June's Top 5 Story Ideas
1. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month with Beef
What a glorious and colorful month June is! It’s full of fresh fruits and vegetables in peak season. So add more color to your plate and celebrate the flavors that pair perfectly with beef—America’s favorite protein!
Champagne Steak Salad with Blue Cheese is one sure-fire way to eat your veggies. With green beans, bell peppers, salad greens, and onions on your plate you’ll be the icon of health at the table. And we all know that a forkful of beef makes the vegetables go down easier!
Sonoma Steaks with Vegetables Bocconcini features only six ingredients, but boy do they pack a punch! Zucchini, bell peppers and grape tomatoes find a delicious home with Strip steak and fresh mozzarella balls.
And we can’t forget the fresh fruits that pair so well with beef. Mu Shu Steak & Apple Wraps are a colorful, kid-friendly option perfect for lunch or dinner. Treviso, Fig & Pear Steak Salad highlights not one, but two tasty fruits in a gorgeous (and appetizing) presentation with radicchio and Top Sirloin.
2. Celebrate Easy Flavor Additions
Herbs and spices can be used in so many ways, but no matter how you use them they’re sure to bring fresh flavors to your meal. Let’s take a look at two of the most popular: fresh basil and cumin.
Basil can be used in many ways, not all of them Italian. Take Bangkok Beef and Basil as an example. With teriyaki sauce, curry powder and lime juice, the basil takes on a decidedly Asian flavor. Basil can even find its sweet spot in dishes like Blackstrap Steaks with Caramelized Onions, which is flavored with molasses and balsamic vinegar.
Cumin adds depth of flavor in dishes like Cumin-Rubbed Steaks with Avocado Salsa Verde. By using a jarred salsa and tender Ranch steaks, you’ll have a flavorful meal on the table in no time. Or try Moroccan-Style Beef Kabobs with Spiced Bulgur with cumin featured in the simple marinade and spice mixture for the bulgur.
3. Let's Hear it for the Boy!
What a week for men! The week of June 13th is designated as Men’s Health Week and what better culmination than Father’s Day on the 19th! In honor of those who provide for our families, carry heavy boxes and man the grill, let’s treat them to a meal designed to satisfy and delight.
Grilled Steak and Fresh Mozzarella Flatbread is the perfect dish for the occasion. Made with delicious lean Top Sirloin, fresh mozzarella, basil and spinach the flavors really do melt in your mouth. All while providing protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins—just what Dad needs to stay healthy!
Perhaps your dad loves burgers or spicy foods—well you can satisfy that craving too. Firecracker Burgers with Cooling Lime Sauce will tickle the taste buds with Caribbean Jerk seasoning and a creamy citrus sauce made with yogurt and lime juice. Use 95% lean Ground Beef if he happens to be watching his waistline.
Finally, if “Pops” just wants a good steak, look no further than Grilled Beef Steaks & Colorful Peppers. Made entirely on the grill with lean T-Bones and an easy parsley pesto, this meal will not only look delicious, but taste wonderful.
4. Happy Birthday to the Stars and Stripes
On June 14th, we celebrate our nation’s flag by proudly displaying its red, white and blue. We think our meals should get to join in on the colorful fun. So we’ve assembled a collection of patriotic dishes to help you say “Happy Birthday” to our stars and stripes.
Speaking of stars, our Star-Spangled Cheeseburgers are sure to bring a smile to the face of anyone lucky enjoy to be at your table.
Play up the Americana with patriotic colored like red onions or red peppers!
Don’t forget the blue—cheese, that is!
Make the meal fun for the whole family and set the table with colored plates and cups or stick flag toothpicks in the food.
5. The Flavors of Fall
The falling leaves and changing temperature will soon have the family and friends gathering inside. When the time comes for a meal, nothing says fall like the flavors of pumpkin, butternut squash and cinnamon. We’ve got recipes to fit every need you have this fall with flavors that will delight the entire family.
Need to use up that pumpkin pie spice you bought last year? Dish up Turkish-Style Sirloin with Roasted Garlic-Fig Sauce which features the flavorful spice in a marinade, spiced bulgur and delicious sauce.
If you’re look for a presentation to impress guests, try Nuevo Chipotle Beef in Butternut Squash Boats with a subtle smoky heat and fresh toppings. If you like the idea of serving in an edible “dish” but need it on the table in 30 minutes, then Beef Picadillo-Stuffed Acorn Squash will be your best bet.
Another quick meal, perfect for a busy Monday night is our Beef and Pasta Skillet Primavera with squash and zucchini prepared simply in one skillet. Fresh, seasonal, easy and healthy! Can it get any better than that?
Please contact kmillspaugh@beef.org to obtain high resolution images and full recipes.
For more story ideas please see our Seasonal Story Ideas section.