Cooperative Living March/April 2019 - 35

CommonwealthKitchen
Celebrating
Agriculture
Week with
Virginia's Finest
Virginia celebrates Agriculture Week March 17-23. According
to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services, Virginia has 44,800 farms that cover 8.1 million acres, or
32 percent of Virginia's total land area. In the 1960s, one farmer
supplied food for 25.8 people in the U.S. and abroad. Today, one farmer supplies food for
165 people in the U.S. and abroad. Agriculture is Virginia's largest private industry by far,
with nothing else coming a close second. The industry has an economic impact of $91
billion annually and provides more than 450,000 jobs in the commonwealth. Livestock
dominates Virginia's top commodities with broilers, cattle and calves, and turkeys ranking
in the top five. Other key products include milk, soybeans, greenhouse and nursery
products, corn for grain, hay and wheat. The state is a leader in produce production as
well, with crops ranging from tomatoes to apples and grapes to potatoes.
Colonial Peanut Soup
Courtesy of Virginia-Carolinas Peanut Promotions
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ teaspoon salt, optional
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped
roasted peanuts
Directions: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add onion and celery. Sauté for
about 5 minutes. Add flour and mix until well blended. Stir in chicken broth and allow it
to simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, strain broth. Stir the peanut butter,
salt and lemon juice into the broth until well mixed. Serve hot in cups. Garnish each cup
with a teaspoon of chopped peanuts. Makes 6 servings.
Beef Filets with Ancient Grain & Kale Salad
Courtesy of Virginia Beef Industry Council
Ingredients:
⁄4 plus 1
⁄8
1 cup pearlized farro
⁄2
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1
teaspoon cracked
black pepper, divided
2 beef tenderloin steaks, cut
1-inch thick (about 6 ounces each)
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 cup thinly sliced kale
1
⁄4
cup dried sweetened cranberries
or cherries
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
Directions: Combine 1 clove garlic and ¼ teaspoon pepper; press evenly onto beef
steaks. Combine beef broth, farro, remaining 2 cloves garlic and remaining 1
⁄8
teaspoon
pepper in small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 to 20
minutes or until most broth has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Stir in kale and
cranberries. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in almonds and lemon juice. Season with salt,
as desired. Meanwhile, place steaks on rack in broiler pan so surface of steaks is 2 to
3 inches from heat. Broil 13 to 16 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees) to medium
(160 degrees) doneness, turning once. Season steaks with salt. Serve with farro mixture.
'Granny Bill's'
Ice Box Cookies
Courtesy of Bettina Ring, Virginia's Secretary
of Agriculture & Forestry
Ingredients:
1¼ cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
Directions: Mix sugar and shortening, add
eggs, baking powder and vanilla. Then add flour.
Make into 3 rolls, then refrigerate, slice and bake
at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
Cajun Chops
Courtesy of Virginia Pork Council
Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons butter
Directions: Trim fat from chops if needed, and
pat dry. Combine seasonings; coat chops with
seasoning mixture on both sides. Heat butter
over high heat just until it starts to brown. Put
chops in pan, reduce heat to medium. Brown on
both sides until dark brown, a total of 6-8
minutes until internal temperature on a
thermometer reads 145 degrees, followed by a
3-minute rest time.
Send us your recipes! We need recipes featuring: smoothies, garden-fresh vegetables and cool summer dishes.
Please email submissions to commonwealthkitchen@co-opliving.com or mail them to Commonwealth Kitchen, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA
23058-2340. All published submissions will receive a $20 Walmart gift card.
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March-April 2019 | Cooperative Living | 33
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Cooperative Living March/April 2019

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