What do you get when you combine basically no time to prepare supper, a need to fuel a whole crew of farm workers, and food that needs to be able to be eaten on tailgates, in combine seats, and tractor cabs? A field meal.
In this collection, Sara, A.J., Brittany, Jocelyn, and Sarah each share a recipe that is a staple in their busy seasons. These are meals that get packed up and eaten in the cab, on tailgates, or even cold at the end of a busy night in the field. With an emphasis on fast, easy, and convenient, while still incorporating balanced, hearty ingredients that fuel the farmers that fuel the world, these recipes are great for families of all kinds. While you might not be running the combine or grain cart, we know that you have busy seasons, too. Take a page from their book and try out something that is easy, hearty, and portable.
Thank you for your interest in food & farming- it’s something we feel passionate about. Have questions? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at hello@commongroundminnesota.com and we’ll get right back to you.
Hamburger Gravy with Dinner Rolls
A.J. Popp
When you’re busy, actually cooking something from scratch can feel overwhelming. There are jobs to finish, places to be, people to take care of… and somehow you’re still supposed to figure out what’s for dinner! So when we say dinner rolls from scratch, you might already be shaking your head. But A.J. knows that sometimes, her family just needs a real, home-cooked meal.
Splasagna
Brittany Johnson
Spaghetti, alfredo, and lasagna probably aren’t the first meals that comes to mind when you think about a portable dinner… but Brittany has found a way to make it work. She says, “This recipe is great because it serves well fresh, reheated, and my husband definitely will eat it cold!”
Grinder Sandwich
Jocelyn Schlichting
In agriculture, it really does take a village.
Farm life has a way of reminding us just how much we rely on the people around us. Neighbors help each other get through long days, friends show up when there’s work to be done, and sometimes the best recipes come from the people who live right down the road.
Jocelyn’s Grinder Sandwich is one of those recipes.
Meatloaf Cups and InstantPot Mashed Potatoes
Sarah Kern
Sarah loves her InstantPot more than anyone I know. And why shouldn’t she?
When life gets busy, the last thing anyone wants is to spend hours in the kitchen. But busy doesn’t mean you have to give up the comfort of a home-cooked meal. Sarah has figured out how to use her Instant Pot to get dinner on the table in a jif, and that makes it especially handy during the long days of the farming season.
Taco Bake
Sara Hewitt
When harvest gets rolling, there’s not a lot of time for sitting down at the kitchen table. For Sara, that’s especially true. She and her husband both work full-time jobs off the farm, and they’re also raising two kids. When harvest season arrives, their days get even longer and time spent at home gets even shorter. They go from the office to the field and repeat it all again the next day. Sometimes, dinner means eating wherever the work takes you.
