The Non-Vegan Cow Cake

Allen turns 53 tomorrow. We got together to celebrate his birthday today. I (Rose) was in charge of bringing the cake.


I knew a while back that I wanted to bake some sort of cow cake. I mean, he's a dairy farmer, he loves cows. I started Googling "cow cakes" to find inspiration. I wanted to find a picture of something someone else had created and pattern my own cake after it. Alas, I found the perfect image! I followed the link to a website with more directions. And then, I gasped. The image was on a Vegan blog. 


I was at a crossroads. On one hand, I really liked how the cake looked. On the other, I couldn't help but wonder if using a Vegan blog as inspiration was like making a deal with the devil. After days of deliberation, I decided I would use the vegan cake as a model, but I would be sure to use extra butter in my own recipe.


So, here's what I did. I whipped up a marble cake mix and baked it in two 9 inch round pans. (Did you know that you can substitute milk for the water in a cake mix to make an extra moist cake?!)

Next, I plopped the first cake down on the cardboard circle that I planned to serve the cake on. I freehanded a cow head and two legs on wax paper, and cut through the wax paper with a knife. 

Then, using my trusty Wilton cake lifter, I lifted up the cow head and set it aside. I took the second 9 inch cake and placed it on the cardboard circle. I put the legs aside on a small plate. 

I placed the head on the "body," put the legs in place, and crumb coated it with frosting. (If you've never decorated a cake, this is a layer of frosting that you put down to hold the crumbs in place.) I also traced the mouth and some spots onto the body with a toothpick.

I used regular buttercream frosting and chocolate buttercream frosting. The chocolate frosting is easier to turn black, since it's already a brown color. I used star tips and a regular round tip. I used the Wilton buttercream recipe:


Ingredients:

• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening (I use butter! It has great flavor!)
• 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar
• 7 tbs milk (You can use water, but the milk has a rich flavor. Plus, it supports the dairy industry!)

Directions:

Combine shortening and vanilla. Add sugar and milk. Beat at a medium speed until light and fluffy. 

Ready to see the finished product? 

Non-vegan approved ingredients used in the cake and frosting:

• 3 eggs in the cake
• Milk instead of water in the cake
• Butter in the frosting
• Milk in the frosting

So, there you have it, my alternative to the cow cake found on the vegan blog. I've never had vegan cake, but I can tell you this conventional one was pretty tasty!

Some dairy goodness

Tonight I whipped up some cookies. You're probably wondering what these have to do with the blog title. Well, it's as simple as two things: butter and milk, both wonderful products that come to us courtesy of hardworking dairy cows. 

These cookies are probably the easiest, fool-proof cookies out there. My secret to success is taking them out of the oven before they're completely baked, and letting them set up on the cookie sheet. It helps keep them soft. I also highly recommend butter over any other kind of shortening. Of course, I also suggest enjoying them with a cold glass of milk. Try them for yourself!


Chocolate Chip and M & M Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• Chocolate chips (as many as you like)
• M & Ms (as many as you like)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until mixed thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Slowly add flour mixture. Beat until mixed through. Add chocolate chips and M & Ms as desired. Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.

As you enjoy the cookies, be sure to say a quick thanks for dairy farmers who care for their animals each day to make yummy dairy products possible for your family!

Introducing... MyPlate!

June is National Dairy Month, an opportunity to highlight the importance of dairy products in a balanced diet. It's only fitting that during this celebration, a new tool for planning nutritious diets is revealed. Meet MyPlate:

You may remember MyPlate's predecessor, MyPyramid. Some of you may even be able to think back to the original dietary guidelines presented in the Food Guide Pyramid. All of these tools, managed by the United States Department of Agriculture, have helped families include all of the essential food groups in their diets. Though the servings have shifted somewhat, dairy has been included in each of the tools as an important part in everyone's diets.

As you look at MyPlate, you'll see dairy off to the top right corner, representing a glass. Low-fat and fat-free milk are wonderful ways to get the nutritional benefits of dairy, but don't forget cheese and yogurt as well. Whether they are in the glass or on the plate, dairy should be a part of every meal, or you should aim to at least consume three servings a day.

As dairy farmers, we take a great deal of pride in producing a product that provides so many essential nutrients to consumers. Milk and dairy products are chocked full of calcium, potassium, and protein. To learn more about the health benefits of dairy, visit the National Dairy Council.

Another Dairy Recipe for You!

It's the little things in life, like the cool new blog designs from Blogger, that get you excited! Hope you like the new look of our blog page.

This week's dairy recipe comes late in the week, but it's a good one nonetheless. Kids of all ages will enjoy making ice cream in a bag. It's a perfect activity and snack for a hot summer day. Happy Dairy Month!

What you'll need:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes

How to make it:
1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
3. Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
4. Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

This Week's Dairy Recipe

Today's dairy recipe is courtesy of Meals Matter, a healthy meal planning website sponsored by the Dairy Council of California. Yogurt is a great way to get in a daily serving of dairy products, plus there are lots of options for flavors and brands. Try this Cherry Yogurt Parfait today, and you'll be on your way to having three servings of dairy a day!

Cherry Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:

1 can Cherry pie filling, divided
16 oz Vanilla yogurt, divided
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs (about 16 squares), divided

Preparation:

Combine 1 cup pie filling and one carton of yogurt; place about 2 tablespoons each in six parfait glasses. Top each with 1-2 tablespoons of the graham cracker crumbs, about 2 tablespoons pie filling and about 2 tablespoons yogurt. Divide remaining cracker crumbs and pie filling/yogurt mixture between parfait glasses.

Milk- it does a body good

The following article can be found in its original state at http://www.idfa.org/facts/milk/milkfact/milk5.pdf

THE IMPORTANCE OF MILK IN THE DIET 

Although milk from the cow is processed, it is not an engineered or fabricated food. It is about 87 percent water and 13 percent solids.  The fat portion of the milk contains fat soluble vitamins.  The solids other than fat include proteins, carbohydrates, water soluble vitamins, and minerals.  These nutrients in milk help make it nature’s most nearly perfect food. 

Milk products contain high quality proteins.  The whey proteins constitute about 18 percent of the protein content of milk.  Casein, a protein found only in milk, contains all of the essential amino acids.  It accounts for 82 percent of the total proteins in milk and is used as a standard for evaluating protein of other foods.  Protein is needed to build and repair body tissues and to form antibodies which circulate in the blood and help fight infection. Milk contains the following nutrients: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. The calcium found in milk is readily absorbed by the body.  Phosphorus plays a role in calcium absorption and utilization.  Phosphorus is needed in the proper ratio to calcium to form bone.  Milk provides these two minerals in approximately the same ratio as found in bone.  Milk is also a significant source of riboflavin (vitamin B2) which helps promote healthy skin and eyes, as well as vitamins A and D. 

In adults, a calcium deficiency, along with other factors, may result in bone deterioration called osteoporosis.  The recommendations for calcium is 1,000 milligrams for adults, 1,300 milligrams per day for adolescents, 500-800 milligrams per day for young children and 1,200 milligrams per day for adults over 51 years of age.  It is difficult to obtain adequate calcium without milk and milk products in the diet. About 73 percent of the calcium available in the food supply is provided by milk and milk products.  The following daily consumption of milk group foods is suggested: 

• Children, 3 cups 

• Teenagers, 4 cups 

• Adults, 3 cups 

• Adults over 50, 4 cups

Enjoy your glass of milk today!