M4-D Ranch Recipes

Minestrone with Sausage

2008-12-29T11:47:00.002-06:00

This one warms the soul on a cold day:Minestrone Soup with Sausage3 Tablespoons Olive Oil1/2 - 1 pound of sausage (I used our own pork sausage)1 onion, thinly sliced or diced2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup canned chopped or diced tomatoes2 Tablespoons or more of fresh herbs, such as italian seasoning or parsley, sage, marjoram1 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced3-4 cups chicken stocksalt to

Seafood In Mornay Sauce

2008-12-17T19:19:00.000-06:00

Seafood in Mornay Sauce is what I made for a special holiday-time dinner this evening. Oh-My-Goodness but this is absolutely divine. It is not that hard to make, but will receive multitudes of oohhs and aahhs. Serve over rice with a simple salad on the side and you have a complete meal that is extra special and makes it look like you spent hours in the kitchen. Here's how I put mine

Moist Chocolate Cake

2008-11-09T17:55:00.001-06:00

This is now my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I made this cake a couple of weeks ago for Papa's birthday with a peanut butter frosting and a week ago for my youngest daughter's birthday with chocolate frosting. It was exceptionally moist both times. I love chocolate and I'm picky about my chocolate cake - I don't like it to taste too bitter or too much like cocoa or too sweet - this one

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

2008-11-09T17:52:00.000-06:00

I adapted this recipe from one that I originally found in Gourmet magazine. Here's my version:Pumpkin Bread Pudding1/2 cup sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground ginger1/8 teaspoon ground allspice1/8 teaspoon ground cloves1 small can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)1-1/2 cups milk3/4 cup melted butter2 large eggs5 cups cubed breadPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly

Delicious and Easy Baked Snapper

2008-08-30T08:47:00.005-05:00

Every couple of weeks during the summer there are two very nice men who come up from Louisiana with a divine selection of freshly caught fish and shellfish. About once a month or so, we purchase a few items and have never been disappointed.This past week, we purchased large scallops, which my oldest daughter prepared after watching a YouTube video about preparing scallops by Chef Gordon Ramsey.

Salmon Surprise

2008-08-30T08:34:00.004-05:00

My oldest daughter brought a recipe home from the grocery store the other day after trying a sample of the final product. We gave it a try and enjoyed it, so I'm sharing it here.Salmon Surprise1/2 pound Thai Rice Noodles, cooked1 1/2 Tablespoons oil (I used a mixture of olive oil and coconut oil)1 Tablespoon Thai Green Curry Paste1 cup chopped onions1/2 - 1 cup chopped green or red or yellow

Mozzarella Meatballs

2008-07-24T21:05:00.002-05:00

Nothing too fancy or too hard, but my girls love it when I make big meatballs like this and love it even more when they are filled will lots of yummy mozzarella cheese! Here's how I do it:1-2 pounds of M4-D Ranch Pastured Ground BeefSeveral 1/2 inch to 1 inch cubes of organic mozzarella cheesesalt - to tastepepper - to tastegarlic pepper - to tasteany other seasoning you love - to tasteshredded

Easy Apple Cobbler

2008-07-12T07:57:00.001-05:00

Quick and Easy Apple Cobbler:1 can biscuits1 gallon of sliced apples - firm, tart apples work best1 stick of butter1-2 cups of sugar - use to your discretion depending on the sweetness desired2-3 Tablespoons cornstarchCinnamon to tasteNutmeg to taste1/4 - 1/2 cup waterOkay, when I am pressed for time, I cheat and use biscuits for my cobbler dough. I prefer to make my dough homemade, but sometimes

Vegetable Beef Burgers

2008-06-08T08:57:00.003-05:00

One of our new customers shared this recipe with me recently and I thought I'd pass it along! Enjoy!Vegetable Beef BurgersA twist on the family favorite. Serve with Lettuce, tomato and avocado.2 pounds M4-D Ranch Ground Beef1 small very firm tomato, finely chopped1 medium onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, finely chopped1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp black pepper1/2 tsp garlic powder1 1/2 tsp

Happy Cows = Healthy Cows!

2008-06-02T21:47:00.001-05:00

This morning had a pretty neat start to the day. As a result of the Memphis Flyer article a couple of weeks ago about our natural beef, one of our local area news stations, Channel 3, contacted me late last week to see if I would appear this morning on their Live at 9 show to talk more about our philosophy on raising "happy, healthy cows"!It was a fun morning, very relaxed and I thoroughly

5 Seconds of Fame

2008-05-22T07:25:00.000-05:00

We had a delightful reporter for one of our area's free weekly magazines come out to do a story on our ranch and our pastured beef a couple of weeks ago. The article published today - and we're so very pleased with how well it was written to capture our intent for raising our beef. Here's a link to our 5 seconds of fame:Who's For Dinner? - by Bo List of the Memphis Flyer MagazineThanks Bo!

