KITCHEN TIPS

• Bring eggs you plan to bake with to room temperature by letting them sit out for 20-30 minutes before using. Baked goods rise higher when you do this.
• A pastry blender is an excellent tool for mashing bananas.
• When making snack mixes, package them for gift giving in resealable plastic bags that have a Christmas print on them. I also include the recipe in each bag.
• I save empty nut cans during the year and attach Christmas wrapping paper to the outside. They are perfect to put my homemade sugared nuts in for a gift.
• Baby food jars are often the ideal size for spice mixes and sauces. If you know of someone who has a baby, ask them to save jars for you.
• When I cook up popcorn balls, I sometimes stir a tablespoon of red or green dry gelatin into the hot syrup before adding the popcorn. The end result is so festive!

February's lesson on "Finding Your Get Up and Go" is Tuesday, January 8 at 9 a.m. At times, we've all had the feeling that there is much to do, but we just can't get motivated. We also have likely experienced the satisfaction that results from accomplishing tasks that need to get done. It's natural for levels of motivation to ebb and flow in our lives. Sometimes our enthusiasm needs a boost.

According to research regarding motivation, we can all fall victim to the "3Ps" of procrastination, perfectionism and pessimism. Conquering these is seldom easy but often possible. Getting "around to it", striving for excellence instead of perfection and brightening our outlook brings us closer to the rewards that productivity provides.

The University of Illinois Extension seminar, Finding Your Get Up and Go, will discuss helpful strategies for getting motivated, recognizing and responding to the "3Ps" and making an action plan for getting things done. Please come out and meet the new Family Life Educator, Katie Zuber! It is sure to be a fun program!

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

WINTER DAY IN THE GARDEN

Crawford County Master Gardeners are sponsoring "A Winter Day in the Garden" conference on Saturday, January 26, in the Zwermann Theatre at Lincoln Trail College. The all-day event will be from 9-3 p.m. Doors open at 8:00 a.m.

We have amazing speakers lined up for this year! Did you know every year we get 300+ attendees? They come from Indiana, Kentucky and even Ohio! Wow! If you have never been to one of these conferences – then you are missing out on a great day!

Speakers include:

9:00-10:15 Making the Most of Wherever You Are – Jon Carloftis, Designer to the Stars

Whether you live in a cul-de-sac in town, or on a hundred acres in the country, Jon will give you really practical ideas on creating a garden space that you and your family will want to use every day. HGTV, Country Home, Country Gardens, Martha Stewart, Cottage Living, Garden Design have all done features on our speaker...come see why they like his ideas...and leave inspired!

10:15-10:30 Break

10:30-11:30 Using Perennials & Natives in the Landscape — Blending with Nature – Dianne Noland, Horticulturist

Perennials and their prairie cousins blend beautifully in the landscape. We'll discover some great combinations and color schemes to make the landscape "naturally" interesting and fun!

11:30-12:30 Ball Horticultural Company Container Gardens and Grounds, Nancy Clifton, Horticultural Writer

OR Lunch in the cafeteria

Ball Horticultural Company is a leader in annuals, perennials and shrubs in seed production and plant breeding. Nancy has worked with Ball for the last two years as a container consultant and designer helping the Ball staff plant, place the pots and enhance their container displays. Nancy will present a program on the containers at Ball and how you can use some of the same designs and ideas for your own home.

12:30-1:30 Dwarf Evergreens

Heather Sherwood, Senior Horticulturist

OR Lunch in the cafeteria

Looking to enjoy your gardens more and work in them less? Heather will show you how to keep color alive all year by using no fuss dwarf evergreens in containers and in your landscape. Heather will help you with choosing, planting, and maintaining dwarf evergreens, proof that good things really do come in small packages!

1:30-3:00 Spring in Bloom....The Art of Bulbs and Branches – Daniel Whitehurst AIFD

Spring will be in the air as Daniel explores the effective use of bulb flowers and blooming branches. From the ground up, this program will give you ideas for your special spring project or just sit back and enjoy the show. Come and join us as we experience the art of nature with a twist!! Selected designs will be sold through a silent auction immediately following his presentation.

3:00-3:30 Silent Auction — Selected Floral Designs by Daniel Whitehurst AIFD

Registration fee is $35 and includes coffee/snacks and lunch. Late registration fee $40 after Jan. 11. Register on-line after November 30 at: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/crawford/