KEHA News. Sheila Bailey Jane Wells Brenda Wright Jean Richenbark. Happy birthday to these wonderful women this month! Have a wonderful day!

Transcription

1 HOMEMAKER S NEWSLETTER Bath County Cooperative Extension January 2016 Family and Consumer Sciences As the year draws to a close and we embark on a new one I would like to personally thank you all for being part of this wonderful organization, doing all you can for your community and for each other, as well as including me on some of the fun that you definitely have within your club meetings or the classes that are happening within our area! The staff here all appreciate how much you do to make us better within our community! With that being said, Happy New Year! I hope you all are enjoying/ have enjoyed your time spent with loved ones, friends, and new acquaintances. Each holiday season reminds me of how important family and friends are to me and how much I love spending time with them! I have enjoyed spending time with my new friends (you all) as well! Stay safe, have fun, and don t do anything crazy...unless its for the good of the group! :-) (This is a variation of what I told my students every weekend. The last thing I would say instead of don t do anything crazy is don t do anything illegal! High schoolers!) With each new year we set new goals for our lives. This year take a jumpstart on those goals! Start small and build momentum towards whatever that goal may be. For example, mine is to do better with physical activity! I know the hardest part is starting. You guys can help me be successful and hold myself accountable by asking me periodically about this goal! Even the University of Kentucky is interested in my health goals this year by offering a program that incorporates Fitbits and incentives to all UK Employees who are participating (at a discounted price, of course). See you all soon! Nicole Gwishiri Bath CEA for Family and Consumer Sciences Dates to Remember: January 4: Office reopens January 11: Cooking Through the Calendar (6 pm) January 18: MLK Day, office Closed January 19:: Homemaker Council Meeting (5:30 pm) January 25: Penny Rugs Craft Class (6 pm) January: Quilt Club resumes! Check Facebook for date! A Message From Your President Have a wonderful holiday season! Just a few things to remember! There is a correction to that Homemaker Council Meeting! It will be January 19, 2016 at 5:30 pm. We will be discussing TWO (2) sewing projects this year! If you have any other thoughts, concerns, or suggestions, please share with your Council members or with me! With the two sewing projects, we still need lots and lots of donations of fabric! Clean out those closets for any material we can use! Drop it off at the office and look forward to those sewing dates that will be sent out as soon as we decide! Once again, enjoy your holidays. - Sherry Inside this issue: KEHA NEWS 2 DIY 3 Kentucky Proud Recipe 3 Adult Health Bulletin 4-5 Kentucky Saves 6 Staple Items Shelf Life 7-8 New Years Resolution 9

2 KEHA News Happy birthday to these wonderful women this month! Have a wonderful day! Sheila Bailey Jane Wells Brenda Wright Jean Richenbark Send in your birthdates so that I can update the list! New calendars have arrived at the office! If you would like one, please stop by to receive yours. With a new calendar year comes new classes (along with light physical activity). This month s class will be January 11 at 6 pm at the Extension office. Please call to sign up for the class by January 8! Penny Rugs were a hit at the Holiday Bazaar this year! Come learn with Tara Rawlings how to make these decorative pieces. Penny rugs were first made in the 1800s by thrifty Homemakers utilizing what they had to decorate their homes. When: January 25 Where: Extension Office Time: 6 pm Cost: $4 Call the extension office to reserve your spot! You will leave with materials and needles to make this a new hobby! Can you or someone you know benefit from joining a Diabetes Support Group? Contact the Extension office to sign up for additional information on the upcoming support group meeting schedule. The first one will be in February. The date will be confirmed in the next newsletter! Page 2

3 Try It Out!!! DIY: Scented Pinecone Fire Starters Materials: 1. Double boiler 2. Tongs 3. Candle wax or paraffin 4. Crayons 5. Essential oils Directions: 1. collect pinecones 2. Prep wax in a double boiler melt wax (use any old candles). Add essential oil during this step. 3. Thoroughly dip cones using tongs. 4. Add color to wax and dip again. 5. Lay out to dry for 90 minutes to two hours before transferring to a basket, bucket, or bag to store. 6. Burn in wood burning fireplace or furnace. Check it Out: Kentucky Proud Recipe Homemaker s Newsletter Page 3

