Cooperative Extension Service Daviess County

4800A New Hartford Road Owensboro, KY 42303

270-685-8480 Fax: 270-685-3276

www.daviess.ca.uky.edu

FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES

Homemaker Newsletter

FEBRUARY

Lesson for the Month

“Taking Care of Your Heart” and “Stroke Awareness”

Roll Call

Share a memory of any site you have visited related to the life of Abraham.

Thought for the Month

The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park has the country’s first memorial

to Lincoln. It was built between 1909-1911 with donations from young and old, and it enshrines the symbolic birthplace cabin.

Thursday, February 15 Diabetes Education & Support Group

Extension Office 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, February 20

Leading Meetings Effectively Logsdon Community Center

11:30 - 1:00 p.m.

Friday, February 23 Book Club 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, February 27

Leading Meetings Effectively Logsdon Community Center

11:30 - 1:00 p.m.

March 2-4 Home Builders Association

Annual Home & Garden Show Owensboro Convention Center

Thursday, March 15

Advisory Council Meeting 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 15

2018-2019 Homemaker Scholarship applications due to the office.

Thursday, March 29

International Tea Hosted by Daviess County Homemakers

Extension Office 2:00 p.m.

UPCOMING EVENTS/MEETINGS

“Summer BBQ” Themed Gift Basket

Daviess County Homemakers will put together a gift basket for the KEHA state meeting.

All clubs are asked to donate items for this gift basket.

Items are due to the Extension Office no later than April 20.

Examples of items to bring: BBQ sauce, napkins, grilling utensils, etc.

KEHA CULTURAL ARTS

The KEHA Cultural Arts entries must be brought to the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office no later than Friday, April 6. Once items are judged they will be available for pick up at the Extension office on Monday, April 16. For more details please visit the KEHA website at keha.ca.uky.edu.

SKILLET ENCHILADAS 8 corn tortillas 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided ½ medium onion, chopped ½ teaspoon salt 1 small to medium zucchini, chopped

1 small yellow squash, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced ¾ cup fresh or canned corn kernels 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained ½ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon paprika 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup enchilada sauce 1. Cut tortillas into bite size pieces. 2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat,

add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and corn tortilla pieces to the pan. Stirring occasionally, cook for 5 minutes or until beginning to crisp. Remove tortillas from pan and set aside.

3. Add remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the pan, along with the onion and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the chopped zucchini, squash, red bell pepper, garlic, corn, black beans, pepper, and paprika.

5. Stir to combine and cook for 10 minutes. 6. Return crispy tortillas to the skillet along with

¾ cup of cheese and stir for 2 minutes. 7. Add the enchilada sauce, stir until combined

and then sprinkle remaining ¼ cup cheese on top.

8. Cover with tin foil for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings Serving Size: 1 cup Cost per recipe: $9.78 Cost per serving: $1.63 Nutrition facts per serving: 290 calories; 9g total fat; 2.5g saturated fat; 0g trans fat; 37mg cholesterol; 600mg sodium; 37g carbohydrate: 7g fiber; 8g sugar; 14g protein; 0% Daily Value of vitamin D; 20% Daily Value of calcium; 10% Daily Value of iron; 10% Daily Value of potassium. Source: Adapted from delishknowledge.com

Mary Higginbotham Daviess County Extension Agent

for Family & Consumer Sciences Education

The 2018 KEHA State Meeting will be held:

May 7-9 Crowne Plaza Hotel - Louisville Airport

Louisville, KY The lodging room block is open for reservation.

To reserve via phone, call 1-888-233-9527. Request the KEHA rate ($109 + tax per night for a

standard room; $129 + tax per night for a suite). To make a reservation online:

https://aws.passkey.com/event/49241452/owner/2812/home?utm_campaign=275442098

Mark Your Calendars

2018 KEHA STATE MEETING

GREEN RIVER AREA Homemaker COUNCIL

The Green River Area Homemaker Council will meet on Tuesday, April 10, 2:00 p.m., at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office.

