made in a box oven
- Angel Food Surprise made in a box oven
Dennis Carlson

While lunch was cooking, conservationist Dennis Carlson shared his knowledge of prairie animals. The afternoon was filled with fun and games! We again divided the girls into groups where they learned to make:
- Cats in the Cradle
- Button-String Whirligigs
- Paper Friendship Quilts
- Foil stamping
- Lavender Bath Beads (NOTE: I led this session and will gladly share the recipe with anyone who requests it. I’m not posting it just because the supplies cost about $30, which I believe is costly for the average family craft.)
Our mid-afternoon snack consisted of butter the girls had made earlier in the day topped with homemade jam. We had originally planned to make our own jam, but there wasn’t any sun! Thankfully, I had a few jams of jar in my pantry for a quick substitution on a cloudy day. Since I’m still looking forward to trying this sweet treat sometime this summer, I have linked to the recipe here.

Imagine how delicious that jam will take on top of homemade butter, which tastes a lot like whipping cream. It will be like strawberries and cream! Doesn’t that just make you want to try it yourself? 🙂 Celebrate June Dairy Month in your own household by making Butter in a Baby Food Jar and Sun-Baked Strawberry Jam!
Team Latham

June 1, 2012

Dairy, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Versatility is What Ground Beef is All About!
Guest blog by Michelle Baumhover,
Director of Consumer Marketing, Iowa Beef Industry Council

Memorial Day marks the start of the serious grilling season. The long, holiday weekend is a good time to try your hand at outdoor cooking with new recipes. It’s also the perfect time to celebrate May Beef Month with ground beef!

Ground beef is all about versatility. It can be used in countless ways with various cooking methods. In fact, there are so many ground beef options that many consumers have asked me for tips on how to choose the type of ground beef that will best fit their needs.

When should you use regular ground beef? How can you make juicy burgers from lean ground beef? Ground beef is labeled according to leanness levels, ranging from 70 to 96+ percent lean. Below is a summary of leanness levels and their best uses:

Regular Ground Beef (Leanness Level of 70%-77%)
Regular ground beef contains the most fat and the most flavor! When properly cooked, it’s moist and juicy. It can be used for burgers or for any recipe that calls for “browned” ground beef such as for chili, tacos and meat sauce for spaghetti or lasagna. Remove excess drippings or fat from browned crumbles.

Ground Beef or Ground Chuck (Leanness Level of 78%-84%)
This grind is a balance of flavor and leanness. It’s perfect for burgers and also is works well for meatballs, meatloaf or Salisbury Steak. When properly cooked, it’s moist, juicy and has a slightly firm texture.

Ground Round or Ground Sirloin (Leanness Level of 90%-93%)
The highest leanness levels are ideal for recipes when you can’t drain off drippings, like in casseroles or stuffed peppers. It also works well for recipes that call for browned ground beef as there is very little excess fat that needs to be drained. When properly cooked, it has a firm, dense texture.

Lean Ground Beef (Leanness Level of 95%+)
95%+ ground beef meets the USDA guideline for lean, which means it contains less than 10 grams of total fat per 3-oz. serving. While 95% lean is generally too dry to make juicy burgers, you can add a few ingredients to help retain the juiciness. Check out today’s featured recipe for Lean Mean Cheeseburgers.

In honor of May Beef Month, a long holiday weekend and the beginning of the summer grilling season, we’ve assembled some of our favorite related recipes:
Team Latham

May 25, 2012

Beef, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Burger Basics: Tips to Create Perfect Patties
Guest blog post by
Michelle Baumhover, Director of Consumer Marketing Iowa Beef Industry Council

Burgers sizzling on the grill is a classic sign of summer. By following a few simple steps, it will be easy to enjoy juicy, flavorful burgers this summer.

Selecting the beef:
- Select an 80/20 lean to fat ratio for optimum flavor and juiciness.
- If fat is of concern keep in mind excess fat drips away during grilling. You can also blot cooked burgers with a paper towel to remove any excess fat.
Preparation:
- Lightly shape burgers to ¾ inch thickness. Overworking ground beef will result in a compact firm textured burger that could be dry.
- Gently indent or form a well in the center of the burger to keep the burger from swelling in the middle during cooking. The burger will flatten during cooking.
Grilling:
- Cook patties over medium heat for even cooking. Burgers grilled over too high of heat could overcook or char on the exterior before the center reaches the desired doneness.
- Use a spatula or tongs to turn burgers. Don’t press or pierce patties during cooking as that will cause flavorful juices to escape!
- Cook burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F. The most accurate way to determine doneness is by using an instant-read thermometer.
Get good, quality ground beef from a local locker or from a retail shop you trust, advises Sutter Homes Chef Starr. “Make sure it’s cold and fresh. We like to use an 80/20 mix with 20 percent fat. Fat is flavor!”

To make a juicy burger, Chef Starr cautions cooks to avoid over-handling the ground beef. Try your hand at grilling this weekend and put a new twist on the classic American burger! More recipes are available from www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com.
Team Latham

May 18, 2012

Beef, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fun & Games on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 13, and treating mom to a special breakfast tops the list for how Americans will celebrate. Another all-time American favorite is hosting a tea party, and that’s exactly what my troop of 10, fourth grade Junior Girl Scouts did last Saturday.

Hosting our “Green Things” Tea Party for 40 special ladies was a great lesson in menu planning, meal preparation, table setting and floral decorating with a lot of giggles along the way. Each girl took a turn helping me mix up a simple chicken and rice casserole, so we’re sharing this recipe today on TheFieldPosition. (It’s seriously simple but totally delicious!) They also made their moms a corsage from yellow roses, Girl Scouts’ signature flower. (Thank, Mom, for leading this session!) They also learned how to fold paper napkins and how to properly set a table. (Thanks to Kaleah’s mom for leading this session!)

At the end of our meal, we sang songs and then played BINGO the traditional way. Given more time, I would have been all over Tea Party Bingo. You make your own cards, filling them in with tea-related phrases. You also use tea bag tags as the markers. Another game idea is Tea Text, where you set a timer for two minutes. Everyone writes down as many words as she can think of that begins with the letter T. Extra points are given to those who have all three letters of t-e-a like team and steak.

However you choose to honor your wife, mother and/or grandmother on Sunday, I hope you’ll enjoy a relaxing and fun day with your family. I’d also enjoy hearing from you. What are your favorite party and/or family games?

Team Latham

May 11, 2012

General, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrate Beef Month with Cream Cheese Burgers: Vote by May 7

Val and Ian Plagge with their son Klayton.

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”

Team Latham

May 4, 2012

Beef, General, Recipes