Tag: easy weeknight

hands holding different hot dogs
Panorama Stories

Spring! Time for Baseball and Hot Dogs!

Ah, Spring. Time for the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, a cup of cold beer, and America’s favorite ballpark food, the hot dog. Americans consume around 20 million hot dogs at major league games during a typical season, a tradition that started in baseball’s early days around the turn of the 20th century.

People tell competing tales about how baseball and hotdogs became inextricably linked. One story goes that Chris von der Ahe, a flamboyant German immigrant and bar owner in St. Louis, introduced them at the ballpark where the team he owned, the St. Louis Browns, played. He was apparently a clever guy—he kept the ticket prices low so gamegoers would buy more beer. And maybe hotdogs.

Residents of Niles, Ohio, will tell you that the creation of the hot dog came from Harry Stevens, a local entrepreneur and immigrant from England who became known as THE ballpark concessionaire around the turn of the century. Legend has it that it was a chilly spring day in 1901 and no one at the New York Giants game was buying ice cream, so Harry started selling German sausages known as dachshund sausages, which were traditionally wrapped in wax paper. When the concession stand ran out of wax paper, he sent one of his employees out to buy rolls to serve the sausages. A newspaper cartoonist who drew the event apparently couldn’t spell dachshund, so he called them hot dogs. To this day, the town of Niles celebrates with Harry Stevens Hot Dog Day during the summer.

Whether or not there’s a grain of truth to either story, the fact remains that a baseball game without a hot dog just isn’t the same experience. Why? Hot dogs are easy to eat by hand, they’re inexpensive, and you can customize them with toppings that tickle your tastebuds. Yellow mustard? You bet! Pickle relish? Please! Diced onions? Don’t mind if I do! Cheese, chili, tomatoes, ketchup—every dog afficionado has a preference.

Of course, not everyone lives close to a ballpark, or—gasp—even enjoys America’s favorite pastime. 

For those who want to enjoy a ballpark hot dog at home, Panorama Organic has introduced a line of organic, 100% grass-fed hot dogs that rival anything you’ll find at Dodger Stadium. The ingredients are simple: organic grass-fed beef, vinegar, a touch of organic raw cane sugar and honey, and a tantalizing assortment of organic spices. They’re pre-cooked and warm up quickly on the grill or in the steamer, ready and waiting for your favorite toppings.

Keep it simple with just a squirt of mustard on a soft bun or get crazy with a Sonoran dog. They’re also delicious in mac and cheese, baked beans, or any other hot dog recipe your family enjoys. 

Panorama Organic hot dogs are available at retailers across the country. Stock up today and be ready for baseball season–or just a quick weeknight supper that will please everyone. 

Sesame Beef Bites
Recipes

Sesame Beef Bites

This is a super-easy, super-fast way to fix a healthy lunch in no time at all, and by using an air fryer, you don’t need any added oil. The recipe calls for steak strips, but you can also use stew meat. Just remember that every brand of air fryer is a little different, so the time and temperature below are only suggestions. Use whatever works best with yours, and be careful not to overcook the beef.

Serves 2-3

  • 1 pound Panorama Organic grass-fed steak strips
  • ½ cup teriyaki sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Place the steak strips in a glass dish with a cover, then pour the teriyaki sauce over and stir. Refrigerate, stirring a couple of times, for up to 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and drain, discarding the marinade. Place the strips in the air fryer basket and cook at 350 degrees F for 3-4 minutes. Toss with the sesame seeds and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the outside is browned. 

Serve over a bowl of steamed rice and drizzle with more teriyaki sauce, if desired.

Coffee-rubbed steak with side of spiralized potatoes and glass of water
Recipes

Coffee-rubbed Steak with Spiral Potatoes

This recipe from our friends at Whole30 features a flavorful rub that blends ground coffee, chile powder and other spices to jazz up the flavor of your steak. The crispy spiral potatoes served alongside are can’t-stop-eating-them good!

Serves 4

  • 1 ½ tablespoons finely ground coffee beans or ground instant coffee
  • 1 ½ tablespoons hot chile powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon powdered mustard
  • 4 grass-fed ribeye steaks
  • 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and spiraled
  • 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Adjust the oven racks so one is about 4 inches from the broiler heat and the other is lower in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil. 

In a small bowl, combine the ground coffee, chili powder, paprika, salt, and powdered mustard. Place the steaks on the un-heated rack of a broiler pan or baking pan. Rub the steaks all over with the coffee mixture. Set aside.

