ENOA meals April 2013
Extension office offers tips
April is the time to get your spring garden ready
Monday, April 1 Chili Dog Tuesday, April 2 Ham & Macaroni Casserole Wednesday, April 3 Parmesan Chicken Thursday, April 4 Swiss Steak Friday, April 5 BBQ Rib Patty Monday, April 8 Salisbury Steak w/Gravy Tuesday, April 9 Fiesta Chicken Leg Quarter Wednesday, April 10 Roast Beef Thursday, April 11 Spaghetti Casserole Friday, April 12 Herbed Pork Loin Monday, April 15 Crunchy Pollock Tuesday, April 16 Cheeseburger Wednesday, April 17 Grilled Pork Patty Thursday, April 18 Southwestern Chili Friday, April 19 Chicken A L’Orange Breast Monday, April 22 Chicken w/Supreme Sauce Tuesday, April 23 Italian Pork Loin Wednesday, April 24 Swedish Meatballs Thursday, April 25 Open Faced Hot Roast Beef Friday, April 26 Lasagna Casserole Monday, April 29 Meatloaf Tuesday, April 30 Polish Sausage W/Sauerkraut
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Read it & eat By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com
By Carol McNulty
Recipes to get your Spring rolling!
It’s time for gardeners to get their green thumbs in shape. Knowing when to plant a garden can be a guessing game, but gardeners should start preparing in early April. Kathleen Cue, extension associate, says if the ground wasn’t spaded or rototilled last fall, use a spade or fork turning over soil eight to 12 inches. However, wait until the soil is dry and crumbles in the hand as spading damp soil can cause clods. Work backwards, never stepping on the newly spaded soil to avoid further compaction. Use a rake to break up clods after spading. Gardeners also can rototill the area, but must be careful not to overdo it. Cue says too much rototilling can break soil particles apart, causing a crust to form after it rains or someone waters the garden. It’s difficult for small seedlings to emerge through the crust. Gardens that yielded poorly last year need a dose of fertilizer. A light application of fertilizer – one half-pound per 1,000 square feet – will restore soil nutrients and encourage growth. Gardeners may apply additional fertilizer later in the season as plants use the initial application. Organic matter, such as compost or composted manure, may be applied prior to spading or rototilling the soil. Cue says organic material helps sandy soils hold moisture and loosens clay and loam soils so they drain better while retaining needed moisture. Nutrients are released slowly as organic matter breaks down. A combination of organic fertilizer and a light application of synthetic fertilizer usually provides the best growth stimulant. Check the soil temperature before planting. Stick a metal thermometer, available at most garden stores, two inches into the soil to get a reading. Since soil temperature fluctuates throughout the day, measure the temperature around 10 a.m. for the most accurate results. Plant cool season vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, onions, radishes, and peas when the soil reaches 50 to 60 degrees. Cool season plants should be able to withstand late frosts, but gardeners may cover newly emerged seedlings with floating row covers or straw for extra protection on frosty nights. Uncover the plants during the warm days so light can reach them. Warm season plants such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, and squash need soil 60 to 80 degrees to germinate well. Use a heat source at the plant’s base to speed germination of indoor transplants. Warm season crops don’t tolerate frost, so Cue says to be patient and wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting. For more information visit our web site at http://douglassarpy.unl.edu. (McNulty is an educator with the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Office in Douglas and Sarpy counties.)
Let the good times roll! Check out this array of beautiful cookbooks loaded with recipes, incredible photographs, and all kinds of ideas for entertaining friends and family.
Older Nebraskans have free access to legal information Legal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age 60 and older. Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8 housing. The telephone number for the Elder Access Line is 402-8275656 in Omaha and 1-800-5277249 statewide. This service is available to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity. For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/EAL.
New Horizons
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April 2013
Seriously Simple Parties By Diane Worthington (Chronicle, $24.95) Party prep ideas, clever cooking suggestions, seasonal menus, party basics, and more than 100 recipes for entertaining from beverages through desserts. Scrumptious Food for Family and Friends By Jane-Anne Hobbs (from Struik) Think relaxed and homey or about a lavish spread with all the bells and whistles from this South African blogger. Recipes have detailed instructions. Entertaining By Olive Hamilton Russell Organized seasonally are a year’s menus and recipes celebrating the food and region from the hostess and namesake of Capetown’s Hamilton Russell Vineyards Estate. Betty Crocker The Big Book of Weeknight Dinners (Wiley, $19.99) Think more than 200 fuss-free, hassle-free recipes with Time-Saver, Quick Variations, Healthy Twists, and menus with suggestions, tips and ideas. Supper sandwiches, soups, casseroles, and main dish salads for weeknight solutions to dinner dilemmas for friends and family. Holiday Slow Cooker By Jonnie Downing (Ulysses, $15.95) Ring in the New Year plus 15 other holidays with more than 80 recipes. Black-eyed peas, corned beef and cabbage, glazed ham, pumpkin soup, kugel, and other traditional and innovative holiday dishes to whip up in a slow cooker. The Half-Hour Hostess From Southern Living (Oxmoor, $24.95) Become the 21st century consummate hostess using these 35 menus each with several recipes, make ahead plans, party ideas, tips, invitations, and inspiration to get-it-all together in 30 minutes to invite company for dinner. Try decadent chocolate from the Fondue Fun party menu:
Mississippi Mud Fondue
Makes 4 cups Hands-on time: 18 minutes 1 cup heavy cream 1 (12-oz.) package dark chocolate morsels 1 (7 ½-oz.) jar marshmallow crème ½ tsp. vanilla extract Bring cream to a boil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer. Add chocolate morsels, and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow crème and vanilla, stirring constantly until smooth. Transfer to a fondue pot, and keep warm. Serve with desired accompaniments such as brownies, biscotti, graham crackers, marshmallows, chopped toasted pecans, and chopped candied ginger.
AARP computer classes begin April 17
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ARP is offering computer classes for persons age 50 and older beginning April 17. The nine-hour course (three classes each three hours long) are $15 and include computer terms, operating procedures, formatting, organizing, and typing documents, setting up files, backing up data, inserting
clip art, using spell check, cutting and pasting, deleted files, and surfing the Internet. The classes – which run through June – are taught at the Kids Can Community Center, 48th and Q streets. For more information or to sign up for a class, please call AARP’s Nebraska Information Center at 402398-9568.