February 6, 2018 Roberts Rules of Order Made Easy

February 13, 2018 Effective Communication

February 20, 2018 Generating Membership and Volunteers

February 27, 2018 Managing Conflict

Lunch at 11:30 a.m.*

Program 12:00 — 1:00 p.m.

Logsdon Community Center

2400 Friendship Drive

Owensboro, KY 42303

Lindsey Boone Daviess County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development Education

Stacey R. Potts Daviess County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development Education

*To receive a lunch, please RSVP by

the day before the meeting at Noon by calling 270-685-8480

Presented by the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Agents:

Annette Meyer Heisdorffer Daviess County Extension Agent for Horticulture Education

Mary Higginbotham Daviess County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education

Clint Hardy Daviess County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education

Free Educational Program Open To The Public

CPE Credits Available

The Springs 54

Map to Logsdon Community Center

Alex Elswick, MSExtension AssociateFamily Resource Management(859) 257-3290 alex.elswick@uky.edu

FEBRUARY 2018

THIS MONTH’S TOPIC:

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TAX REFUND

Tax refund season: It’s like Christmas come early! Or late? Either way, tax refund season is an excellent opportunity to begin the new year making wise financial decisions. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average tax refund in 2016 was about $3,050. Historically, Americans have found a wide variety of uses for their tax refunds which range all the way from saving to spending, and everything in between. But maybe you have wondered, what should I be doing with my tax return? Consider the following suggestions to guide your decisions during the upcoming tax return season.

Contribute to Emergency SavingsMany Americans don’t have adequate money in their precautionary savings fund. (Note: Most financial experts recommend savings of at least 6 months of living expenses). As a result, many people are financially vulnerable in the case of job loss, illness, or any other unexpected

expense. Adding to your emergency savings will make you more financially secure. Although it isn’t as fun or exciting as buying a new vehicle or the latest technology, contributing to your emergency savings is one of the wisest uses of your tax refund.

Reduce or Eliminate DebtMost Americans are currently carrying some form of debt, whether that be credit card debt, student loan debt, vehicle loans, etc. Using your tax return to reduce high interest loan debt is

AUGUST 2016

a smart move because not only will you reduce the principle, but you will also manage to reduce the amount of interest you will owe in the future. Compare the impact of putting your tax return in a savings account that earns 1% interest vs. reducing credit card debt with an 18% Annual Percentage Rate. Eliminating debt will give you much more bang for your buck.

Pay Yourself…In the FutureFor many people, their first inclination is to treat their tax refund like an unexpected windfall and to run out and spend that money immediately. However, paying yourself now will not be nearly as wise as paying yourself in the future. In other words, invest your tax refund to be used at a later date. You can do this in a variety of ways:

• Start a college fund for your children: Whether you already have kids or you plan to have kids in the future, it is never too early to start saving. In an era of sharply rising costs of higher education, saving for college is an excellent use of tax refund dollars.

• Contribute to your retirement: Even if you have been conscientious about contributing a portion of each paycheck to your retirement savings, it can seem as though there is never

enough money to feel financially secure in the future. Pad your retirement accounts with your tax refund.

• Invest in the stock market: Although it would be advisable to address outstanding debts first, investing in the stock market is a good use of tax refund dollars because it has pretty consistently outperformed savings accounts, bonds, and Certificates of Deposit.

Spend it WiselyIf you elect not to use your tax refund for any of the above and you have decided you want to spend it, do yourself a favor and spend it wisely. Use tax refund dollars to improve your vehicle or your home because these expenses pay dividends in the future as well. For instance, renovating your home has the future added benefits of saving on energy costs and improving the value of your home.

Reference: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/16databk.pdf

Alex Elswick, MS, Extension Associate for Family Resource Management, Department of Family Sciences, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, (859) 257-3290; alex.elswick@uky.edu

Jennifer Hunter, Ph.D., Interim Assistant Director of Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, (859) 257-3887; jhunter@uky.edu Stock images: 123RF.com

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