• It is a myth that mayonnaise causes food poisoning. In fact, the vinegar and/or lemon juice in it is acidic enough to inhibit bacterial growth somewhat. Still, you should handle mayo-containing foods carefully, since the ingredients mixed with it – such as chicken or potatoes – can easily become contaminated during preparation, and bacteria will grow if the food is left out in warm temperatures (which includes your kitchen). And watch out with homemade mayo, since it is often made with uncooked eggs (and contains no preservatives) and may thus contain Salmonella bacteria. In contrast, the eggs in commercial mayo are pasteurized to kill such bacteria.
• In 1975, the average American consumed 39 pounds of chicken annually; by 2006, consumption had risen to 88 pounds of chicken per person per year.
• If you drink just one extra can of a non-diet soft drink each day for a year, the extra calories consumed would add about 15 pounds to your weight.

• Keep a spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish soap in it by the sink. This is excellent for quick clean ups on the counter and also if you are only washing one or two items. Instead of using soap straight from the bottle and using way too much this is ready to go, uses less soap and lasts a long time.

- Bev Combs, U of I Educator

A Cookie Walk is being sponsored by the 4-H OutBound Exchange Program from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 2nd at The Hairport on Main Street (Rt. 33) in Oblong. Come out and show these kids support - Nick Boldrey, Kaycee Culp, Kaitlyn Knollenberg, Megan Krick, Erica Nethery, and Emily Price!

Americans typically add three to five pounds of weight between Thanksgiving and the last New Year's party. This year, give yourself a great holiday gift – good nutrition without weight gain. Extra calories and rich foods are consumed partly due to advertising, social pressures, and habit. Here are three tips to help you maintain your good health through the holiday season.

#1 Eat! – A lowfat breakfast and large healthy lunch will help you avoid or eat in moderation those cookies and other holiday treats later in the day. Snack on raw vegetables or fruit before heading out to parties to avoid eating too much of those fat-laden appetizers and desserts.

If going to a buffet dinner, look over the entire buffet and choose the one or two enticing dishes, typically something you don't usually eat or a friend's delicious recipe. Research says we get all the flavor and texture of a food in the first 3 bites, so enjoy small amounts of these delicious foods. Then fill up on lowfat vegetables, whole grains and fruits. After you have eaten move away from the buffet table. This is a good time to visit with old friends or make new ones. If you are talking it is much more difficult to eat more than you need. Challenge yourself to change family favorites to lower fat versions. Usually you can cut the amounts of oil, butter or cream in most recipes by about half without changing flavor or texture; sugar can also be reduced in many recipes by half, especially if there are dried or pureed fruits in the recipe.

#2 Treats – Choose your treats carefully and just take small bites, but not too many. People don't realize that a lot of little bites add up. A bit of pasta here, a pinch of cheese there, a slice of bread, a spoonful of dessert –before you know it, you've eaten two dinners. When hosting, do your friends a favor and offer only what you would eat yourself without hurting your healthy holiday life-style. Avoid buying high-fat or sugary holiday snacks "just to have around for company." At the end of your holiday meals, treat your guests by sending them home with doggie bags so you are not eating leftovers all by yourself.

#3 Move Your Feet! – Remember, exercise is not a walk around the buffet table. Keep your regular routine and find ways to accomplish something while you exercise, such as use a snow shovel instead of a snow blower, rake leaves, park further away and walk, or take the stairs.

Reward yourself with good health, not another holiday cookie.

- Barbara Farner, Extension Educator

Including fruits and vegetables in your holiday meals can add color, flavor and good nutrition. MyPyramid recommends that adults eat 2-1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit each day.

Eat Fruits and Vegetables for Good Health – Eating fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet may help lower your risk for Alzheimer's, heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, osteoporosis, and type-2 diabetes. Eating more fruits and vegetables that are lower in calories than other foods may make it easier to control your weight.

Holiday Meal Planning – Be sure to include fruits and vegetables in your holiday meal plan along with a few traditional holiday foods.

Here are some ideas:

• Raw vegetables for appetizer or snack
• Festive tossed salad in the red and green colors of the season – add dried cranberries, cherry tomatoes, sliced red peppers and radishes to a mix of leafy greens
• Fresh cranberries in salads, breads, sauce
• Add vegetables/dried fruit to rice
• Winter squash in soups or casseroles
• Fresh fruit salad for dessert
• Start your day off with raisins; add to oatmeal or fresh fruit on whole grain cereal
• Dry roasted peanuts and raisins or dried cherries for snacking
• Bake vegetables along side the turkey – combine 1 cup each turnips, carrots and rutabagas, add a little broth, bake until tender about 1 hour
• Fruit basket for centerpiece and dessert – include easy eating fruits like tangerines, apples, pears and dried fruit.

- Barbara Farner, U of I Nutrition Educator

HOT FRUIT DRINK

2 cups orange juice

1 cup water

1 cup low-cal cranberry cocktail juice

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 stick cinnamon or a few whole cloves (optional)

Heat until hot. Serve warm Serves 8. Nutrition information per serving: 40 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate

APPLE BROCCOLI WALDORF

2 red apples, diced with peel on

2 cups raw broccoli flowerets

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve. It looks nice when served on a bed of lettuce. Serves 4. Nutrition information: Calories 140, Fat 3g, Cholesterol 9mg, Sodium 35mg.

BUTTERSCOTCH PIE

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine, cooled

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1 unbaked (9-inch) pie shell

Combine the butter, eggs, sugar, brown sugar and flour in a bowl; mix well.Stir in the vanilla, chocolate chips and butter-scotch chips.Spoon into pie shell. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown.

SWEET POTATO PIE

1 pound sweet potatoes

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup low fat milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Boil sweet potatoes whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potatoes and remove the skin. Break apart sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add butter and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 8. Nutrition information per serving: 360 calories, 17 g fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 2 g fiber and 170% daily recommended amount of vitamin A.

SHORTBREAD

1/2 pound sweet butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
In mixing bowl, cream together butter, salt and both sugars. Gradually blend in flour and cornstarch which have been sifted together. Shape dough into a 15x2x1-in. rectangle; chill. Slice cookies 1/4 inch thick; place on ungreased baking sheet. Make two fork prints on each cookie. Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes. Don't overbake-cookies will not brown. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 5 dozen cookies.