Cooking in the West

To many of us, Independence Day is celebrated with rodeo. I hope that as you are celebrating this year with big beef burgers and a rodeo and hopefully no fireworks due to the extreme fire danger in this drought, you take some time to reflect on this amazing country that we are lucky to live in. I am pretty sure that I have gone to a rodeo on the fourth of July almost every year of my life.

One of the best explanations of what rodeo is about was written by an amazing young rodeo cowboy that I have the privilege of knowing, Chance Story. I asked Chance if I could use his essay about rodeo to help others appreciate what rodeo means to competitors of all ages. Chance won a $3000 Academic All-Around Scholarship based partially on his essay. The other winner of the Academic All-Around Award was Harley Meged. Congratulations to Chance and Harley! (Maybe Harley will forward her essay to me also?)

The following is Chance's essay:

At the beginning of each rodeo, I remove my hat for the National Anthem and reflect on all my freedoms and opportunities. I appreciate the men and women who take the risks to protect our country and provide opportunities like rodeo for me. Rodeo is my passion.

Rodeo is a sport of tradition, dedication, and perseverance. Each week I take calculated risks hoping to reap a reward--knowing all my practice and effort and the hours spent breaking in steers, training my horse, and perfecting my swing depends on a number draw, a nod, a flag, a steer breaking clean, or my mental fortitude to handle pressure. All must align precisely in less than 30 seconds to achieve a personal goal or earn a win. All my hard work and effort won’t guarantee a buckle, saddle, or check. There are times I hit the dirt, I miss a dally, or a steer sets up. Bad days teach me to handle setbacks and focus on intrinsic rewards like friendships, camaraderie, family, or improved personal skills or horsemanship. Rodeo has shaped my character and taught me to handle adversity.

For almost two years, I worked to train my own steer wrestling horse. When I started him, I rushed his training, and he would jump the barrier. I had to start over and correct my error. Since December I practiced with him on steers every Sunday, and he had become well-patterned with a calm mind and no more barrier issues. Five days before the first high school spring rodeo in Great Falls, he broke his leg. The vet said it couldn’t be fixed, and he was euthanized. The loss of my partner left me heartbroken. All our hours of work and effort never came to fruition. People complimented how my horse had improved and on my dedication to training him, but I never got to take him to a rodeo. I learned to deal with my disappointment and grief. I loved my horse and also learned compassion and how to let go.

Rodeo teaches you many things – how to roll with the moment, how to brush yourself off when you hit the dirt, how to be positive, and how to be a gracious competitor. It teaches you that not all your hard work and effort will have a blue ribbon ending. You learn to keep trying, to have grit, and to be resilient. You learn to take measured and calculated risks – should I rush the barrier? One wrap or two? Should I take the chance? In rodeo and in life – it is these lessons that will help me be successful.

After college I’d like to own my own mechanic business. My FFA advisor told us. “Entrepreneurs are risk takers." Rodeo is all about being a risk taker. It taught me confidence and humility, improved my ability and skills, and showed me that with hard work and effort I can reach my goals.

Unfortunately, Chance did not send any recipes with his essay. However, I have some favorite summer recipes to share with you from my "Favorite Recipes of Montana", which was published by the Farm Bureau and is still available if you contact your local Farm Bureau office! Have a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration!

Maxine Tronrud's Peach Dessert (Sweet Grass Co.):

1 lg. can sliced peaches

1/2 juice from peaches

1 yellow or lemon cake mix

1 cube butter, melted

1 C. coconut

1/2 C. brown sugar

1 C. chopped nuts

whipped cream

Arrange peaches and juice in a 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle cake mix over peaches. Pour melted butter over the mix. Sprinkle coconut, brown sugar, and nuts over mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

Maryetta Hodgkiss's Cherry Cobbler (Teton Co.):

1 C. sugar

1 C. flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

dash salt

3/4 C. milk

1/4 C. butter

1 can cherry pie filling

Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. In a deep casserole, melt butter and mix with sugar mixture. Spoon pie filling over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped fresh cream.

Kary Engle's New Orleans Cheesecake (Sweet Grass Co.):

2 1/2 lbs. cream cheese (five 8 oz. pkgs.)

4 T. flour

1 C. sour cream

1 T. vanilla

pinch salt

6 eggs

1 1/2 C. sugar

Cream the cheese, sugar, and flour at low speed. Add one egg at a time, mixing on low. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Grease and flour springform pan. Pour in batter. Place on a cookie sheet which is filled with 1/4 inch of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1.5 hours until the cake is done in the center and lightly browned. Chill 8 hours before serving.