Imagine growing up on a farm in 
rural Kansas. Imagine that your father raises beef cattle and it seems as though the only thing he or your mother ever consider cooking for dinner is a variation of beef. Every night you eat steak, or hamburgers, or tacos, or meatloaf -- the list goes on and on. Sometimes you and your sister feel as if you will not be able to take another bite of beef ever again. But then, of course, the next night you do. Growing up with such a diet might be a little strange for you to imagine, but I can imagine -- we grew up eating plenty of beef.
Yes, you guessed it. My sister and I were born and raised in rural Kansas. My parents still live in our small German-Catholic farming community. My father is a full-time farmer and raises his own beef cattle.
One might assume that this meant we grew all of our own food, but my father sells all of his crops. However, the beef he raises is all ours. It is true that he sells some cattle occasionally for quick cash, but year-round the freezer at home is fully stocked with our home-grown beef. We have never been without plenty of round steak, ground chuck, t-bone steak, hamburgers, and more. Growing up, I always took our plethora of fresh beef for granted. I never realized how lucky we were. It is especially amazing to me when I meet someone who never ate beef growing up. Apparently they make ground turkey and turkey burgers. I just discovered this! I had no idea.
As an adult I have had to become familiar with buying meat from a grocery store for the first time. Unfortunately, I find that store-bought meat is much fattier and just is not the same as the grass-fed goodness I was raised on. However, no matter the quality of the meat, I will always associate beef with comfort food. Just thinking about my mother’s meatloaf makes my mouth water. I have tried plenty of meat loaf dishes at restaurants, and there is just something missing. I have a feeling that the difference between my mom’s fresh, home-grown beef and the store-bought beef served in restaurants is the real missing link, but I think there is more to it.
I can remember that we always knew we would be getting meatloaf for dinner when we would find my mother mixing (by hand) raw ground beef and ground pork in an old, giant mixing bowl. I suppose that she has a recipe for meatloaf but she would just throw the regular ingredients together from memory and add new ingredients to “mix it up a
little” -- as she called it. (We have a running joke in the family that my mother’s food “inventions” never turn out edible but the truth is that nearly everything she makes is delicious.)
rural Kansas. Imagine that your father raises beef cattle and it seems as though the only thing he or your mother ever consider cooking for dinner is a variation of beef. Every night you eat steak, or hamburgers, or tacos, or meatloaf -- the list goes on and on. Sometimes you and your sister feel as if you will not be able to take another bite of beef ever again. But then, of course, the next night you do. Growing up with such a diet might be a little strange for you to imagine, but I can imagine -- we grew up eating plenty of beef.Yes, you guessed it. My sister and I were born and raised in rural Kansas. My parents still live in our small German-Catholic farming community. My father is a full-time farmer and raises his own beef cattle.
One might assume that this meant we grew all of our own food, but my father sells all of his crops. However, the beef he raises is all ours. It is true that he sells some cattle occasionally for quick cash, but year-round the freezer at home is fully stocked with our home-grown beef. We have never been without plenty of round steak, ground chuck, t-bone steak, hamburgers, and more. Growing up, I always took our plethora of fresh beef for granted. I never realized how lucky we were. It is especially amazing to me when I meet someone who never ate beef growing up. Apparently they make ground turkey and turkey burgers. I just discovered this! I had no idea.As an adult I have had to become familiar with buying meat from a grocery store for the first time. Unfortunately, I find that store-bought meat is much fattier and just is not the same as the grass-fed goodness I was raised on. However, no matter the quality of the meat, I will always associate beef with comfort food. Just thinking about my mother’s meatloaf makes my mouth water. I have tried plenty of meat loaf dishes at restaurants, and there is just something missing. I have a feeling that the difference between my mom’s fresh, home-grown beef and the store-bought beef served in restaurants is the real missing link, but I think there is more to it.
I can remember that we always knew we would be getting meatloaf for dinner when we would find my mother mixing (by hand) raw ground beef and ground pork in an old, giant mixing bowl. I suppose that she has a recipe for meatloaf but she would just throw the regular ingredients together from memory and add new ingredients to “mix it up a
little” -- as she called it. (We have a running joke in the family that my mother’s food “inventions” never turn out edible but the truth is that nearly everything she makes is delicious.)My mother bakes her mysterious meatloaf concoction in a round cast-iron skillet and we slice it like a pizza or a pie. Restaurant-style meatloaf always seems to be cut in boring little squares. My mother never slathers ketchup on her meatloaf, but instead, uses a mixture of chili sauce and brown sugar that baked into the meat and literally melted in your mouth. Words fail to describe how amazing her meatloaf is. Sometimes, I like to imagine that my mother’s recipe for meatloaf is special and dates back to our ancestors who have passed it down, generation to generation. Such a fascinating story might exist, but her meatloaf is able to stand on its own, without a historical introduction. In fact, even now, my mother has invented what she likes to call Meatloaf Muffins. They sound a little daunting but I truly cannot wait to try them!