Lemon Tea Cake

2008-05-17T14:48:00.001-05:00

Just in time for the weekend and next week's holiday celebrations, how about a delicious, southern, summer cake? Guaranteed to tingle your tastebuds - ya'll will love it! Here we go! Remember to read through the whole recipe before you get started, so you'll know all the steps.Lemon Tea Cake2 cups all purpose flour1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup unsalted

Pasta with Clam Sauce

2008-05-08T10:36:00.000-05:00

I made this for dinner last night as my whole family loves it. It is really easy and quick to make, has a light and delicate taste and seems to hit the spot on a warm evening. I made enough to serve 6, so if you need to you can increase or decrease the quantity to fit your needs.Pasta with Clam SauceSpaghetti Noodles2 Tablespoons Olive Oil2 Tablespoons Butter2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic1 large can

Easy Beef Brisket

2008-05-07T16:59:00.003-05:00

I enjoy beef brisket. We have many beef customers though who aren't sure how to cook it. Typically, beef brisket is a very large cut of beef that does well with low, slow cooking. It is also good cooked all day in a smoker. Mmmm, I can smell that delicious scent now!Here's how I like to cook mine in the oven.In a large, deep roasting pan, lightly coat the bottom and sides with olive oil or

Sausage Gravy and Homemade Biscuits

2008-05-01T12:24:00.003-05:00

Not something I make for everyday breakfast, but it sure hits the spot on a weekend when the day is going to be full of activities and we all need something substantial to get us going! Here's how I make mine.Homemade Drop BiscuitsThe key to good biscuits is having the cold ingredients really cold and not handling the dough too much. This is why I usually make drop biscuits instead of rolling

Easy and Tasty Beef Lasagna

2008-04-22T15:38:00.000-05:00

For quite awhile, I've avoided making lasagna even though I love it, because most recipes call for cheese and sausage ingredients that I just don't usually have on hand.So, this weekend I had some time one night and decided to browse lasagna recipes again. I found a few that were made with very simple ingredients and decided to alter them using what ingredients I already had on hand in my pantry

Baking Tips

2008-04-19T15:19:00.001-05:00

I love to cook and bake for my family. Desserts are my favorite and I thought I'd pass along some baking tips that I've learned over the years that help make my scratch cooking all the better.1. Always use an oven thermometer. Most baking failures are due to faulty oven temperatures. How do you know your oven is ~really~ at 350 degrees unless you have an oven thermometer? Be sure to get one and

Basic Bread Pudding

2008-04-19T15:17:00.000-05:00

I experimented a couple of months ago with Bread Pudding, which my family has decided that they really enjoy. Here's how I've made mine through bits and pieces of different recipes:Bread Pudding4-5 cups bread cubes2-3 cups scalded milk1/4 cup melted butter1/2 cup sugar2 eggs, beaten1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon grated nutmeg1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon vanilla1/2 to 1 cup of raisins or dried

Baked Pumpkin Pudding

2008-04-19T15:16:00.001-05:00

After dinner one night I was in the mood for dessert, something a little sweet but not too much. Something like a custard or pudding ~ but I was out of milk! So, I searched Allrecipes.com for a custard to make with evaporated milk. I found one for Baked Pumpkin Pudding that I altered. Here's how I made it:Baked Pumpkin Pudding1 egg2 cups canned pumpkin1/2 cup sugar1 Tablespoon honey1 teaspoon

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

2008-04-19T15:14:00.002-05:00

A few days ago, after dinner we were all in the mood for a warm, filling dessert. Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding is what I made - here's the recipe:About 4 cups or so of crumbled bread (in large pieces)2 cups scalded milk2 eggs1/2 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg1/2 cup dried cranberriesZest of a whole orangeDash of vanillaPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish

Handmade Wheat Bread

2008-04-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

Our family loves homemade bread. Long ago I used to make mine a loaf at a time, when I had the time, in a bread machine. Once I tried making bread by hand though, I was hooked! I now make bread 2-3 times a week and make about 3 loaves at a time. It really doesn't take that long once you get the hang of it. Here's our favorite recipe for Wheat Bread.I mix my recipe around a bit, depending on what

Making Buttermilk, Sour Cream and Cream Cheese

2008-04-19T15:05:00.003-05:00

I like to use buttermilk for a lot of my baking - things like biscuits, scones, bread and muffins all have a great texture and flavor when I use buttermilk. I do not, however, like to buy buttermilk at the store. So, we make our own.We use Kefir Grains to make a soured milk called Kefir - it is much like buttermilk. I purchased a 1/4 cup of the live grains through the mail. When they arrived, we

Tropical Upside-Down Cake

2008-01-19T17:22:00.002-06:00

Yes, not your typical pineapple upside down cake as I made it today with a twist. We never use the maraschino cherries with the red dye; instead I made mine today with chopped dates in the middle of the pineapples and added shredded coconut for a tropical flavor. It is DELICIOUS! Here's how I did it (photos of the steps at the end):1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted1-1/2 cups brown sugar1 large can

Turkey Enchiladas

2007-12-29T15:05:00.000-06:00

We like to have turkey throughout the year, not just at the holidays. When we have left-over turkey, as we always do, one of our favorite recipes is Turkey Enchiladas. You can also make these with chicken.Here's how I put mine together:2 cups diced turkey (approximately 2 cups - you can do more or less)1 can cream of ____ soup. I use anything without MSG, like cream of broccoli, cream of mushroom

Spicy Oatmeal Cookies

2007-12-04T22:55:00.000-06:00

Spicy Oatmeal Cookies (not spicy as in hot, but containing spices)1/2 cup shortening or butter1-1/2 cups sugar1/2 cup molasses2 eggs1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon cinnamon (I always add more than this!)2 cups quick cook oats1-1/2 cups raisins3/4 cup chopped nutsCream shortening, sugar and molasses. Add eggs one at a time and incorporate. Sift dry