Skillet Meat and Potatoes with Goat Cheese.

It's funny how so many of the old-fashioned stereotypes ring true regarding farm life. For example, when I'm line drying clothes or feeding the chickens, I almost always have a baby on my hip. If baby can't walk and outside chores are to be done, than onto the 'ol hip the Hobbit goes.

The food stereotypes are no exception. IE: meat and potatoes.

After laboring outside in the sun doing manual, strenuous tasks, the men-folk (and women-folk) alike come in for supper starving. Sure, a green salad is a wonderful and refreshing option on a hot summer day. But frankly, at least in this household, a salad isn't really going to cut the mustard.

Manual labor requires energy. And by energy, I mean lots of fresh foods, healthy fats, and nutrient-dense goodness.

This one-skillet lunch or dinner is anything but fancy. It's also not profound, difficult, time-consuming, or high-end cuisine. It's meat and potatoes for the farm laborers. Namely, myself and Stuart. Think of it has a whole-food-twist on Hamburger Helper.

Without all the garbage.

And the noodles.

But hey, there's no need to get all technical now.

People often ask me how I manage to cook all our meals from scratch, and frankly, recipes like this is how. It's simple, basic ingredients that can be so, so tasty. As always, find the best quality meats and produce you can - it's what makes this recipe good.

Skillet Meat and Potatoes with Goat Cheese
You will need:
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef (or pork... or whatever)
- 2-3 pounds fresh garden potatoes (mine were purple!), washed and cut into small pieces
- 3 cups greens, washed and roughly chopped (beet greens, collards, kale, chard, etc.)
- 1 cup fresh herbs, minced (this go round, I had rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley, tarragon, and mint)
- 1 cup goat cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste

Step One: Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet.

Step Two: Add in the washed and chopped potatoes and turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet with a lid and allow the potatoes to steam until fork tender, about fifteen minutes.

Step Three: Add in the chopped greens and the fresh herbs. Cover again and allow to steam for 5 minutes. What's that? You're wondering why I chose to cook this in my small cast iron skillet instead of my large one and thus, had to balance the herbs oh-so-carefully on top of the potato pile to avoid sudden kitchen-disaster-doom? That's a great question. And one I have no answer to.

Step Four: Transfer the meat and potatoes to a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with the goat cheese and another handful of fresh herbs. Mmm.... creamy goat cheese and herbs! I can't get enough of you!

I told you it wasn't fancy. But it's so tasty - especially with the sharp, salty, creaminess of the goat cheese and the lovely fragrance of the fresh herbs. One of the benefits of using high-quality food is the incredible amount of flavor that can be packed into something as humble as a potato. Or ground beef. Or herbs. Have you ever eaten a fresh, garden potato? Don't. It will spoil you forever. You'll become a potato snob, a judge of all potatoes. No potato shall ever be the same...shall ever be able to compare to the excellence that can be found in that moist garden potato.

But I digress.

Sometimes, when I make this recipe, I double it so we can eat it for lunch in the following days. It's very satisfying - even cold, right from the refrigerator.

Oh, and by the way, if you happen to be a lactating mother and in need of a few extra calories (aren't we all?) I promise that no one will judge you for mixing in a tablespoon of grass-fed butter prior to inhaling this dish. Nope. No judgement here.

I put a little on Georgia's, too. Ya know. Just for good measure.

Aaaaand, then she ate three helpings. But no judgement.

For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.

Skillet Meat and Potatoes with Goat Cheese

• 1 pound grass-fed ground beef ((or pork… or whatever))
• 2-3 pounds fresh garden potatoes ((mine were purple!), washed and cut into small pieces)
• 3 cupos greens, washed and roughly chopped ((beet greens, collards, kale, chard, etc.))
• 1 cup fresh herbs, minced ((this go round, I had rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley, tarragon, and mint))
• 1 cup goat cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet.

2. Add in the washed and chopped potatoes and turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet with a lid and allow the potatoes to steam until fork tender, about fifteen minutes.

3. Add in the chopped greens and the fresh herbs. Cover again and allow to steam for 5 minutes. What's that? You're wondering why I chose to cook this in my small cast iron skillet instead of my large one and thus, had to balance the herbs oh-so-carefully on top of the potato pile to avoid sudden kitchen-disaster-doom? That's a great question. And one I have no answer to.

4. Transfer the meat and potatoes to a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with the goat cheese and another handful of fresh herbs. Mmm…. creamy goat cheese and herbs! I can't get enough of you!