Mark Your Calendar

March 2 – Dr. Suess Day

4 – FCL Applications due

5- Dining With Diabetes

14 – Cheatham Strong Health

Fair

16- John Mayfield 5K

25- Community Enhancement

Coalition Meeting

29- Salsa Garden Workshop

April 1 – Leadership Retreat

Application due in County

2- Town Hall Meeting

9- FCE Council Mtg. 6:00 p.m.

19 – Extension Office Closed

22 – Community Enhancement

Coalition Meeting

23-24 – FCL Training Lebanon

May Imagination Library Month

15 – State Day of the Family

Best of the Best Due

Creative Writing Due

27 - Community Enhancement

Coalition Meeting

28-31 Leadership Retreat

March 1, 2019 Vol. 2 Issue 3

Bunny Chow Prep Time 10 min. Cook Time 1 min. Total Time 11 min.

Servings: 24 (1/2-cup servings)

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate chips I used white chocolate chips, but milk or semi-sweet chocolate will also

work well!

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

9 cups crispy rice square cereal such as Rice Chex

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows

1 cup pastel-colored chocolate candies we used peanut M&M’s, but you’ll want to use regular

chocolate mini eggs or plain M&M’s if you want to keep it nut-free

¼ cup pastel-colored sprinkles

Instructions

Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute; stir until

well blended and smooth.

Add vanilla and stir.

Place cereal in a large bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over top and toss to coat.

Once the cereal is coated and has cooled, place in a large zip-top bag. Add powdered sugar to

the bag, seal, and gently toss until all of the cereal is coated in sugar.

Stir in marshmallows and chocolate candies. Store in an airtight container. Garnish with pastel-

colored sprinkles just before serving.

1. erving.

Pie Day Competition

Congratulations to our

Winners

February 12, 2019

Cream pies, 1st Jerri Moore (Sawdust

pie), 2nd Pam Jones (Chocolate Cream),

3rd Gregory Green (Cherry Cream

Cheese pie)

Fruit pies 1st Joyce Hall (Peach pie), 2nd

Joyce Shepler (Cherry pie) and 3rd

Norma Atchley (Apple pie)

Best of Show: Jerri Moore (Sawdust pie)

Pictured: Peggy Eads, Norma Atchley, Joyce Shepler, Joyce Hall, Kathy Nicholson, Linda Carney, Linda Wheatley, Judy Richell, Jerri Moore, Dolores Noland, Gregory Green, Jane Bradley

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 4500F.

Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch squared strips (fry shape or julienne strips) and put them into a large

bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper, to taste, the ground ginger

and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking until reduced to a thick consistency. Remove from

the heat, pour over the sweet potatoes and toss to coat.

Rub 2 teaspoons of remaining vegetable oil on a rimmed nonstick baking sheet or use parchment paper or a

silicone liner and omit oil. Arrange the sweet potato strips on the prepared baking sheet and bake until brown,

about 25 minutes, turning after about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer

the potatoes to a serving dish. Eat and enjoy!

Betty Greer, PhD, RD, Professor/Extension Specialist

BOOK BRIEF

Each month I will highlight books that might be of interest to our readers. I invite anyone to suggest good reads

to be included in this section.

The Atomic City Girls In November 1944, eighteen-year-old June Walker boards an unmarked bus, destined for a city that doesn’t officially exist. Oak Ridge, Tennessee has sprung up in a matter of months—a town of trailers and segregated houses, 24-hour cafeterias, and constant security checks. There, June joins hundreds of other young girls operating massive machines whose purpose is never explained. They know they are helping to win the war, but must ask no questions and reveal nothing to outsiders.

The girls spend their evenings socializing and flirting with soldiers, scientists, and workmen at dances and movies, bowling alleys and canteens. June longs to know more about their top-secret assignment and begins an affair with Sam Cantor, the young Jewish physicist from New York who oversees the lab where she works and understands the end goal only too well, while her beautiful roommate Cici is on her own mission: to find a wealthy husband and escape her sharecropper roots. Across town, African-American construction worker Joe Brewer knows nothing of the government’s plans, only that his new job pays enough to make it worth leaving his family behind, at least for now. But a breach in security will intertwine his fate with June’s search for answers.

When the bombing of Hiroshima brings the truth about Oak Ridge into devastating focus, June must confront her ideals about loyalty, patriotism, and war itself. (Amazon.com)

7 Reasons to Pick up a Good Book Today

1. Expands our Vocabulary - Having an extensive vocabulary at your disposal can come in handy when you’re giving a presentation to business colleagues or boss or having extended discussions family and friends.

