Wyoming’s Date of Statehood – July 10th, 1890
Wyoming is one of those romantic, wide-open spaces that calls to the wild spirit in all of us. Ok, maybe that’s just me. Wyoming IS home to one of the places on my bucket list though, Yellowstone National Park! Hot springs, geysers, canyons, and fresh air all around make this one of America’s most iconic destinations. It is also the home of our entrée recipe! The Roosevelt Lodge was built in 1919 near a site where Yellowstone enthusiast President Teddy Roosevelt once camped. It now serves as a restaurant and cabin complex for the park, and they hand out their famous beans recipe as a souvenir. So, we’ll get to enjoy a little of the Yellowstone spirit with a side of tomato and onion salad that is served pretty heavily by ranch cooks across the state! Sounds like an adventure to me!
Tips and Tricks
There are lots of different types of tomatoes. So, today’s Tips and Tricks section will be about what makes each different and the best uses for each one!
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes are round, bite-sized, and so juicy that they may pop when you bite into them. They’re the perfect size for salads or to eat alone as a snack. They’re also well suited for skewers and kebabs.
- Grape Tomatoes
- Grape tomatoes are about half the size of cherry tomatoes. They don’t contain as much water and have an oblong shape. Like cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes are excellent in salads or eaten alone as a snack. However, they’re likely too small to use on skewers. If you don’t care for the juiciness of cherry tomatoes, the grape variety may be a better choice for you.
- Roma Tomatoes
- Roma tomatoes are larger than cherry and grape tomatoes but not large enough to be used for slicing. Romas are also known as plum tomatoes. They’re naturally sweet and juicy, making them a solid choice for canning or making sauces. They’re likewise popular in salads.
- Beefsteak Tomatoes
- Beefsteak tomatoes are large, sturdy, and firm enough to hold their shape when being thinly sliced. They’re perfect to slice up for sandwiches and hamburgers. They’re also mild in taste and juicy, making them a good choice for canning or sauce-making.
- Heirloom Tomatoes
- Heirloom tomatoes vary significantly in size and color — ranging from pale yellow to bright green to deep purplish-red. They’re non-hybrids, and their seeds are saved and passed down without cross-pollinating with other types. Some people view heirloom tomatoes as a more natural alternative to hybrid ones. Heirloom varieties also tend to have a deeper, sweeter taste than store-bought alternatives. They’re prized for their taste, so they’re perfect for canning, making sauces, and eating by themselves — lightly salted if that’s your preference.
- Tomatoes on the Vine
- Tomatoes on the vine are sold still attached to the vine they grew on. This prolongs their shelf life. They’re typically large and firm enough to be sliced for sandwiches, but they can also be used in canning and sauces.
- Green Tomatoes
- Green tomatoes can be divided into two types: heirlooms that are green when fully ripe and unripened ones that have not yet turned red. Perhaps surprisingly, unripened green tomatoes are used in cooking in some regions. For example, fried green tomatoes, which are sliced, battered with cornmeal, and fried, are popular in the Southeastern United States. They’re also excellent for canning and making sauces. They’re tangy and slightly sour, so they impart a unique flavor and color to dishes. One common use of green tomatoes is to make relish, a condiment for sandwiches and meats. However, unripe green tomatoes contain higher levels of alkaloids than ripe ones, which makes them more difficult to digest. They may cause gastrointestinal issues in some people, so they should not be eaten raw (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
Best Uses for Each Type
- Sauces: Roma, heirloom, tomatoes on the vine
- Canning: Roma, heirloom, tomatoes on the vine, green tomatoes
- Salads: grape, cherry
- Skewers: cherry
- Sandwiches: beefsteak, tomatoes on the vine
- Fried: green tomatoes
- Snacks: grape, cherry, heirloom
Roosevelt Beans
Serves 6-8
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb. Bacon, diced
- 1 White Onion, peeled and diced
- 1 (16 oz.) Can Pork and Beans
- 1 (15 oz.) Can Red Kidney Beans
- 1 (15 oz.) Can Lima Beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz. Can Butter Beans, drained
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbs Spicy Brown Mustard
- 1/2 Cup Ketchup
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Step 2: Place the bacon in a cold, oven-safe skillet with high sides. Place the skillet on the stove and set the temperature to medium. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the fat starts to render and the edges begin to brown slightly.
Step 2: Add the ground beef to the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is half cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Step 3: Drain the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add the diced onions and cook until the meat is browned and the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add the pork and beans, kidney beans, lima beans, butter beans, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, spicy brown mustard, ketchup, and garlic powder to the meat and stir to combine. Once the liquid start to simmer, remove from the stove top and place it in the hot oven.
Step 5: Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
Step 6: Serve hot a main course or side dish.
Marinated Tomato and Onion Salad
Serves 3-4
- 2 Large Tomatoes, quartered and sliced
- 1 Large Sweet Onion, peeled, halved, and thin sliced
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Handful Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Italian Dressing
- 1 Small Shallot, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, salt, Italian seasoning, minced shallot, sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper until it is well combined and the sugar has dissolved.
Step 2: Place the sliced tomatoes and onion in a large bowl and pour the dressing over it. Toss the salad gently to combine.
Step 3: Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for 3 hours, stirring the salad every hour or so.
Step 4: Serve cold.
Fun Facts about Wyoming: 1. The Wyoming territory became first in the nation to grant women over the age of 21 the right to vote in 1869. 2. The country’s first female governor was also elected in Wyoming. After Nellie Tayloe Ross’s husband, Governor William Bradford Ross, passed away, she was elected to finish his term. She served as the 14th governor of the state from 1925 to 1927, and was later appointed by FDR to serve as the director of the United States Mint. 3. Wyoming is the least populous state in the country, even though it’s the 10th largest by area. 4. The outlaw Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, a.k.a. The Sundance Kid, took his nickname from the town of Sundance, Wyoming, where he was jailed at the age of 15 for stealing a horse. 5. Most of Yellowstone, the nation’s first National Park, lies within the borders of Wyoming. Established in 1872, 44 years before there was a National Park Service, the park hosts nearly 4 million visitors each year. 6. President Theodore Roosevelt declared Devils Tower the nation’s first National Monument. 7. Two of the largest coal mines in the world are located in Wyoming: North Antelope Rochelle and Black Thunder, both in the Powder River Basin. Coal is big business in Wyoming, with about 40 percent of the country’s domestic supply coming out of the state’s mines.
Edible U.S. 