Homemaker Newsletter April 2024
April 2024 Edition
Family & Consumer SciencesDownload (PDF)
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Homemaker Newsletter - April 2024
Thought of the Month: Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller
Roll Call: April is National Volunteer Month. What is your favorite way to volunteer?
Homemaker Council Meeting will be on April 22nd
The Russell County Extension Homemaker Council will meet on April 22nd, at 5 PM at the Russell County Extension Office. We will discuss the area and county annual meetings and nominations for the Vice President and Treasurer positions up for election in the HM Council.
At 4 p.m., we will have a class on self-care and self-pampering to help promote good mental health. This class is free to attend, but RSVP is required. Please call 270-866-4477 to RSVP. If there is low registration, the class will be canceled.
The Russell County Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 25th, at the Health Department. The theme this year celebrates our growth and prosperity as a county! The cost will be $15 a person, with RSVP and payment required by early June.
Community Service Projects
The Russell County Extension Homemakers raised $1,260 through the donation drawing on the basketball autographed by Coach Calipari. We are very proud of your efforts in raising donations for the scholarship and general homemaker fund!
Cultural Arts Competition
Area Competition
Kris Nelson - Basketry - Red
Elaine Mattox - Beading, non-jewelry - Red; Jewelry, beaded - Blue
Melonie Eubank - Counted cross stitch - Red; Quilts, miscellaneous - Blue
Diane Hainey - Crochet, accessory - Red
Angelia Miller - Crochet, afghans & home decor - Red
Sue Foley - Drawing, pen & ink with oil roughing - Blue; Drawing, color pencil - Red; Painting, decorative wood - Blue
Linda Helm - Photography, black & white - Red
Glenda York - Photography, color - Blue
Cindy Mills - Quilts, lap size - Blue
State Competition
Area blue ribbon winners need to have their entries to the Extension Office by noon on Friday, May 3rd, to go to state.
Club Meeting Information
Homemakers on the Go
Hold the date of April 11th at 9 a.m. for the Homemakers on the Go meeting. They plan to meet at the Extension Office and travel to Casey County to visit greenhouses. Lunch will follow at the Bread of Life. Please RSVP by April 8th. If you plan to attend, please call the Extension Office at 270-866-4477.
Homemakers by Heart
Homemakers by Heart will meet on April 15th at the Russell County Public Library at 6 p.m. to learn more about gardening! ANR Agent Jonathan Oakes and FCS Agent Megan Gullett will talk about the best times to start planting a garden, and the varieties of gardens that may best suit your needs. Please RSVP by calling Caitlyn Helm or the Russell County Extension Office by April 8th. 270-866-4477.
Sunset Club
The Sunset Club will meet on April 9th at 6 p.m. at the Extension Office. The club will offer a lesson, a craft, and a potluck. No RSVP is required for this meeting.
The Piecemakers Quilt Guild
The Quilt Guild will be doing a single day (full day) quilting meeting in April, with the date TBA. Please follow up with the Extension Office or Cindy Mills for more information!
Crafty Bees
The Crafty Bees will meet on April 23rd at 5:30 p.m. The craft is not yet determined, so please follow up with Melonie Eubank for more information!
Let's Have a Garden Party - Lake Cumberland Area Meeting
INFO
Join us for 'Let's Have a Garden Party' presented by Adair County Homemakers. Enjoy fellowship, regional history, and delicious food for lli.paY.able at Y.OUr countY- extension office. Cost includes lunch, activities, and don't miss out on our door prizes! A few reminders for counties before your visit ...
- Bring one check payable to Adair County Homemakers for all attendees.
- Provide one envelope labeled with the county name, containing slips of paper with all attendee's names.
- Bring one door prize valued at $25
- Remember our name tag contest, garden themed entries are encouraged
Thursday, May 16th 9:30 AM CST Registration opens at 9:00 AM CST Adair County Extension Office, 409 Fairground St. Columbia, KY 42728
Entertainment
FINE DINING
Main Course: Italian Chicken Cutlets or Roast Beef
Sides: Mashed potatoes, Green Beans, Rolls, Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad
Dessert: Variety of Cupcakes
RSVP DUE TO YOUR COUNTY BY FRIDAY, MAY 3RD
Oven Canning is Not Safe
S O U R C E : A N N H A L L N O R R I S , F O O D P R E S E R V A T I O N A N D F O O D S A F E T Y E X T E N S I O N S P E C I A L I S T
Oven canning is the process of placing food in jars, applying lids, then heating in an oven for a period of time until “done.” When you remove the jars and allow them to cool, the lids seal, and it is supposedly safe for the jars to sit at room temperature. However, this is not true. Oven canning is not a safe way to preserve food. Just because you used canning jars and the jar sealed, it
doesn’t mean the food was preserved and is safe to eat. Food that you can in an oven has not reached a safe internal temperature and you should not store it at room temperature or eat it.
The goal of canning is to destroy spoilage microorganisms and harmful bacteria that would otherwise be able to survive in the food at room temperature. It refers to heat treating closed containers of food for a set amount of time at a set temperature. The canning process uses moist heat to reach temperatures of 212 degrees F inside jars processed in a boiling water bath canner and 240 degrees F inside jars processed in a pressure canner. Using dry heat from an oven will not achieve these temperatures inside jars of food. Food canned in an oven will be underprocessed and runs the risk of bacterial contamination. Low acid foods in particular may be contaminated with the botulinum toxin, which causes botulism, a deadly form of food poisoning.
It is also important to understand that canning jars are not designed for use in an oven. The dry heat can cause the glass to crack or shatter. Jars can explode in the oven causing personal injury and damage to the oven.
You should always use up-to-date, research-based canning recipes and processing procedures when canning food. Not all recipes on the internet or social media are research-based. You can find research-based recipes in the Cooperative Extension Service home canning publications, the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, or the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s website https://nchfp.uga.edu/. Follow each recipe exactly as written. Do not make changes to ingredients or the processing instructions. Not following the recipe precisely may result in sickness or death.
For more information on safe food canning and research-based recipes, contact the Russell County Extension Office.
References
https://extension.psu.edu/avoid-open-kettle-or-oven-canning and
https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/canning/exhibits/show/techniques/processing/oven
Chicken & Ranch Mushrooms
S E R V I NG S : 4 S E R V I NG S I Z E : 1 / 4 O F R E C I P E
SOU RC E : B R OO K E J E N K I N S - HOWA R D , E X T E N S I ON S P E C I A L I S T , U N I V E R S I T Y O F K E N T UC K Y COO P E R A T I V E E X T E N S I ON S E R V I C E
Ingredients:
- Nonstick spray
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoons dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups fresh spinach
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups cooked barley or brown rice
Directions:
- Spray large skillet with nonstick spray; heat to medium. Add chicken, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and move to one side of pan. Add mushrooms.
- Sprinkle ranch seasoning over chicken and mushrooms. Add butter. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pan.
- Add spinach to pan and sprinkle with garlic powder. Cover and steam until spinach wilts (3-5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Arrange barley or brown rice on plates. Top with spinach, chicken and mushrooms.
320 calories; 6g total fat; 2.5g saturated fat; 0g trans fat; 90mg cholesterol; 270mg sodium; 26g carbohydrate; 4g fiber; 1g sugar; 0g added sugar; 30g protein; 80% Daily Value of vitamin D; 6%Daily Value of calcium; 10% Daily Value of iron; 15% Daily Value of potassium.
Megan Gullett, CEA for Family & Consumer Sciences
