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Category: 2022

Healthier Green Bean Casserole

Posted on by djbechard

Makes 9 servings.

Ingredients

1 can (10¾ ounces) reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup

½ cup fat-free sour cream

½ cup fat-free milk

2 cans (15 ounces each) drained green beans OR two 9-ounce bags frozen green beans

½ cup canned French-fried onions (See note below.)

Directions

  1. Mix soup, sour cream, and milk in a 2-quart casserole dish.
  2. Stir in beans and bake uncovered at 350oF until mixture is bubbly – about 40 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle onions on top and cook for 5 more minutes

Nutrition per ½ cup serving: 100 calories, 4g fat, 5mg cholesterol, 230mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g sugar, 3g protein.

Dare to Compare Green Bean Recipes

Green Bean Recipes Calories per ½ cup serving Fat per serving (grams) Carbohydrates per serving (grams)
Traditional Green Bean Casserole* 180 12 15
Healthier Green Bean Casserole 100 4 12

*Made with regular cream of mushroom soup and 1 1/3 cups of French-fried onions.

Note: For extra calorie and fat savings, consider gently cooking fresh onions in a non-stick skillet to use as topping instead of purchased French-fried onions.

By: Jamie Rathbun

House Plant Problems

Posted on by djbechard

House plants may look a little sad when you bring them inside for the winter and they may even shed a few leaves. Most of this is the plant responding to low light levels. Not only is the day length shorter, but the angle of the sun means sunlight must travel through more atmosphere before it reaches us in the northern latitudes. Each of these factors means less light energy reaches our house plants. House plants respond to this stress by stopping growth and dropping leaves if necessary. So how can we tell if leaves are being dropped due to stress or due to other factors? Normally, stress is the culprit if leaves are dropped throughout the plant and general thinning occurs.

 

 

The next question is what do we do about it? Well, you can add supplemental lighting or just wait until longer days and higher light levels allow the plants to recover. Unfortunately, people often decide the plant needs more fertilizer or water to perk it up. Remember the problem is low light, not a lack of fertilizer or water. Adding extra fertilizer or water won’t help, and may actually harm, the plant. If there is plenty of sunlight, the plant can use more water and fertilizer. Under low light levels, the plant doesn’t require much fertilizer and the nutrients stay in the soil where they can build up and may eventually burn roots.

Also, excess water can drown roots. Therefore, it is important to do a good job of watering and fertilizing during the winter. Only water when the soil is dry ½ inch deep in the pot. Eventually you can learn to judge whether a plant needs water just by weight. Also, reduce or eliminate fertilizing during the winter months. If the plant still looks thin in the spring, cut it back so it can put out new, thicker growth. Also, knock the plant out of the pot in the spring and make sure it isn’t root bound. If it is, move it up to a larger pot.

By: Cassie Thiessen

Advanced Health Care Directives

Posted on by djbechard

Research shows that end-of-life conversations are fairly rare within families. Often families are left to assume what a person might have wanted, and during a time of grief those can be especially challenging decisions.

An advance health care directive is a legal document that tells a doctor the patient’s wishes for health care in case the patient is unable to voice their opinions. Approximately 3 in 4 American adults don’t have advance health care directives in place.

Kansas law allows residents to fill out a simple form that records a name, address and phone number in order to establish a durable power of attorney – or someone who can make health care decisions on your behalf. Kansans must sign the form and have at least one witness to their signature. The form does not need to be notarized.

The form is available online from the K-State Research and Extension bookstore in the publication titled Advance Health Care Planning in Kansas; or any Post Rock Extension District Office.

The forms are recommended for anyone over age 18 in Kansas. Advance health care planning can start when you’re 18 years old. Accidents, tragedies, life events can happen at any point.

Once the form is complete, it’s still important to communicate your wishes to anyone who might have a say in your health care.  Especially the person that you’ll appoint in your durable power of attorney to speak for you in the event that something would happen. This person needs to be aware of what your wishes are. You need to be sure that person will be willing to support you on your behalf and do what you would like.

By: Brenda Langdon

Cooking Ahead for Holiday Meals

Posted on by djbechard

Last-minute hurried food preparations can drain any cook’s holiday spirit. This month Post Rock Extension aims to help you take some of the hassle out of your holidays, while keeping food quality and food safety a top priority.

All perishable foods

Avoid leaving perishable foods at room temperature for more than two hours. This includes the total time for preparation AND serving. Perishable foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cooked dry beans, dairy products, and cut fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables

  • Assemble vegetable casseroles a day in advance, cover and refrigerate. Bake on the day of your dinner, planning 15 to 20 minutes extra heating time. Heat until they are hot and steaming throughout.
  • Cut washed fruits and vegetables within a day of your meal for salads and relish trays. Keep cut fruits from turning brown by coating them with lemon, orange, or pineapple juice, or a commercial anti-darkening preparation. Cover and store in the refrigerator above raw meats and below cooked items.

Protein foods

  • Purchase fresh raw meat, poultry, or seafood no more than 1 to 2 days before your holiday meal. Freeze for longer storage.
  • If you have frozen meat, poultry, or seafood, place it on a tray on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator and allow approximately 24 hours for each 5 pounds of weight for it to thaw.
  • If you cook meat, poultry, or seafood the day before your meal, refrigerate it in small portions in shallow pans within 2 hours of cooking. You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while they are still warm. Cover them tightly when completely cooled. On the day of your meal, reheat them until hot and steaming, to 165°F as measured with a food thermometer.

Baked goods

  • Almost all types of cookies, cakes, breads, and muffins can be baked in advance and frozen for up to 2 months. Avoid freezing cakes with whipped cream or other soft fillings, since this will result in a soggy cake upon thawing.
  • Cook baked goods completely before storing them in airtight, moisture-proof containers.
  • Thaw cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered, where it will remain fresh for seven to ten days. Thaw non-perishable baked goods at room temperature in their freezer container to prevent them from drying out.

Adapted from: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

Making the Most of Fall Leaves

Posted on by djbechard

Raking leaves in your lawn can seem like a chore, but fall leaves can actually benefit your plants and soil. Fall leaves can be composted and used as organic matter in the soil. They can also be used as a natural mulch or stockpiled for later use. This article talks about all the uses of fall leaves- https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/agent-articles/lawns/solutions-for-getting-rid-fall-leaves.html

By: Cassie Thiessen

Medicare Open Enrollment

Posted on by djbechard

If you haven’t reviewed your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan for the upcoming year, there is still time. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is from October 15th to December 7th.  If you take this time to shop and compare plans, you may be able to lower your co-pays and out-of-pocket costs for 2023 by switching to a different plan.

Even if you aren’t changing plans, make sure your pharmacy is still in your plans network next year.  Plans may change their network pharmacies each year.

Call your local Post Rock Extension District Office to set up an appointment.  Meetings can be scheduled in the county in the Post Rock District that is most convenient for you.

By: Brenda Langdon