Place the spiraled potatoes on the lined baking pan and pat dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over the potatoes and gently toss to coat. Roast the potatoes on the lower oven rack, tossing once halfway through, for 20 minutes.

Set the oven to broil, leaving the potatoes on the lower rack. Place the steaks on the upper rack. Broil the steaks, turning once halfway through, until medium-rare (130 degrees F) or desired doneness. Use a meat thermometer for best results. Remove the pan with the steaks from the oven, tent with foil, and allow the steaks to rest until the potatoes are done.

Move the pan with the potatoes to the upper rack and finish under the broiler, watching carefully and tossing occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of The Whole30 Fast and Easy Cookbook by Melissa Urban. Learn more about Whole30 here.

Open-faced steak sandwich with sliced roast beef, spinach leaves, sliced tomato, and cheese on the side
Recipes

When Does an Ordinary Sandwich Become Extraordinary? When You Add Panorama Organic Beef, Of Course.

A sandwich is, at its most basic, a piece of meat between two pieces of bread. The 4th Earl of Sandwich is credited with giving the quick and easy meal its name, but for centuries before the Earl devoured his dinner of salt beef and thick bread while working at his desk (or at the gaming table, depending on which story you believe), in almost every culture, people both rich and poor wrapped bread around meat and sometimes cheese. 

A recent consumer survey found that sandwiches have become a go-to for people eating at home because they’re easy, healthy, and budget-friendly. If the same old ham and Swiss on rye or turkey with avocado just aren’t exciting your taste buds anymore, we’re here for you. Panorama Organic’s grass-fed beef makes your boring sandwich into a gourmet meal, all while delivering health benefits to you, restored ecosystems to birds and wildlife, and prosperity to American family ranches.

All of our beef, whether fresh, frozen, or prepared, is organic and 100% grass-fed, with no-GMOs, antibiotics or hormones, or imported mystery meat. Our ranchers treat their animals with special care so they deliver the best-tasting beef to your table.

Two burgers with onions, pickles, and cheese on cutting board with tomatoes on the side

When it comes to sandwiches, the most obvious and popular choice is the hamburger, a staple of barbecues and backyard parties across America. Panorama Organic offers four different types of ground beef—the standard 80/20 and 85/15 blends, a 93/7 blend for those who prefer a leaner product, and our new Chef’s Blend, a combination of ground chuck, brisket, and short rib for big, beefy taste. You’ll find plenty of creative burger ideas on our recipe page—everything from a simple classic burger to a Southern version with fried green tomatoes.

Taking the burger idea one step further, there’s nothing more comforting than a cold meatloaf sandwich made with leftover meatloaf. Add some mustard, mayo, cheddar cheese, tomato, and lettuce, and dinner is served.

If you have hours to spend, a slow-smoked brisket with spicy barbecue sauce makes not only a great dinner, but with the addition of cole slaw and sturdy rolls, an amazing sandwich the next day. If you don’t have time to spend tending the smoker, you can also braise the brisket in chile sauce.

Get spicy with steak in this carne asada sandwich, which includes roasted red pepper and green chile, red onion, avocado, and a lime-infused sauce. If you don’t want to take the time to roast and peel your own peppers, you can find roasted red peppers packed in olive oil and frozen or jarred green chile at almost any grocery store. They’ll do in a pinch.

Panorama Organic’s steak strips make great kabobs. Stuff the grilled meat and veggies into pita bread and drizzle with a little tzatziki for a healthy and delicious Mediterranean dinner. Or, cook them up in a grill pan with onions, pile on a sub roll, top with melty Provolone, and you have a classic Philly cheesesteak. 

Meatball sandwich with cheese and marinara sauce on baguette

Last year, Panorama Organic launched a line of fully cooked prepared products to make your life easier. Our hotdogs, meatballs, and hickory-smoked sausage are all made from the same organic, grass-fed beef as our higher-end cuts, and offer the same delicious flavor in a healthy, easy to dress up package.

The meatballs are great in soups and over spaghetti, of course, but they also make a delicious meatball sandwich or sliders. Broil them for a few minutes to get them nicely browned, add your favorite marinara sauce and some cheese to a hoagie roll, and you have a dinner to please everybody.

The uncured hickory-smoked sausage is great on the grill, but you can also cook it in a skillet with some green peppers and onions for a tasty sandwich on your favorite bread. If you want to get especially creative, simmer it for a few minutes in some beer before putting it on the grill or in the pan. 

