Celebrate New Years Your Way

New Year’s Eve is right around the corner and will be here before we know it. I am one of those people that put a great deal of pressure on what I am doing and who I am with when the ball drops. And yes, I realize this is silly and I have to remind myself it should be a time of reflection and a time of being thankful for the previous year and the year to come. This holiday is notorious for producing high expectations and people want to make the night special. It’s not how much money you spend that makes the evening memorable.

30 Days and Counting! Time is Up- Pitch the Leftovers

By Michelle Plummer As we have now passed the seven day rule of leftovers- that is 35 from Thanksgiving, 7-20 for the Christmas parties and the bits and pieces of food, appetizers, casserole and YES even desserts need to be disposed of and that big white or stainless steel shell needs a good bath! Look [...]

Top 10 Memories from 2011

We had another busy year and made many memories.  It’s tough to choose just 10; but here, in no particular order, is my top 10 list: Celebrating 80 years of nutrition education in Indiana through our Dairy Council.  Indiana dairy farmers are long time supporters of nutrition research and education for the health of Hoosiers. [...]

Festivus for the Rest of Us!

By Jenni Purcell I have to admit one of my guilty pleasures is reruns of Seinfeld.  I have seen every episode at least five times and can relate my daily experiences to one of the episodes. Kramer, George, Elaine, Jerry…love them all.  Since it is the Holiday Season, we are quickly approaching ‘Festivus.’ According to [...]

Look on the Bright Side Day

By DeDe Hausmann Yes, December 21st is really, “LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE DAY”.  I know it seems we have a day for everything but isn’t “LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE DAY” a good thing?!!!! Let’s look at this objectively. 1)      December 21 is the Winter Solstice - meaning it’s the shortest day of the year.  [...]

Ways to Stay Active this Winter

By Kimmi Devaney In my family, the holidays are a crazy busy time of year. Between trying to see everyone, coordinate travel schedules and shop for gifts, healthy eating and exercise can easily be pushed aside. The good news is that with so many healthy recipes, eating healthy doesn’t have to be a chore. More [...]

Chocolate Covered Anything Day

By Mary Nicholson Glancing at the month of December in my planner, I see the typical holidays you might expect – Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve.  It was brought to my attention that my planner is missing one other important holiday – Chocolate Covered Anything Day!  Who knew that December 16 had earned [...]

Cabin Fever – Find a Cure for your Kids!

Winter months do bring the holidays, but they inevitably also bring on a case of cabin fever. You might ask: How will I know when my family has come down with this serious illness? The symptoms are easy to spot. You will know by the repetitive opening and closing of the refrigerator, complaining that nothing is on TV and the whining that sounds something like ‘I am bored!’ The good news is that there is a cure! The number one suggestion is to get out of the cabin, if possible (unfortunately, this isn’t always possible). So, on those occasions where leaving the cabin is impossible, it is important to act fast with indoor activities and games to cure your family.

National Cocoa Day

Hot chocolate (also known as hot cocoa, drinking chocolate or just cocoa) is a heated beverage that typically consists of chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar.” Tomorrow is National Cocoa Day. This holiday celebrates all the uses of “Cocoa” but what comes to mind most is a delicious cup of hot cocoa. To celebrate National Cocoa Day, make your favorite type of cocoa to enjoy. For a twist during the Holidays, try adding a candy can to your traditional cup of cocoa!

National Pastry Day! Yum!

By Diane Ruyack What is light, puffy and filled with delicious fillings?  Pastry! December 9, 2011 is National Pastry Day! It is a day of celebration for these divine baked goods! There are many different types of pastries including shortcrust, flaky, puff, choux, and phyllo. Pastry chefs must use a varity of culinary creativity and [...]