Beef It’s What’s For Dinner in 2011

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Where’s the beef?  It’s in my freezer… almost.

We’re starting off our 2011 with a freezer full of beef.  Over 200 pounds will be arriving tomorrow from the farm Brad’s Uncle David works for. Although it was a bit of a “beefy” up front cost, the pound price is actually much more affordable! We’ve already been able to sample several pounds of meat from the same farm, and it’s an amazing difference – leaner meat and better flavor! Plus you have the assurance of knowing where your meat has been.

When I told Henry that Uncle David was bringing us a cow, he gave me the “you’re crazy mama look” and said, “A cow? A cow with a head on it?”

No thank you.  We’ll stick to ground beef, steaks, and roasts please. No cow head for me.

It will be great having a butcher shop’s worth of meat in our freezer – now if I can just remember to thaw it before dinner! 

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I have several easy dinner recipes already in mind for our beef stash – taco meat, spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, burgers, pot roasts, etc.

Here’s a few new ones I’m anxious to try:

~ Myra from My Blessed Life just showed me this week how to brown beef in the crock pot. Easy, Peasy!

~ I’ve never made Salisbury steak, but I think I’m up for this one (also a crock pot recipe) from Mommy’s Kitchen.

~ Dying to try Southern Fairytale’s marinated steak sandwiches (she had me at the sautéed mushrooms).

~ I’m always up for a good hearty chili – Thanks, Cooking for the Boys!

~ Oh yum! Homemade Hamburger Helper from Kitchen Stewardship. Leave the MSG in the box.

I’m always on the hunt for more easy kid-friendly meals if you have a favorite to share! Also, have any of you ever bought a 1/4 of a cow or more?  How has your experience been?  I might have to pick your brains later on what to do with a mystery cut of beef!

*Edited to add an AMAZING link to my friend Amy from The Finer Things in Life about what to do with a freezer full of cow. It’s “Moo-ving”.  

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