4 Page 4

5 Homemaker s Newsletter Page 5

6 Page 6

7 Shelf-Stable Ingredients...How Long Will They Keep? Here's how to prolong the life of spices and dried herbs. Whole Spices: 2 years Ground Spices and Dried Herbs: 1 year Do buy spices whole, versus ground, whenever possible and grind them just before using. Grinding releases the volatile compounds that give a spice its flavor and aroma. The longer the spice sits around (or is stored), the more compounds disappear. Don't store spices and herbs on the counter close to the stove. Heat, light, and moisture shorten their shelf life. Checking for Freshness Crumble a small amount of the dried herb between your fingers and take a whiff. If it releases a lively aroma, it's still good to go. If the aroma and color of the spice have faded, it's time to restock. Buying whole spices, and keeping them out of light and heat, will extend the shelf life. Check for freshness by observing the aroma and color of your spices. Vinegars have very long shelf lives. Here are some things to consider before replacing old bottles. Vinegar Shelf Life: Long-Lasting Don't toss old vinegar. Most vinegars contain about 5 percent acetic acid, which (along with pasteurization) prevents the growth of harmful bacteria, and will last indefinitely. Do ignore any sediment in your vinegar. The sediment is a harmless cellulose that our testing has shown doesn't affect taste; it can be easily strained out. Older vinegars are safe to use. To deal with unsightly vinegar sediment, simply strain the vinegar through a coffee filter set inside a fine mesh strainer before using it. Homemaker s Newsletter Page 7

8 Keeping Olive Oil and other Oils Fresh Longer Moving them off the kitchen counter is only the first step. Here's how to prolong the life of the oils in your kitchen. Shelf Life: Unopened: 1 year Open: 3 months Do check the harvest date printed on the label of high-end oils to ensure the freshest bottle possible. (Some labels cite an expiration date, which producers typically calculate as 18 months from harvesting. We think unopened olive oil can go rancid 1 year after the harvest date.) Do move olive oil from the countertop or windowsill to a dark pantry or cupboard. Strong sunlight will oxidize the chlorophyll in the oil, producing stale, harsh flavors. Don't buy olive oil in bulk. Once opened, it has a very short shelf life. Checking for Freshness Heat a little olive oil in a skillet. If it smells rancid, throw out the bottle. (This test works for all vegetable oils.) Other Oils Here's a quick guide to storing open bottles of oil in your kitchen. For optimal flavor, replace these oils 6 months after opening. Store in Pantry Store in Fridge Canola Corn Peanut Vegetable Sesame Walnut Checking the harvest date on labels will ensure the freshest olive oil. Keeping your olive oil out of the light and heat will extend the shelf life. Certain oils should be stored in the pantry. Other oils retain optimal flavor when stored in a refrigerator. Vanilla Shelf Life: Long Lasting Do keep vanilla in a tightly sealed container away from light and heat. Don't get rid of old vanilla. Vanilla's high alcohol content makes it extremely shelf stable. In tests, we've found that even 10-year old vanilla is indistinguishable from fresh. This kitchen staple is long lasting. Page 8 Volume 1, Issue 1

9 Bath County Cooperative Extension 2914 E Hwy 60 Owingsville, KY Phone: Fax: nicole.gwishiri@uky.edu We re on Facebook! Bath Co. Cooperative Extension, Bath 4-H, and Bath County Agriculture and Horticulture Like always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact your Homemaker president, Sherry, or contact me at the office! My door is always open! :-) With anything going on at the office please invite a friend, tell someone about what you are doing, and share what wonderful things Extension has to offer our community to build better and stronger families. Your help is appreciated! Have a wonderful start to a new year and let s accomplish those New Years Resolutions together! Sincerely, Academics. Research. Extension. Nicole Gwishiri Bath County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences