Monday's Beef Fact

The Beef Checkoff Program (and yours truly) is proud to announce that the American Heart Association has listed three beef cuts as part of its Food Certification program. This program helps healthy consumers over age 2 identify foods that meet criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol when labeled with the association's heart check-mark.

The three beef cuts that meet the American Heart Association's criteria for extra lean, and are now certified to display the heart check-mark include:

*Boneless top sirloin petite roast (select grade)

*Top sirloin filet (select grade)

*Top sirloin kabob (select grade)

I said yes!

These pictures really don't need a caption, but in case the title wasn't enough, I said "yes" on Friday, February 11! As a quick introduction to this, I met my future husband one year ago yesterday (February 20, 2010) when he put on a sheep workshop for my students at the high school Ag department where I teach. Neither of us were looking for someone at the time but here we are a year later preparing for marriage. We dated on and off for several months, with Kelly perservering while I tried to give him the "Heisman strong arm" as he calls it. Per my request we stopped talking, texting and all communication last summer and thankfully we began talking again in late August and started dating seriously in late September. Right after I had agreed to date Kelly in September he sheared his first message to me into sheep for another livestock clinic for my Ag program; it said "Katy's the best and prettiest too." I was completely embarassed because in addition to myself seeing this message, so did 30 other students and parents in attendance at this livestock clinic. Fast forward five months and we are now engaged! I am blessed in more ways than I can describe, and praise God everyday for the kind, humble, hard working man that He has given to me in Kelly. We will marry on Mary 28 and I look forward to sharing more with you about this wonderful man as we make decisions and prepare for our lifelong commitment to one another.

Monday's (okay, Tuesday's) Beef Fact

Many people today like to claim that the amount of red meat in our diets should be reduced or cutout completely because of it's high fat content. Those critics should know that there are 29 cuts of beef that meet the government labeling guidelines for lean or extra lean. Did you read that....29!! That's a lot of opportunity to consume deliciously flavored red meat and still maintain a low-fat diet folks. For more information on what cuts of beef are labeled as lean or extra lean click here.

28 things I love

In celebration of the month of February, known to many as the month of love, I thought I'd share some of the things that I love.

1) My family (sigh). I become more thankful for them the older I get.
2) Kelly. My boyfriend is wonderful, and I do love him. I love saying that.
3) I love that I love my career (high school agriculture teacher).
4) The agriculture industry
5) A good 'ol fashioned wooden pencil (it's the little things in life folks.)
6) The satisfaction I get after I clean my house really well.
7) I love to organize stuff be it my closet, sock drawer, kitchen utensil drawer or the storage room at school. Be jealous, I lead an exciting life, I know.
8) Patriotism...I love being American and am thankful for the freedoms we have been given.
9) Food...I love to eat it, think about it, read about it and discuss it.
10) The spicy cream cheese sauce on the Pollo Fundido at Su Casa in Clarkdale, Arizona.
11) Lunch with friends after church
12) Putting something onto cook after church on Sunday and letting it cook all afternoon. I love doing this!
13) Johnnie Reb, my dog.
14) My friends - I am so blessed by wonderful, encouraging friends from all stages of my life.
15) My chocolate and peanut butter chip cookies...mmm, mmm, mmm.
16) Turquoise (My sister loves this more than I do but still there is love in my heart for color and anything made out of it.)
17) Getting 8 hours of sleep (this is a rarity for me, I typically average 6 hours...boo!)
18) A good cup of coffee and something sweet immediately after I wake up in the morning.
19) My nieces and nephews...they make me laugh.
20) Cooking for others- cooking in general is a form of stress relief for me, but I really enjoy preparing food for others.
21) White kitchen "stuff" - plates, pitchers,platters, etc. I love to display food on white.
22) Red and yellow
23) Western home decor
24) The first few minutes in the morning when I wake up; it is dark, quiet and peaceful. I feel like I have the world to myself and I have peace about the mistakes of yesterday. This time of day is filled with encouragement and hope for me.
25) Sunrises and sunsets
26) The Bible
27) Cheese
28) Watching movies