Fall Flavors and Rootin’ Tootin’ Cowboy Boots

GUEST POST:  The following is a reprint of the Sunday Supper Movement newsletter for October 1, 2015. Isabel is an online friend of mine who I admire for her excitement and energy in blogging and cooking! She has inspired many meals for my family! Rubbing Elbows with Ranchers and Chefs The show-stopping dinner sponsored by Certified Angus Beef at our summer conference in Orlando was just a peek into the tremendous creativity and professionalism of this brand. I was fortunate to be invited to Certified Angus Beef’s annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, last weekend, and I returned home with a suitcase full of awe. Awe of the amazing food and drink. Awe of the way Certified Angus Beef puts on a conference. And complete awe of the ranchers and farmers, and other professionals, whom I met. The stories of those cattle producers cemented my beliefs in the core values that make America run, among them hard work and dedication. Meal after meal was a work of art. Ribeye with Saffron Marinated Prawns. Oscar Sushi, Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Fruit Compote and Spiralized Carrots. Wild Arugula with Grilled Peaches, Blueberries and Honey Goat Cheese. I will be taking a few extra laps around the walking trail this week. To be a rancher member of Certified Angus Beef requires following stringent requirements for production. The Certified Angus Beef label on beef ensures quality in both marbling and flavor. It’s not easy to be qualified for the certification. It’s also not easy to throw a party for hundreds of ranchers and industry professionals. Starting with TV’s Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs and Somebody’s Gotta Do It) as keynote speaker is one way. He is as engaging in person as he is on TV. I was especially drawn to Debbie Lyons-Blythe, who with her husband Duane and five grown children, operate the 5,000-acre Blythe Ranch in Kansas. The farm has been in the family since 1890. Her story is captivating. And funny, too. She writes a blog called Kids, Cows and Grass. Debbie and I connected years ago on Twitter through #SundaySupper and it was fantastic to meet in person. Debbie reminds me a lot of the many bloggers I have met through the Sunday Supper Movement. Sharing meals around the family table is important to her. We certainly have that belief in common. My time in San Antonio strengthened my resolve to bring our message to a wider audience. And it gave me a lot of ideas for our next conference. Stay tuned. Founder Sunday Supper Movement

Roast Perfect Certified Angus Beef has just launched “Roast Perfect,” a free app that makes roasting beef easier. One of our favorite features is “Select A Roast.” Pick your roast, tenderloin roast for one; fill out the number of people you are serving, 4 for example, and the app will tell how big of a roast you need. That’s 2.5 pounds in this case. There are also recipes and tips, a store locator for Certified Angus Beef, plus a timer that ensures a perfect roast. Search “Roast Perfect” in your app store to find it and download.