Mid Central Community Action

Spoke with clients in lobby and passed out Food Budgeting materials.

News Releases

5 News Releases (nutrition & food safety) submitted to Pantgraph/ Community News "In the Kitchen" columns for December-----

• Cookbook is more than Just a Cookbook
• Meal Planning & Time Management for Holidays
• Making Sense of Portion Sizes
• Fat Substitutes for Baking
• How to Experiment with Recipes

County Extension Newsletter articles--

• How to Experiment with Recipes
• Nutrition Telenet Inservices
• To Reduce the Fat in a Recipe
• Procrastinating…. "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow".
• Five Minute Couple Stimulant

Newsletters --NUTRITION & FOOD SAFETY

The following newsletters mailed or e-mailed to subscribers....

Diabetes Lifelines

Food for Thought Newsletter e-newsletters

Wellness Ways Newsletter e-newsletters

Your Health and You Newsletter e-newsletters

Parenting Again e-newsletters

COORDINATION ---Food Safety

Q: How many days can you keep a fresh turkey in your refrigerator? A: 3 days at most

Q: If I make a Pecan Pie on Tuesday can I leave it out of the refrig. until Thursday? A: yes

Q: How long can you keep pumpkin pie in the freezer? Is a month ok? A: yes… some people don't like pumpkin pie kept in the freezer but it gives you some for later, doesn't it.

Q: Shelf life of Peanut oil? We've had it two years in the barn. A: I advised not with the temperature fluctuation. One year at most is the recommendation for storage of peanut oil anyway.

Q: How long can things made with cream cheese frosting and milk set out?

Q: My daughter makes Oreo Balls which include cream cheese filling that isn't baked. Is it safe to leave those out for days? A: If it's a filling and not baked. No.

Q: I make my own salsa using commercially canned tomatoes. Usually I make a large batch and freeze in smaller containers. Is it safe to water-bath can the salsa even though the tomatoes have already been canned once? I assume I need to use acid in the salsa as I would for canning fresh tomatoes.

Q: When making homemade applesauce, my Ball Blue Book says to select top-quality fruit. How much apple damage is acceptable? Bruises? Insect damage? Small gashes? Is it OK to cut out small areas of damage and still use the fruit? The applesauce boils thoroughly during cooking.

COORDINATION---General Nutrition

11.25.08… worked on Fact Find Feeling Fine in 2009… HCE didn't know who was committed to doing it. Donna nor Cammy didn't know so I did it.

12.09.08… EC FNP Planning… WIC cooking schools… telenet with Kathy Reiser, Phyllis Herring, Bev Combs.

Q: How much turkey do I need to buy per person? A: 1 pound per person or 1 ½ if want hearty proportions.

Q: I am a FCS agent in KS. You had an article on friendship bread and included a starter. I did not save your article and am needing it to share with a local client. Can you email it to me please?

Q: I'm making mashed potatoes with sour cream, garlic, cream cheese etc. for Thanksgiving. Would it be ok to mix it up and refrigerate it on Sunday until then? A: Might want to keep potatoes separate until then… they may settle into the rest and become more compact.

Q: I'm preparing a pie for a family member who has just found out they are allergic to yeast & wheat. Can I make a pie with rice flour? A: I referred her to Marsha Bishoff with the Central Illinois Celiacs Assoc.

Q: I'd like to see if I could make a pumpkin pie without it weeping! Can you help me? A: try preparing the custard ahead of time and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. This allows the ingredients to blend thoroughly & may help prevent "weeping" or the release of extra moisture, once the pie has been chilled.

Q: What is so great about Balsamic vinegar? I have a recipe that calls for it. Can't I just use regular vinegar? A: just the flavor… yes you can use regular vinegar if you wish.

Q: I attended your Slow Cooker class and have since obtained a pressure cooker. I would like help with cooking a bee roast in it. A: You are talking to the right person! That's the only way I do beef roast!

Q: What is the fresh onion equivalent to dried? A: 1 small onion = 1 T dried onion flakes.

Q: I'm trying to figure out oven space for Thanksgiving. I've never used a Roaster before but I have one. Can I put a casserole dish in there without having to put it in the bottom of the roaster? A: we decided to do the ham in the roaster.

Q: How do you substitute Honey for sugar in a recipe? A: 7/8 c honey per 1 cup sugar and omit 3 T liquid from the recipe.

Q: What time should I count on cooking in a slow cooker if I cut the recipe in half? A: We found the number for Rival Corp.

Q: how would I substitute Olive Oil for shortening? A: Not recommended for cookies.

Q: I have a recipe for brining a Turkey. How long do you leave it in the brine? A: I wasn't here on Wed. but they referred her to our Turkey for the Holidays website.

Q: If my eggs say "sell by Nov. 29" can I bake cookies for Christmas? A: Most certainly can! You can go another month or two.

Q: I am working with an elderly gentleman who is searching for a recipe for Fiddle Faddle. Can you help us? A: Yes, it has a basic caramel corn glaze and uses mixed nuts.

COORDINATION--- Healthy Family Relationships

11.24… working with INCCRRA to provide a Stress Management speaker for a breakout on Dec. 9. Short notice but Cammy Seguin will be presenting .

Consumer Questions

Q: Cleaning out mom's house and need to know who to contact about disposing of dried paint. A: since the mom is in Knox County I gave her a couple of numbers in that area for recycling and conservation programs.