Welcome to the first week of November, my friends! Are you getting excited about the holidays yet?
I spent last weekend in Wooster, Ohio with Certified Angus Beef and ten other food bloggers. We had a blast in the Certified Angus Beef test kitchen learning more than I ever could have imagined there was to know about beef.
In addition to all the beef talking, learning, cooking, and eating; I had a great time wandering through the small town and soaking up all of the gorgeous autumn leaves, cool weather, and small town window shopping.
I learned the best ways to choose your meats, how the beef is graded by the USDA, great tips for tying a roast, flavor profiles, and so much more! I was lucky enough to work with Chef Michael Ollier for three days of cooking and playing in the test kitchen.
All four of the chefs were great and I couldn’t have asked for more generous and fun hosts. I’ve never tasted such amazing food in one place in my life. By the end of the weekend, there were at least a dozen dishes that I want to make again.
I had a heck of a lot of fun shooting a handful of quick videos to make your beef buying, cooking, and serving work easier. I have a whole lot of fun things planned to share with you! (I can’t keep all this knowledge to myself, can I?)
You know what else I learned? Certified Angus Beef doesn’t represent a type of cow or certain ranches or cuts of beef.
Certified Angus Beef represents a set of guidelines that were developed to guarantee that when you purchase a product with their label, it is the highest quality possible.
Independent ranchers apply to be graded by those standards through the USDA. Certified Angus Beef doesn’t farm or butcher or do anything else directly related to the animals.
Certified Angus Beef is simply THE standard. Their job is to train professionals in order to get the best results possible from the best quality of beef.
To say that I brought home a plethora of knowledge doesn’t begin to describe how much I learned. I’m looking forward to sharing all of it with you over the coming year!
Disclosure: The Le Creuset giveaway has been provided by Certified Angus Beef ® and Le Creuset. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands I love that help make this site possible!
Carla Shiver says
I will be making stuffing, sweet potato casserole, peppermint pie, green bean casserole, garlic cheese biscuits, southern macaroni and cheese, roasted broccoli, mashed potatoes, and ham steak.
Unknown says
I went to College in Wooster! Awesome place!
Pam Gurganus says
For the holidays I'll be cooking my great-grandma's famous recipe for bread stuffing!
Stacey Olson says
no holidays for me, but I would cook a nice roast with some lovely potatos, carrots, onions with a bit of garlic and my special secret spices.
DonnaSpitzer says
This would be Perfect for cooking for my size family for the holidays…I Always cook for a big crew: 10 children, 15 grandchildren & 1 great granddaughter…Plus it matches All my gorgeous red dishes. I could never afford to purchase it for myself…To win would be AMAZING!!!!
Axenia says
Lemony herb roasted chicken.
Megan says
I am going to try prime rib!!! Looking for some advice from your trip!
Angie Wilkerson says
We are smoking a turkey. My mom brings dressing and I make MOST of the side dishes despite having 2 sisters who come! LOL Hardly Fair 🙂
Heather says
My favorite is Stuffing!!
Taylor Tromp says
I will be cooking a traditional turkey, my granny's stuffing, honey ham, sweet potato casserole, and a few other family favorites!
Taylor Tromp says
I will be cooking a traditional turkey, my granny's stuffing, honey ham, sweet potato casserole, and a few other family favorites!
Kathy says
My Christmas turkey would look fantastic roasting in this pan!
Anonymous says
I will be trying some of your recipes Mary… I know then that my Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts will be a huge success~! With a thousand recipes to choose from it is impossible not to be the star at all our meals~! Thanks sooo much~! I take the bows for YOUR recipes… you are so skillful and I am grateful~!
[email protected] says
I would use this to make apple crisp for Thanksgiving. Something I made all the time when my children were growing up. My daughter & her family will be here & I'll have the chance to make it for them. My SIL is in the Navy & they're being posted to Japan for 3 yrs. It seems like an awful long time not to spend time with my young grandchildren. I will miss them all a lot but support my SIL for starting his 3rd enlistment. Hopefully they'll be stationed near us for the next one!
Lauren M. says
I am hosting my first Thanksgiving this year! I am in charge of turkey/gravy, but also making sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.
Diane says
I will be cooking the traditional Thanksgiving Feast.. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, yams, salad and rolls.
Anonymous says
I will make turkey and dressing for Thanksgiving.
amom2 says
I will be making my mother's 24-Hour Cranberry Fruit Salad, my 12-Layered Jello Salad, and probably a Bourbon Sweet Potato pie…..plus much more of course. 🙂
Anonymous says
I'll be making individual pineapple stuffing muffins to add to the Thanksgiving Festivities.
wolfpacksinger says
I would cook my turkey for Thanksgiving. Then maybe lasagna or a big cake to share or a spiral ham.