I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for the Beef Checkoff. I received products to facilitate this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

When asked to host a dinner party that included a beef dish I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity. The first thing that came to mind was steak. Then it hit me – I never make beef at home! I think it’s my inability to grill (I have no idea how to even turn it on!) combined with the fact that I can’t even copy my mum’s simple beef stew recipe in the fall. It was then I knew my beef deficiency was about to end thanks to the Beef Checkoff.

What’s the Beef Checkoff? It’s a national marketing and research program that was established in 1985 as part of the Farm Bill, Funded by America’s cattle farmers/ranchers. The program is directed by cattle farmers, ranchers and importers direct the national checkoff program, which uses funds toward research and promotion efforts designed to increase domestic and/or  international demand for beef. The Cattlemen’s Beef Board and USDA oversee the collection and spending of these beef checkoff funds. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is a contractor for the Beef Checkoff and manages research and promotion programs on behalf of America’s farmers and ranchers with oversight from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and USDA. One of the checkoff programs NCBA manages is the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” Brand.

Have you visited the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” website yet? It’s amazing, not only does it give you a ton of recipes, but there is information on the different beef cuts (I knew NONE of this information before), grilling tips (thank you!) and even talks about the health benefits ofbeef (who knew!). You definitely should check out the website and see how you can incorporate beef into your next meal!

I decided on hosting my dinner party on Sunday. After spending an hour on the website reading recipes and learning all about grilling and beef cuts I decided to keep it simple and went with a steak. A Ribeye Steak to be exact.

 I used this chart found here to help me get through grilling flawlessly.

 I simply used this rub from Williams-Sonoma on the steak, grilled it up and served it with a tossed salad and grilled corn on the cob. My dinner guests were very impressed (they usually get a chicken meal) and can’t wait for the next dinner party which I think is going to be a taco bar.

Ever since college I have been a huge fan of Starbucks (Howard Schultz Starbucks CEO went to my
Alma mater), despite the fact that I don\’t drink coffee. One of my favorite summer drinks is the Passion Tea Lemonade. At $4.00 a pop for a Grande (easily spending $20 a week) I decided that I was going to attempt to recreate the drink at home and the results are everything I could of hoped for.

Copycat Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade
Ingredients
1 tea bag TAZO passion
12 oz. lemonade

Directions
1. Boil 8 oz. of water and then steep 1 bag of tea for 15 minutes. * For a stronger taste use two tea bags.
2. Optional stir in a spoon of sugar or sweetener if you desire.
3. Allow tea to cool to room temperature or place in the refrigerator.
4. Wen you are ready for a glass.. fill your cup with ice and pour in the tea and lemonade. * Starbucks does 1 part tea to 2 parts lemonade.
5. Enjoy.