Join us on an educational adventure through each state in the USA! Each post in this series focuses on one state, and includes a regional recipe from that state. This is a fun way to get your kids involved in cooking, as well as learn a bit about United States geography! The post also includes a link to the featured state’s website, where you can learn more about the state. We also include free forms that you can download and print to use along the journey. Geography has never been so delicious!

Make sure to check back each week for the next post!

Did you know that Montana is a leading cattle- and sheep-raising state?

This recipe uses your favorite beef steak in an old-fashioned recipe from Butte, Montana. Old-timers claim the pasty arrived in Butte along with the first housewives who followed their husbands into the mining camp. The pasty was an easy way for women to make wholesome meals for their husbands while they worked in the mining camp. This recipe is from the Butte Heritage Cookbook.

MONTANA Pasty (pass-tee)

What You Will Need:

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour


• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Salt


• 1-1/4 cup Shortening


• 3/4 cup very Cold Water


• 5 or 6 medium Red Potatoes


• 3 medium Yellow Onions


• Parsley for flavoring


• 2 pounds of Beef (loin tip, flank steak, or your favorite cut of beef)


• Butter


• Salt and Pepper to taste


• Mixing Bowl


• Cookie Sheet

What You Do:

• Preheat oven to 375 degree F.


• Combine flour, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, shortening, and water in a mixing bowl to form the pastry.


• When the dough is formed, roll it so it is in a rectangular shape. Place dough on a greased cookie sheet. (NOTE: If you do not have a rolling pin, press the dough with your hands to form a rectangle on the cookie sheet. Kids really like this step!)


• Slice the potatoes into thin slices directly on top of the dough to form a layer of potatoes.


• Slice onions into small pieces and spread over the top of the potatoes.


• Slice or dice the beef into thin strips and place the strips on top of the onion layer.


• Lift the long sides of the pastry up over the filling and press the two sides together so the seam is on the top. Make sure to crimp the ends of the pastry roll to keep the filling inside.


• Place pastry in the oven and bake for about an hour. You may want to brush the pastry with milk or butter during cooking.


• When the filling is heated through and the pastry is golden brown, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting into slices.


• Cut into slices and serve!

Variations:

• If you prefer, you can make a batch of individual sized pasty rolls. Adjust your cooking time accordingly.


• Use your own favorite seasonings to add additional flavor to this recipe!

Montana State Information – Click this link to learn more about Montana attractions, activities, and to request free brochures, maps, and so much more!

US Geography Journal Pages – Use these journal pages to create a geography journal as you collect information about each state.

Montana Outline Map – Use this state map to label capitals, major rivers and lakes, and other areas of interest. Draw a star on the place you would most like to visit in this state!

United States Outline Map – Use this USA map to track your journey as you “eat your way across the USA”! Color in each state that you’ve tried one of recipes for.

• The United States Cook Book – Take a Tasty Tour of America’s 50 States, and learn a lot of United States geography along the way! (PLEASE NOTE: The recipe featured above is not included in this book.)


• US History Cook Book – Serve up a heaping lesson of history with delicious recipes from our nation’s past… from the pilgrims’ first feast to today’s high-tech, low-fat fare.


• Maps of the United States – This reproducible book contains geopolitical maps of each of the fifty states; political maps of the six regions; and political, physical, and thematic maps of the United States. You’ll also find fun facts, geography bee-type questions, and review pages.


• DK State-by-State Atlas – More than an atlas, this book shows and tells young geographers who, what, when, where, and why.


• The Geography Book – From finding directions by the stars, to mapping your neighborhood, to making an earthquake in a box, you’ll have a great time learning about the world with The Geography Book.


• Professor Noggins USA Geography Game – From rural farming communities to urban cities, from snow-capped mountains to tropical islands, this game covers both the natural and political geography of the United States. Learn about the states, cities, and natural geographical wonders that make this country such an interesting place to visit.


• State by State Card Game – Learning about United States geography is made fun and memorable with this unique deck of cards!


• GeoPuzzle USA Puzzle – GeoPuzzles provide a hands-on approach to learning geography.

Make sure to check back next week for the next state in this series!

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