Wayne County Homemaker Happenings Dear Homemaker, November 2016 With Christmas Village upon us we wonder, where did the Fall go? I hope each club has big plans as we carry out the tradition of ushering in the holiday season in Wayne County. With a nip in the air it is finally beginning to feel like winter. I know the holiday season can become very hectic as we entertain family and friends but please take time for yourself, to rest, and enjoy the season. Wishing many blessings to you and your family. Cooperative Extension Service Wayne County 255 Rolling Hills Blvd. Monticello KY 42633 (606)348-8453 Fax: (606) 348-8460 extension.ca.uky.edu November: National Peanut Butter Lovers Month It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12 oz. jar of peanut butter. Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter The world s largest peanut butter factory churns out 250,000 jars of the tasty treat every day. Roll Call: Name one thing you are grateful for Thought/Quote of the Month: I can t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jody G. Paver Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences Education JGP/jem The Extension Office will be CLOSED on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The office will reopen on Monday, November 28 at 8:00 a.m.
Blood Drive Tuesday, December 20, 3-7 p.m. The next community blood drive will be held at the Extension Office (lower level) from 3-7:00 p.m. Clubs to work the drive: Craft 2:45-5:00 p.m. (Town and Country Plaza marquee sign) and Pots & Pans 5:00-7:15 p.m. It is important to have one or two people from your club to work. Bring 3 dozen homemade or deli cookies, or something good for donors to eat. ALL Homemakers are asked to tell others about the drive anyway you can. Remember to count your volunteer hours and that you can earn Homemaker bucks by volunteering to work the blood drive! Thanks so much for sponsoring a blood drive in Wayne County for so many years. You are needed and appreciated. *Note the change in the time frame of this blood drive Come Learn With Us! - Economical Entrees Leader training Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 5:30 p.m.-downstairs kitchen. Class open to all homemakers and the general the public. Enjoy easy and healthy Main Dishes while stretching the family food dollar. Wayne County Health Department FREE Diabetes Classes Learn to Control Diabetes-Step by Step! Tuesdays 1:00 3:30 p.m. EST Step I-November 29 Step II-December 6 Step III-December 13 Step IV-December 20 Call (606)348-9349 EXT 1166 to sign up! Sessions are FREE, but Pre-registration required Reminder: Be sure to log-in to the Wayne County Family and Consumer Sciences Facebook page and vote on your favorite photos entered in the Scenic Wayne County Photo Contest. The winner will be chosen by the number of likes. If you do not have a facebook account you are welcome to come by the office to vote on your favorite. Voting ends on November 30th. REMINDER Winter Weather Policy for FCS Program: No School No Meetings If Wayne County Schools are closed due to inclement weather, meetings will automatically be cancelled also. If in doubt, please call 606-348-8453
A Traveling Milk Pod Seed Have you ever took a walk Across a field on a fall day, Watched a little cluster of seeds They swiftly sail in the breeze flying away. The little seeds have wings That carries them without a sound, The wind lifts them and they rise into the sky As they dip and swirl around and around. The wings are soft and delicate attached to a tiny seed, Attached to a tiny seed, They are creamy white in color And the seed looks like a small black bead. These little sailors Left their mother one day without a not, They had grown all summer hanging on a vine Tucked inside a fat little milk pod. The best place to find these nice pods Is on an old country lane, Among morning glories they grow They all end up brown and looking the same. The little blossoms attracted bees in the spring Hidden in the shade on an old fence, They ll grow there all summer Among the green leaves-it is quite dense. The pods can be saved and sprayed for an arrangement Let the fragile seeds escape and float away, They ll lift in a warm breeze like a butterfly They ll begin their journey dancing in early morning sun-ray. Written November 29, 2008 by Adine Stephens Clark To pop open this drying pod Release the silky fibers to soar away, They are fun to watch sailing through the air Bright light shimmers on their wings on a sunny day. They must travel a great distance Find a new home far away, To sprout and grow a new vine Once spring has arrived in early May. The pods are long tapered and hard There is a hollow nest inside, Once the hundreds of tiny little seeds Have blown away-find a secret place to hide. In Loving Memory of Charity club member: Adine Stephens Clark Dec. 6, 1939-Aug. 20, 2016 *thank you Anita and Maxine for sharing this poem with us.
