Living Well In Yalobusha County

On Thursday, February 13th from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.  Mrs. Pat Rodrigue will be at the Extension office to help 4-Hers work on their art project for The Wildlife and Fisheries Art Contest which will be held at the North MS Fish Hatchery at Enid in May.
Please call the Extension office to let me know your child is planning on attending this workday.
The United Y.C. MHV club will hold their monthly business meeting on Tuesday, February 18, at 9 a.m. and will then have a workday to sew large, drawstring Christmas bags for the Blair Batson Children’s Hospital. The hospital will use these re-usable bags each year to put larger Christmas presents in to give to their patients. Christmas material is on sale now and each member is asked to bring one yard of Christmas fabric and a spool of matching thread to make one bag. Our goal is to make 20 bags.
It is also time for MHV members to start thinking about their Creative Writing entries for State Council. Entries can include: poems, short stories, essays and plays.  These are due to the Extension Office by February 24.
On Thursday, March 6 the Extension Service will offer free beginner computer classes. Introduc-tion to the internet will be offered from 9 a.m. – noon and Introduction to E-mail will be offered from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. The classes are free, however space is limited so call the Extension Service @ 675-2730 to register.
Our Healthy You Exercise Classes meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. at the Extension office in Coffeeville.
We will start a Healthy You Nutrition Class on Wednesday, February 26.  The class will follow immediately after the exercise class (approximately 9:45 a.m.) and will be held for 30 minutes, once a month. This will be an informal group that discusses different health topics, exchange healthy recipes etc. We hope that you will be able to make it.
Our crochet group meets twice a month. The February meeting dates are Thursday, February 13 and Thursday, February 27 at 10 a.m. in the conference room of the extension office.  The group is free, but you will need to bring your own yarn and needle.  Mrs. Karol Jarmon is our volunteer crochet leader.
 
Simple Valentine Menu

Pomodoro Tomato Soup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 can low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups canned, diced pomodoro tomatoes, no added salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 2 bay leaves
• Dash granulated garlic
• Black pepper and Parmesan cheese, to taste
Directions: Sauté the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery in the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer over low heat until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.
Puree with an immersion blender or transfer batches to a traditional blender or food processor to whirr until smooth. Serve hot, topped with a dash of pepper and Parmesan cheese.
 
Oven Fried Fish Dinner
• 2 tablespoons Panko or regular bread crumbs
• 1 pound of white fish fillets
•2 tsp olive oil-plus a drizzle
• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 pound asparagus
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Directions – Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Put potatoes in a large sauce-pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then boil the potatoes until they’re cooked through. Place a colander in the sink and pour the contents of the pot over it, straining away the excess water. Press bread crumbs onto one side of the fish, then sauté it (crumb side down) in olive oil until golden, about 2 minutes.
Turn the fish over and place it in the oven. Bake until done, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the garlic with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and add the basil.
Sauté briefly, then add the potatoes. Mash them with a little bit of skim milk and place on a plate. Roast the asparagus in a toaster oven. 

Chocolate Mousse
1 12-ounce box of silken tofu
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups assorted berries
Nonfat whipped cream
 
Puree tofu, sugar, and cocoa powder in a food processor. Divide between four glasses.
Refrigerate until ready to serve or proceed to the next step. Mash berries and divide them among the glasses of chocolate mousse. Top each glass with 2 tablespoons of nonfat whipped cream and serve.