Cowboy approved recipes used by our favorite country cooks.
In the kitchen with Kayla Chase, Nelson Family Farms of Mabel, Minn.
Tell us about yourself.
"My husband, Gabe, and I were married in 2017, and we are now a family of five. Our daughters Claire and Lauren are 6 and 3 years old and our son Walker just turned 1 year old. We live north of Mabel, Minn., and farm alongside my family. At Nelson Family Farms, we run around 250 Simmental and Angus cows. My family also owns and operates the Lanesboro Sales Commission in Lanesboro, Minn. and Decorah Sales Commission in Decorah, Iowa, where you can find me on a regular basis working sales and keeping bookwork up to date. Our children enjoy helping out at the farm and getting show heifers ready to exhibit. The joy in their eyes and the passion they show for our livestock makes all the long hours of farming worth it."
What is your most requested dish?
"My family requests chocolate chip banana bread on a regular basis. My favorite go to meal would be mac and corn. Very simple dish, just throw it all in a Crockpot for a couple hours and you’re ready to roll!"
What is your least favorite job in the kitchen?
"Like many, my least favorite job in the kitchen is cleaning up and putting the dishes away. And of course, when I get to baking, I can’t make just one batch of something I usually have to double it and use every pan in the kitchen."
What is your favorite cooking tip/trick?
"My best cooking tip would be don’t forget to take your meat out of the freezer the night before. As a busy mom I do forget that on a regular basis. My favorite trick would be to use scissors to cut up the kids’ food."
Where did you learn to cook?
"My mother, Barb. She’s an amazing cook. When we go to family gatherings everyone watches what dish she brings because they all want to get to it first. From day one, she has been a great teacher in the kitchen and always let me help her out. The funny thing is that when you ask her for a recipe she will often say, “That’s a good question. I just threw in a little of this and a little of that!” She rarely measures any ingredients, and although I’m still using my measuring cups, I hope to be able to eyeball it like she does one day. My two favorite recipes she has taught me and that I enjoy making with my daughters are her refrigerator pickles and homemade salsa, each made from produce grown in our garden."
DreamWorks Female Sale:
Friday, December 6, 2024
7:00pm - Decorah, Iowa
Photos courtesy Kayla Chase
Learn more www.nelsoncattle.com