Talking Turkey To ensure that foodborne illness isn t a guest at your holiday table, follow these tips from USDA when buying and preparing your turkey. When buying a turkey, allow one pound per person. If you buy a fresh turkey, check the sell by or use by date to make sure that it really is fresh, and buy it only 1 or 2 days before you cook it. If you buy a frozen turkey, keep it frozen until you are ready to thaw it for cooking. The USDA recommends that you thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator. Leave the turkey in its original wrapping and place it in a pan to catch any juices that leak. Allow about one day to thaw for each four pounds of bird (for example, four days for a 16-pound turkey). After thawing, it s safe to store the turkey in the refrigerator for up to two more days. To thaw a frozen turkey more quickly, you can use the cold water method. Cover the bird in its original wrapping in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes per pound of turkey and cook the turkey immediately after thawing. You can also use a microwave oven to thaw your turkey. Be sure to follow the oven manufacturer s instructions. If you use this method, plan to cook the turkey immediately after thawing because some parts of the bird may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. When the big day comes and it s time to prepare your feast, wash your hands but don t wash the turkey. Washing poultry can spread bacteria around the sink and kitchen and lead to the contamination of other foods. Likewise, keep the raw turkey separate from the other foods you will be serving, using separate cutting boards and utensils to avoid spreading bacteria. For optimum safety, cook stuffing in a casserole dish, separate from the turkey. If you are planning to stuff the turkey, mix the stuffing ingredients and stuff the bird just before cooking. Whether inside the bird or out, stuffing should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer. To roast the turkey, set the oven temperature to no lower than 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. The time that it takes to roast a turkey depends on the size of the bird, whether or not it is stuffed, the type of pan and the oven itself. Breasts may take from 1½ to 3¼ hours; unstuffed birds will take 2¾ to 5 hours; and stuffed birds 3 to 5¼ hours. Continued:
The only way to be sure the turkey is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer, checking the temperature at three locations: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. All parts of the turkey must reach 165 degrees F to ensure that harmful bacteria are killed. Once cooked, remove the bird from the oven and let it stand for 20 minutes before carving. After the feast, be sure to refrigerate leftovers within two hours. Store the meat and stuffing separately and use or freeze within three or four days. For more information on holiday food safety, contact the Wayne County Extension Office at (606) 348-8453. Source: Debbie Clouthier, Extension Associate for Food Safety and Preservation, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Maple-Pecan Glazed Ham 1 fully cooked bone-in ham(7 to 9 lbs.) 1 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard 2 tsp. grated orange peel 1/2 tsp. ground allspice Trim off the skin of the ham and about 1/4 in. of fat. Score the surface of the ham, making diamond shapes 1/4 in deep. Place the ham, fat side, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325º for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring syrup to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pecans, mustard, orange peel and allspice. Baste ham with some of the glaze; bake 30-60 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 140º, basting occasionally with remaining glaze. Let the ham stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Nutrition information: 4 oz serving 252 calories, 7g fat, 93 mg cholesterol, 1,135 mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate, 31g protein. Taste of Home Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday
Leftover Turkey Talk The holidays are quickly approaching, and with them, the season of great eating. Soon, you ll have more turkey and dressing than you ll know what to do with. It s a great idea to save your Thanksgiving leftovers, as it stretches your holiday food dollars and provides quick meals for your family. Leftovers must be stored and reheated safely to prevent foodborne illnesses. Follow these tips to ensure your leftovers are safe to eat: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of the food sitting at room temperature. Bacteria grow best at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F. Use an appliance thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is set below 40 degrees. For quicker cooling, divide leftovers into smaller portions in shallow containers. Place the hot food directly into the refrigerator. Once you are ready to eat your leftovers, reheat them so the internal temperature of the food reaches 165 degrees F. Check the temperature with a food thermometer. Safely reheat soups, sauces and gravies by bringing them to a boil. When reheating in a microwave, make sure there are no cold spots in the food where bacteria could survive. Stir and rotate food for even heating. Eat or freeze any remaining leftovers within three to four days. Consume or freeze gravy within two days. You can prepare many delicious leftovers from your Thanksgiving meal. Here s a recipe suggestion from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Easy Leftover Thanksgiving Casserole Servings: 6 Ingredients 1 package of stuffing mix (6 ounces) 2 ½ cups cubed, cooked turkey or chicken 2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed or 1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetables of your choice 1 jar (12 ounces) turkey gravy or 1 can cream of chicken soup. Directions Preheat oven to 350 F Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Transfer to a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with turkey, green beans and gravy. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes or until heated through, or microwave 10-12 minutes on high. Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 21g protein; 20g carbohydrates; 10g total fat; 45mg cholesterol; 730mg sodium. Source: Debbie Clouthier, extension associate for food and nutrition
Cranberry Relish Serves 12 1 (1 lb.) cans whole cranberry 1 (14 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained 1 (13¼ oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained ½ cup pecans (chopped) Mix together and refrigerate. Instead of the regular cranberry sauce, serve this with your turkey meal. It s so easy and different. Per serving: 110 calories, 3g fat, 10mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 15g sugar, 1g protein Pineapple Cheese Ball Makes 2 balls (Each ball serves 8) 2 ( 8-oz.) low fat cream cheese 1 (8 ½ -oz.) can crushed pineapple (in natural juice), drained ¼ c. finely chopped green pepper 3 Tbsp. finely chopped sweet onion ¾ tsp. low-salt seasoning 1 c. chopped nuts Mix all ingredients except nuts. Divide into two balls. Chill 30 minutes for easier handling. Roll in nuts. Serve one now, freeze the other for a special occasion. Per ⅛ of a ball: Calories125; Protein 4g; Carbohydrates 6g; Fat 10g; Sodium 196mg. Tip: Spray your hands with vegetable spray when you shape the ball. This avoids the soft cheese from sticking to your hands. Holiday Travel Tips With the holiday season quickly approaching, many families are in the process of planning trips to visit family and friends. Unfortunately, the holidays can often be the most expensive time of the year to travel, especially if you are flying. Below are some travel tips that may help you save money during the holiday season: * Book early. If you have yet to book a hotel room or plane tickets, book soon. Booking airline tickets, rental cars and hotel rooms early is a great way to save money. * Look into bundle deals. Many travel websites offer bundle deals that offer plane tickets, rental cars and hotel rooms at discounted rates when booked together. * Be flexible with your travel dates. Prices are most expensive on peak travel dates. If possible, consider leaving a day or two earlier than originally planned to take advantage of lower prices. * Travel light. Many airlines charge extra fees for checked baggage and oversized luggage. If possible, plan on carrying on your luggage to avoid these fees. Source: Jennifer L. Hunter, Extension Specialist for Family Financial Management, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Kristyn Jackson, LMFT; Ph.D. Candidate; Department of Family Sciences; University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Fall Cleaning Checklist: *If you haven't done so already be sure to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. *Replace furnace filter. *Clean chimney.