2. Possible Alzheimer,s Prevention - newly discovered medical evidence that points to a correlation between reading and lowered Alzheimer’s chances.

3. Memory Improvement – 4. Possible Depression Relief - Reading can keep

your mind busy and give you a chance to relax and escape from the day-to-day situations that may burden our lives.

5. Better Focus - When you read, you can

realize more focus in other aspects of your

daily life, as well as the books that you are

enjoying. 6. Relaxation- A good book can take you on a

journey away from the daily grind. 7. Empathy- Being able to see alternative

points of view from various characters (and

thus various psyches) may change how you

perceive things.

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain

cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in

living.

― Dr. Seuss

Being Green, $eeing Green

Did you know….

Heating homes in the winter or cooling them in the summer accounts for about 55% of

the average American’s utility bills

Americans form about 4% of the world’s population but use over 25% of the world’s

energy

Making small changes in how we use energy in our home can lead to more savings

tin the long run.

Tips from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to maximize your energy savings:

Attic insulation is a key element for an energy efficient home. It is important to have

a continuous boundary of insulation between conditional and unconditional space.

Your duct system is responsible for efficiently distributing conditioned air

throughout your home. Potential savings from a high efficiency heating, ventilation,

and air conditioning (HVAC) unit can be negated if conditioned air is leaking into

your attic and crawlspace through gaps in your ductwork or if your ducts are not

insulated.

Consider replacing your HVAC equipment if it is over 10 years old, not keeping your

home comfortable, or needs frequent repairs. Replacing existing equipment with a

high efficiency system can save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling costs.

Air sealing with caulk, weather stripping and other suitable materials is a critical step

in making your home more energy efficient. Individual gaps may appear minor, but

together they can have the same effect as leaving a window open all year long.

According to the Department of Energy, proper air sealing of gaps and holes in the

attic, crawlspace, and other breaks in the thermal boundary can save 10 percent or

more on your energy bills

Be physically active each day. Make it a priority. Many people lead busy

lives, and it’s easy to put physical activity at the bottom of the “to do” list.

But, make it a point to include physical activities throughout your day. Try

being active first thing in the morning before you start your day. Think of

your time to exercise as a special appointment, and mark it on your

calendar.

Family and Community Education Clubs (fce)

receive research-based information through the

University of Tennessee Extension. This is an

opportunity to experience learning with friends as

you share what you know at hands-on workshops

and meetings. Topics that are shared throughout

the year focus on Human Development, Nutrition

and Food Safety, Money Management/Family

Economics, and Health and Safety. Through shared

opportunities you can learn skills helpful in

bringing growth to your community, church, local

government, and family. Our clubs are open to all

individuals. We do not exclude persons on the

basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex,

disability, religion or veteran status from its

membership, participation or benefits.

Sr. Center Club—2nd Tuesday of each month—

10:15 a.m. - 104 Ruth Dr., Ashland City, TN 37015

Cumberland Valley FCE—Last Tuesday of each

month—6:00 p.m.—104 Ruth Dr., Ashland City, TN

37015

UT/TSU Cheatham County

162 John Mayfield Dr., Suite 110, Ashland City, TN 37015

615-792-4420

Website:

Cheatham.tennessee.edu

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cheatham-County-UT-TSU-Extension-

4-H Summer Fun Days

Do you have a special skill or interest listed below?

Please consider volunteering your time and talents to

help our youth. Call Aneta at 792-4420 for more

information.

May 23 - Dog Days of Summer (Companion Animal)

–9a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at River Bluff Park

June 6 – Snapshot into Photography – 9 a.m. – noon

– Riverbluff Park

June 11-14 – Crime Scene Bootcamp – 9 a.m. – 4

p.m. – Cheatham Middle School

June 19 & 20 – Robotics – 9a.m. – 2 p.m. – Ashland

City Elementary School

July 2 – Cupcake Decorating – 9 a.m. – noon at

UT/TSU Extension Office

July 17 – Craft Day – 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Riverbluff

Park

July 23 – Sew Apron- 9 a.m. – noon – UT/TSU

Extension Office

July 24 – Sew Burrito Pillow Case - 9 a.m. – noon –

UT/TSU Extension Office

July 25 – Sew Study Pillow – 9 a.m. – noon –

UT/TSU Extension Office

July 26 – Sew Easy Skirt – 9 a.m. – noon – UT/TSU

Extension Office

July 30 – Salsa & Water Bath Canning – 9 a.m. –

noon – UT/TSU Extension Office

July 31 – Jams (Freezer & Canning) – 9 a.m. – noon

– UT/TSU Extension Office