Another homemade dish that I have been craving is cheeseburger mac. The cheesy goodness of it waters my mouth instantly. My mother, the only competent cook in the family, loves to make this all the time because of its simple, yet delicious, design. The combination of ground beef, cheese sauce, and elbow macaroni is one of the pinnacle flavors that my taste buds desire. Another wonderful factor to this monumental meal is the fact that the leftovers taste just as delicious. My mother can make cheeseburger mac in mass quantities, so that, whenever I so desire, I can heat up a bowl in a jiffy and have a great lunch. Good ol’ cheeseburger mac is arguably the most satisfying meal in my mother’s repertoire.
Even though I have only mentioned my mother’s wonderful meatloaf, and amazing cheeseburger mac, I love all of her beef dishes. My parents treated us to fresh steak grilled on the barbeque, fabulous chili, my sister’s favorite chicken fried steak, giant hamburgers, and a multitude of tacos. The menu of beefy food we grew up with is literally endless. 
Just thinking about it has me yearning for home.
From an early age my sister and I learned, “What’s the best thing that goes with beef? Potatoes!” With our meatloaf we love fresh mashed potatoes drizzled with melted butter. With hamburgers and cheeseburger mac we love hot, crispy french fries. But, any meal can be completed with a hot, toasty baked potato right out of the oven. As much as we love beef for dinner, we seem to love all variations of potatoes just as much. The two complement each other to create the ultimate comfort foods. A diet of meat and potatoes could very well be the most satisfying of diets ever implemented.
Of course, these days, whenever I sit down for a meal, the first thing I ask is, “Where’s the beef?” I cannot seem to help myself. I bet that after reading this you too are itching to taste my mother’s meatloaf, cheeseburger mac, mashed potatoes, etc. I could not blame you. I am too. Here is to great eating! But for me, you will find me ordering beef for dinner tonight.
Image 1: Another Pint Please..., photograhper. "Steak... on the Grill." Photograph. 2008. From Flickr.com. http://www.flickr.com/photos/anotherpintplease/2186673560/ (accessed September 01, 2009)
Image 2: Tambako the Jaguar, photographer. "Wheat field." Photograph. 2008. From Flickr.com. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/2629381936/ (accessed September 03, 2009)
Image 3: su-lin, photographer. "Meatloaf Slice." Photograph. 2007. From Flickr.com. http://www.flickr.com/photos/su-lin/1095144990/ (accessed on September 03, 2009)
Image 4: Stefano A, photographer. "Mashed Potatoes." Photograph. 2008. From Flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/joesixpac/2992728474/ (accessed on September 03, 2009)
Just thinking about it has me yearning for home. From an early age my sister and I learned, “What’s the best thing that goes with beef? Potatoes!” With our meatloaf we love fresh mashed potatoes drizzled with melted butter. With hamburgers and cheeseburger mac we love hot, crispy french fries. But, any meal can be completed with a hot, toasty baked potato right out of the oven. As much as we love beef for dinner, we seem to love all variations of potatoes just as much. The two complement each other to create the ultimate comfort foods. A diet of meat and potatoes could very well be the most satisfying of diets ever implemented.
Of course, these days, whenever I sit down for a meal, the first thing I ask is, “Where’s the beef?” I cannot seem to help myself. I bet that after reading this you too are itching to taste my mother’s meatloaf, cheeseburger mac, mashed potatoes, etc. I could not blame you. I am too. Here is to great eating! But for me, you will find me ordering beef for dinner tonight.
Image 1: Another Pint Please..., photograhper. "Steak... on the Grill." Photograph. 2008. From Flickr.com. http://www.flickr.com/photos/anotherpintplease/2186673560/ (accessed September 01, 2009)
Image 2: Tambako the Jaguar, photographer. "Wheat field." Photograph. 2008. From Flickr.com. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/2629381936/ (accessed September 03, 2009)
Image 3: su-lin, photographer. "Meatloaf Slice." Photograph. 2007. From Flickr.com. http://www.flickr.com/photos/su-lin/1095144990/ (accessed on September 03, 2009)
Image 4: Stefano A, photographer. "Mashed Potatoes." Photograph. 2008. From Flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/joesixpac/2992728474/ (accessed on September 03, 2009)
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