Thursday, November 30, catch the holiday spirit at the "Easy Does It for the Holidays" program from 6-8 p.m. at Lincoln Trail College in the Zwermann Auditorium. Learn to de-stress the holidays and enjoy your family, friends and activities more. The evening includes decorating, entertaining, gift giving, taste testing, and a recipe booklet. The $5 donation collected at the door will be given to the local Food Pantries! The public is invited. No reservations are required – just show up for a fun-filled evening!

U of I Extension Master Gardeners are sponsoring "A Winter Day in the Garden" conference on Saturday, January 27, in the Zwermann Theatre at Lincoln Trail College.The all-day event will be from 9-3 p.m. Doors open at 8:00.Speakers:

Erica Glasener - On the Road with a Gardener's Diary; People, Places and Plants
Judy Burris and Wayne Richards - Butterflies - Gardening with a Purpose
Becke Davis - Dark and Purple Plants & Creating a Garden Room
Dave Wanninger - Low Maintenance Perennials

Registration fee is $35 and includes coffee/snacks and lunch. Late registration fee $40 after Jan. 9

Make-Your-Own Gourmet Popcorn – For a cheesy flavor, grate hard cheese like Cheddar, Parmesan or Romano, over hot popcorn. For spicy taste, sprinkle taco or chili seasoning-mix on top.

Using Leftover Bits of Cheese – Melt any kind of cheese bits with canned skim milk and you will have a yummy cheese sauce that can be poured over noodles or vegetables.

Kitchen Floors Have Soapy Film? – To remove it, rinse the floors with water to which a bit of vinegar has been added (but NOT on marble or terrazzo floors). This should make them look much better.

Cleaning artificial flowers – pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new!

February Lesson given at the Effingham U of I Extension office on February 6 at 10 a.m. on "Body Smart Gardening".

March Lesson will be given by Bev Combs on "Fiber for You – Whole Grains in Your Diet" on February 13 at 10 a.m. in the Ext. office.

Effingham will be offering the Master Gardeners program to garden enthusiast on 14 consecutive Wednesdays from January to April (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) If you would like more information, please call our U of I Extension office at 618/546-1549.

Why not give a friend or family member a membership to HEA! Meet new people and create lasting friendships, Strengthen the family unit, Improve self, Help with various community projects, and go on fun trips: garden and home tours, membership tea, & lesson meetings. What a GREAT idea for a present! We have gift membership cards & envelopes available at the Extension office.

We delivered 19 boxes full of snacks, clothing, toiletries, stationary, stamps, and a piano keyboard to theHeritage Home in Hutsonville. Our HEA ladies donated it all! You name it – it was in the boxes! Thanks ladies for another terrific turnout of your generosity and kind-heartiness. Special thanks to Rhea Hayden, Lucy Dennis & Debbie Tedford who took the goodies to the Heritage Home on November 10. They loved everything!

Macaroni and cheese – add can of tomatoes and a bit of chili powder. Great 2nd entree.

Broccoli stems – slice them into strips, cut carrots the same size and cook them together for a colorful, nutritious and delicious side dish.

Fruit – cut into pieces and freeze in ice cube trays with water. They're so pretty and tasty in glasses of water, soda or juice.

Chili – put in taco shells and add sour cream, shredded cheese and tomatoes for a tempting taco supper.

DOWN HOME STEAK

2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup

Potatoes for two layers, about 7 lbs

Steak (tender kind)

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter

In a 9x13 pan cover the bottom of the pan with a little butter, Cut up potatoes in about 1 inch pieces and cover the whole bottom of the pan, mix 1/3 cup of water with one can of Cream of Mushroom soup and pour over potatoes. Pour all purpose sauce over the potatoes. Put steak on top of potatoes. Then add another layer of potatoes, 1/3 cup of water in the Cream if Mushroom soup, pour over potatoes pour more all purpose sauce over the potatoes. Salt the pepper, cover pan with foil. Cook for one hour at 350°.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, cut into wedges
Olive oil

Prehe oven to 425°. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt & pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt & pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Place the chicken on top. Roast the chicken for 1-1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

PECAN PIE FOR TWO

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon shortening

1 tablespoon cold butter or margarine

1 teaspoon cold water

FILLING:

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until crumbly. Add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Roll out pastry to fit an 18-oz. baking dish. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Combine filling ingredients; mix well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.Yield:2 servings.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE -Phyllis King

2 lb. can sweetpotatoes, drained & mashed

1/4 t. salt

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/3stickoleo

1 t. vanilla

Mix well and place ina greased casserole dish

Topping:

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. flour

1/2c. pecans

3 T. meltedoleo

Finely chop pecans. Mixall ingredients wellandputon top ofpotatomixture.Bake 350°for45minutes.

EASY DESSERTS

Tortillas –Cut tortillas into wedges or strips, then fry them on both sides in a lightly oiled skillet until golden. Sprinkle with sugar and sometimes a bit of cinnamon for a tasty treat.

Spaghetti Noodles – stir-fry spaghetti noodles in butter until lightly browned and crispy. Serve sprinkled with sugar.