Growing Together Newsletter

The newsletter for parents of preschool children.

March Growing Together Newsletter

Italian Peasant Soup

On a cold, snowy day like today, thought i'd share a recipe given to me by a co-worker, thank you Deb.  It's rich, hearty and healthy plus super easy to throw together.

Originally from Taste of Home this one is sure to warm you up on even the coldest night.

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min. MAKES: 11 servings

Ingredients
1 lb. Italian Sausage, casings removed and cute into 1 inch slices

2 medium onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped

Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

 Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onions over medium heat until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink.

Stir in the beans, broth, tomatoes, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the spinach and heat just until wilted. Serve with cheese if desired. 

Yield: 11 servings (2-3/4 quarts).

1 serving (1 cup) equals 169 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 39 mg cholesterol, 471 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 16 g protein.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/italian-peasant-soup

Originally published as Italian Peasant Soup in Quick Cooking January/February 2003, p27

Radon Test Kits

Just a reminder, Radon kits are still currently available at the Extension Office.   These are short-term test kits and are free of charge (limit one per household).  

Radon is the odorless, colorless gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The effects upon the families it touches can be just as devastating as lung cancer caused by smoking tobacco.

January is National Radon Action Month.  Each year upwards to 22,000 people die from radon-induced lung cancer. Roughly 54 percent of those diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer are expected to live no more than five years after diagnosis.

The Alleghany Cooperative Extension Service is partnering with the NC Radon program to provide free short-term radon test kits in recognition of National Radon Action Month.  A limited supply of radon test kits are being made available locally during the month of January at the Alleghany County Office Building – third floor -90 S Main St, Sparta.  No kits will be mailed and will be limited to one per household. 

Approximately 7,000 kits are being distributed statewide. Only one kit per home is needed to determine if your home has a high level.  The North Carolina Radon Program website, www.ncradon.org, will have a list of all 83 participating organizations across North Carolina. The NC Radon Program website will also have a limited supply of kits available.  Once the supply of free kits have been exhausted, the NC Radon Program website will return to providing short-term radon test kits at a reduced cost of $5.34, a kit retailed at $15.00.

The North Carolina Radon Program of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services educates families and homeowners about radon gas, how to test for radon gas and how to lower the radon levels within a home. Lowering the radon levels in a home lower the risk of lung cancer.

The North Carolina Radon Program website also contains a new mobile application.  Meant to particularly help real estate brokers working in North Carolina, the mobile application will assist the user in determining how many tests have been conducted within a zip code as well as the highest radon level recorded in that zip code.  The user of the APP will also be able to locate a certified professional to assist them in testing or fixing the radon issue in their home.

For more information - contact the Extension Office @ (336) 372-5597.

Grant Money Available - Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture

Grants up to $5,000 Available to Farmers in a Five County Region
BOONE, NC – Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture is releasing a request for proposals for farmers focusing on increasing production through innovation and sustainable methods. Letters of intent are mandatory and will be due by January 16, 2014. Applications will be due by February 6, 2014. Farmers are required to work with their local extension agent on the application and throughout the grant cycle. Please contact the County Extension Agents in your county listed below.
Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) is dedicated to strengthening the High Country's local food system by supporting women and their families with resources, education, and skills related to sustainable food and agriculture. With funding from Heifer International, a global non-profit organization dedicated to working with community to end hunger and poverty while learning to care for the earth, roughly $30,000 will be distributed to local farmers in Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes, and Watauga counties in North Carolina and Johnson County, Tennessee.
Applicants are able to apply for funds up to $5,000. Those who are interested in grants of $3,001 to $5,000 are required to develop a business plan during the grant cycle. Resources on business plan development are available through BRWIA and local extension agents. This grant program is modeled after WNC AgOptions, exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.
Applicants should be farmers who demonstrate the economic viability of farms in the five-county region. Support is provided to farmers who are diversifying or expanding their operations to increase farm income and encourage the sustainability of the farm businesses. Funding requests should be for items directly related to the growing and harvesting of crops for sale, including livestock.
Please contact Carol Coulter by email (Carol@brwia.org) or phone (828-386-1537) with any questions. Applications for the grant are available on BRWIA’s website (www.brwia.org/direct-to-farmer-grants) or through your local extension agent.

Nature's Beauty

This beautiful lady was brought into the office today for identification.  She is a Marbled Orb Weaver and like most Orb spiders, she is not aggressive or dangerous to people.  Bites are rare and usually no worse than a wasp or bee sting.  



http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/marbled-orbweaver
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/spiders/orbweavers/orb.htm#marbled

Tomato Time . . .

So now what do you do???  Well if you're wanting to freeze them, take a look at the info below.  Contact the Extension Office for more information.

Freezing

Tomatoes

Preparation – Select firm, ripe tomatoes with deep red color.

Raw – Wash and dip in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skins. Core and peel. Freeze whole or in pieces. Pack into containers, leaving l-inch headspace. Seal and freeze. Use only for cooking or seasoning as tomatoes will not be solid when thawed.

Juice – Wash, sort and trim firm, vine-ripened tomatoes. Cut in quarters or eighths. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Press through a sieve. If desired, season with 1 teaspoon salt to each quart of juice. Pour into containers, leaving headspace. Seal and freeze.

Stewed – Remove stem ends, peel and quarter ripe tomatoes. Cover and cook until tender (10 to 20 minutes). Place pan containing tomatoes in cold water to cool. Pack into containers, leavingheadspace. Seal and freeze.

Freezing

Green Tomatoes

Preparation – Select firm, sound green tomatoes. Wash, core, and slice 1/4-inch thick.

For Frying – Pack the slices into containers with freezer wrap between the slices. Leave 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

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This document was extracted from "So Easy to Preserve", 5th ed. 2006. Bulletin 989, Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. Revised by Elizabeth L. Andress. Ph.D. and Judy A. Harrison, Ph.D., Extension Foods Specialists.

Kachumbar “chopped” salad

While this recipe originates in India, it veers far from its Indian heritage. In doing so, the resulting salad provides a unique twist on the original.

This salad is a riff on a salad that is common in northern India. Kachumbar salad is traditionally cucumber, tomato, onion, chili, and lemon juice. It is served with many meals as a side dish. Kachumbar is a Hindi word that literally means cut into small pieces. In fact, according to my friend and co-worker Surabhi who is from India, if someone has had a particularly hard day they may say “Aaj Kachumbar ban gaya” loosly translated means that the day chopped me up.

This version of Kachumbar adds tropical fruit for a Hawaiian twist. It keeps for several days in the refrigerator. You can vary the fruit depending on the season.

Kachumbar “chopped” salad

1 large tomato, chopped (1/2”)

1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

4-5 green onions, chopped

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

1 mango, chopped

1/2 fresh pineapple, chopped (or 2 cups canned)

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper                                                                 

juice from 1 lime

Combine all ingredients.

Compliments of Carolyn Dunn

Department Head, Professor and Nutrition Specialist

Youth, Family, & Community Sciences
http://foodmythsandmemes.com/