Homemaker Newsletter February 2024
February 2024 Edition
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Homemaker Newsletter - February 2024
Thought of the Month: “If the winter is too cold and summer is too hot, you are not a hiker.” Unknown
Roll Call: Which is your favorite season and why?
Homemaker Council Meeting will be on February 26th
The Russell County Extension Homemakers Council will meet on Monday, February 26th, at 5 PM at the Russell County Extension Office.
At 4 p.m., Dylan Gentry, the FCS Agent from Adair County, will be teaching a lesson on cultural arts, and help create a craft that you can enter into cultural arts next year. Please call the office at 270-866-4477 to RSVP. The deadline to RSVP is February 19th.
The Homemaker Council is looking for volunteers to be on a search committee to find nominations for the Vice President and Treasurer council positions. Please reach out if you are interested!
Council Positions Open for Nominations
Vice President Council Position: The vice president attends all Executive Committee, County Homemaker Council, and Association meetings. The vice president shall perform all duties of the president in the absence or disability of the president, and shall act as county membership chairperson, and program chairperson. The vice president serves as the second voting delegate to the state meeting. If he/she cannot attend, the county president appoints another county officer in his/her place. The VP shall have charge of the county membership program, shall call together a committee consisting of the vice presidents from each Homemakers club, as often as necessary, and shall give such committee necessary instruction and directions for effectively maintaining the membership of the organization. The VP may coordinate association events.
Treasurer Council Position: The treasurer attends all Executive Council, County Homemaker Council, and Association meetings. The treasurer shall have charge of all funds of the association and shall pay them out as budgeted or on order of the County Council and shall make a written treasurer's report to the executive committee and the County Council at each meeting. The treasurer shall serve as chairperson of the budget committee. The treasurer shall submit records for audit by the committee every two years and one month before turning them over to the newly elected treasurer. The Treasurer also submits IRS forms to maintain 501C3 status.
Community Service Projects: The Russell County Extension Homemakers are collecting donation sales for a hand-autographed basketball signed by Coach Calipari. All proceeds will go toward the Scholarship Funds and Community Service Projects. Tickets are donations of $5 per ticket or five for $20. Please contact Sue Foley or your Club President for more information.
Cultural Arts Competition: Homemakers, it is time to prepare for the annual Homemaker Cultural Arts Competition! The county will accept your entries from February 12th through noon on Feb. 15th. Judging will occur on February 15th in the evening. Viewing will open on February 16th from 1 PM - 4 PM. Pick-up can occur on February 19th. County winners will compete in the area competition on March 6th in Cumberland County.
- County Entries: 2/12-2/15 (ends at noon)
- County Judging will occur on 2/15 in the afternoon and Viewing: on 2/16
- Area: March 6th (3/6)
- State: May 9th (5/9)
Club Meeting Information
Homemakers on the Go Meeting: Hold the date of February 8th at 10 a.m. for the Homemakers on the Go meeting. They plan to meet at Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant in Jamestown for lunch. Please RSVP by February 5th for reservations. If you are interested in attending, please call the Extension Office to let us know if you plan on attending: 270-866-4477.
Homemakers by Heart Meeting: Our new Homemakers by Heart club will have their second meeting on February 19th at the Russell County Library at 6 p.m. President Caitlyn Helm is currently conducting a poll to see what class topic members are interested in. Please see the Homemakers by Heart Facebook group for more information. Please call 270-866-4477 by February 12th to RSVP for this meeting.
Sunset Club: The Sunset Club typically meets on the 2nd Tuesday at 6 PM. The location of the meeting is still waiting to be determined. Please call the office if you have any questions.
The Piecemakers Quilt Guild: The Quilt Guild will be meeting on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at noon for fellowship and quilting.
Crafty Bees: The Crafty Bees will be meeting on Tuesday, February 27th at 5:30 p.m. at the Extension Office. The craft is still TBA. Call 270-866-4477 to RSVP by February 20th.
Big Blue Book Club
Big Blue Book Club is back with Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh. This book is an eye-opening memoir about working-class poverty in America. Our discussions will help participants understand the impact that economic hardship and inequality have on our communities. Heartland is a descriptive and emotion-packed retelling of the author's and her family's intergenerational experience of America's wealth gap.
The first Big Blue Book Club series for 2024 will be April 11, 18, and 25. Each Thursday morning session will be presented via Zoom at 11 a.m. EDT. We will record the sessions, so if you aren't available during the day, you are welcome to participate via the recording.
Registration will open at 9 a.m. EST on Feb. 1 at https://ukfcs.net/BBBC24book1. The link will not be active until registration opens. The first 200 registered participants will receive a free copy of the book. Pick up your free book at your local Extension office after you receive notification that you are one of the book recipients.
Start the New Year with a Clean Fridge
Source: Annhall Norris, Extension Specialist, Food Preservation and Food Safety
When it comes to food safety, one of the most important items in your kitchen is the refrigerator. Unfortunately, it is the least likely for you to clean. Refrigerators keep food cold to prevent harmful bacteria from growing. It only makes sense that you should clean it regularly to keep food safe.
Start cleaning your refrigerator by removing all food items and placing them in a cooler with ice or gel packs to keep them cold while you’re cleaning. During the removal phase, throw out anything that is visibly spoiled, leaking, or has an unpleasant odor. This is also a good time to check dates on dairy products and condiments and replace them if necessary.
If you can remove any drawers or shelves, do so and wash with hot, soapy water. Allow anything glass or ceramic to come up to room temperature before washing to avoid breakage. Clean all inside surfaces, including the doors and rubber gaskets, with hot, soapy water. Wipe with clean water to rinse off soap and dry with a clean towel. If you need to sanitize your refrigerator, wipe down with a diluted bleach solution made from 1 tablespoon unscented bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Place clean shelves and drawers back in the refrigerator along with any food items you removed. Wipe all containers and bottles with a warm cloth to remove any stickiness or residue before returning to the clean fridge. Put a thermometer inside the refrigerator to make sure the temperature is at or below 40 degrees F to prevent bacteria from growing.
Keep your refrigerator clean throughout the year by cleaning up spills as soon as they occur and keeping track of leftovers. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends storing leftovers for no more than three to four days. It is also a good practice to wipe down door handles and control dispensers with a disinfecting wipe daily in order to remove bacteria left by hands.
Reference: CDC https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/clean-refrigerator-steps.html
Berry Crunch Roll-Ups
Servings: 4 Serving Size: 1 Roll-up
Source: Leap...For Health: Eat Smart to Play Hard: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, Nutrition Education Program
Ingredients:
- 4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- ¼ cup strawberry cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh berries of choice, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, diced strawberries (or any fresh fruit)
- ¼ cup crispy cereal of choice
Directions:
- Spread 1 tablespoon strawberry cream cheese in a thin layer on each tortilla.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup fresh berries and 1 tablespoon cereal on top of the cream cheese.
- Roll firmly, squeezing gently to seal edge. Serve immediately.
160 calories; 6g total fat; 3g saturated fat; 0g trans fat; 15mg cholesterol; 280mg sodium; 23g carbohydrate; 2g fiber; 6g sugar; 3g protein; 4% Daily Value of vitamin A; 40% Daily Value of vitamin C; 6% Daily Value of calcium; 8% Daily Value of iron.
Megan Gullett
CEA for Family & Consumer Sciences