And then there’s the humble hotdog. Ours are fully cooked, uncured, and made of 100% grass-fed, organic beef. You can go the simple all-American route with some mustard and relish or add chili and cheese. For a Chicago dog, add onions, tomatoes, pepperoncini and a poppy seed hot dog bun. Our favorite is the Sonoran dog with bacon, beans, jalapeno, avocado, tomato, onion, and cheese, all served up in a bolillo bun. 

What kind of creative sandwiches are you creating with Panorama Organic beef? Post a picture on Instagram  or Facebook and tag us. We always appreciate seeing what our customers are doing.

Family sitting around table with candlesticks inside kitchen
Recipes

8 Tips for Making Cooking at Home Simple, Delicious, and Fun

As inflation continues to eat away at consumer buying power, especially at the grocery store, home-cooked meals continue to trend among American consumers. Between 79 and 80% of American meals are consumed at home, a number that hasn’t decreased even as the pandemic has somewhat loosened its grip on life.

Eating at home has its benefits—portion control, knowing what’s in your food, healthy ingredients, less expense—but if you’re not someone who enjoys the process, grocery shopping and preparing food can be a chore. Yet with a little planning, even the most kitchen-resistant among us can learn to put healthy, delicious, and simple meals on the table, and have fun doing it.

Make a plan. Spend a few minutes on the weekend planning what you’re going to cook and eat during the week. Keep in mind that you don’t have to actually cook every meal. Grill a big steak for dinner one night, save the leftovers, and you’ll have sandwiches/salads/tacos for lunch for the next couple of days. 

Make a budget and a list. (The tedious part.) Once you have a basic menu outlined, then make a shopping list, keeping in mind your food budget for the week. It’s easy to bust the budget by impulse buying lots of meat, cheeses, and expensive condiments, but meat doesn’t have to be the center of your plate at every meal. Fill in with lots of fresh vegetables and beans and use less-expensive cuts, like stew meat (for soups and stews), steak strips (for kabobs) or brisket, which will feed a crowd and still give you leftovers for sandwiches or other meals. And of course, Panorama Organic’s grass-fed ground beef is an excellent choice for burgers, meatloaf, or tacos. The key with meat is to buy the best you can afford, but then use it sparingly and extend it through more than one meal.

Stock your freezer. It’s just as easy to make a big batch of soup or stew as a small one and then freeze what you won’t eat in a few days. Just be sure to wrap it well so you don’t end up with freezer burn, and label and date it so you aren’t faced with mystery containers later. It also helps to keep a list of what’s in the freezer. A small magnetic dry erase board on the outside makes inventory management a snap. It’s super-gratifying to know that on a chilly day, you can pull a package of delicious beef stew out of the freezer and have dinner on the table in no time at all.

Stock your pantry. Buy things like beans, rice, pasta, and other staples in bulk so they’re always ready to cook when you are. Canned stocks and tomatoes are also essentials for soups and stews. But make sure you stock up on things you’ll actually use—we’re still choking our way through the gluten-free quinoa pasta we bought in bulk at the beginning of the pandemic when there wasn’t anything else in the store.

Use prepared foods. You don’t have to bake your own bread, hand make pasta, or cook anything from scratch unless you want to. Panorama Organic has created a pre-cooked line of grass-fed meatballs, sausage, and hotdogs that help you get delicious and wholesome meals on the table quickly and easily. Visit our recipe page for ideas.

Commit to trying one new recipe a week. It’s easy to get into a rut in the kitchen, always making the same set of meals over and over. It’s easy, but it can get pretty boring for both the cook and the eaters. Spend a little time on one of the thousands of recipe sites (Simply Recipes is a good place to start) and come up with a list of new things to try, then pick one each week. Experiment with a new cuisine, a new cooking method, or a new ingredient or spice. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to make it ever again, but it might add a new meal to your rotation and make things a little more interesting.

Make good use of your slow cooker and/or Instant Pot. A slow cooker is great for soups, stews, chili, or even oatmeal for a nourishing breakfast in the morning. And if you have an Instant Pot and some dry beans in the pantry, you can get a delicious soup on the table in a little over an hour without soaking or precooking the beans. It doesn’t get much easier.

Get everyone into the act. Even young kids can learn to make simple dishes like hotdog mac and cheese, so let them cook, with some adult supervision of course, one night a week. And be sure that those who don’t do the cooking are there for the clean-up. Making it a team effort is more fun than having one designated cook who has to shoulder the entire responsibility.

Finally, don’t forget to treat yourself once in a while and go out to eat. Local restaurants are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, so give them your support.