By the Kootasca Circles of Support Program
Good food and good friends, both old and new, was the theme for the most recent Circles of Support meeting when people gathered together for a crock pot cooking class — a first time event for Circles.
Under the direction of Jodi Nordlund from the University of Minnesota Extension’s Nutrition Education Program, four seniors recruited by Diane Windsnes, Kootasca Senior Programs Coordinator joined members of Kootasca’s Circles of Support program to cook up an array of crock pot dinners.
“We would like to thank K-Mart, Menards, and Super One for helping us with the resources to make our first cooking class such a success,” said Amy Mortenson, Circles of Support coordinator. “Each Circle leader left that evening with a new crock pot filled with a meal to be plugged in as well as a cutting board and utility knife.
“We are so grateful to those community partners for making that possible. We are also delighted that this event provided an opportunity for a community gathering by joining Kootasca’s senior volunteers with Kootasca’s Circles members to share invaluable nutritional skills and knowledge.”
Local senior volunteers Linda Ford, Lynn Naeckel, Mary Roche, and Marlys Grindall were paired with Circle Leaders to share their cooking secrets while together they prepared a soup made with beans, fresh vegetables and ham hocks.
“We need to do this on a regular basis, I learned new things about cooking and had a lot of fun!” said one Circle leader.
“I especially liked that the Allies cooked for us tonight”, said Tara Buller, who over the past four years has taken on a leadership role in Circles, sitting on the Guiding Coalition and freely sharing her experiences about her struggles with poverty and how Circles has been an integral part of her growth.
The Allies, who act as mentors to Circle Leaders, rolled up their sleeves and got to work by putting the finishing touches on the three sample soups, roasting walnuts for the fantastic homemade apple salad (with dressing made from scratch), and setting the stage for the group’s weekly evening meal.
Many low cost and nutritious meals require cooking from scratch; a skill that is lost with the use of increasingly fast meal solutions. For instance: Dried beans are an inexpensive example of a very healthy food that is loaded with fiber and protein. However, dried beans take time to prepare and if people are not used to cooking with them, they get passed up in the stores for pre-made meals.
Circles of Support participants (Circle Leaders) are hard-working families or individuals in our community who are experiencing financial hardships and want to connect with community volunteers (Allies) in order to achieve the goals they set for themselves in the areas of income/budgeting, education/training, and friendship/meaning. The program strives to create social networks in order to reduce the feelings of isolation that often go along with the barriers that the Circle Leaders come up against.
Those who would like more information on how to become a Circle leader or ally, should contact Mortenson at 283-5230 or 800-559-9491, extension 101. To learn more or to inquire about volunteer opportunities with senior programs, contact Windsnes at 283-7030. To learn more about the U of M Extension’s Nutrition Education Program, contact Nordlund at 283-7048.
#Quick and Easy
Black Bean Chili
2 cups dried black beans (or one small bag)
1 onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne (depending on desired spiciness)
6 cups chicken stock
salt, depending on the sodium content of the chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
Put all ingredients except the diced tomatoes in the crock pot and cook on high for four hours or so. Add the diced tomatoes and cook on low another two hours.
About 45 minutes before serving, add more vegetables some or all of these vegetables if you’d like:
diced green peppers, diced red bell peppers, diced zucchini, diced yellow summer squash, one can corn kernels.
Serve beans with rice, or as an interesting side dish for eggs at breakfast time.
When beans are finished cooking, take care to cool properly. Place into shallow containers in the refrigerator. Cooling a large mass of food in a deep container takes longer to cool, making food a place for bacteria to grow.
White Chili
1 pound Great Northern beans or Navy beans
8 cups chicken broth
1 to 2 onions, diced finely
1 to 2 stalks of celery, chopped finely
1 tablespoon oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 4 oz can fire roasted chilies (2 cans for more spicy)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 – 10 oz cans chicken (or 3 cups cooked chicken)
1 cup low-fat sour cream (fat free will work too)
1-1⁄2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Rinse beans and put in the crock pot. Add chicken broth, oil, onions, celery, garlic, roasted chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook on high for three hours, or low for six hours. Serves at least eight people
After the mixture has cooked for three hours on high (or six on low), add the canned chicken. If using raw chicken, sauté in one tablespoon oil until cooked completely before adding it to the crock pot. Cook on high for one hour or low for two hours.
After the mixture is done cooking, add sour cream and grated cheese. Do not boil after dairy products have been added. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Note: pre-made chicken broth and canned chicken contain quite a bit of sodium, so watch salt content.
Optional garnishes: Chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped peppers, cilantro, lime wedges.
Serve with corn bread, whole grain bread, or baked tortilla chips.
Once cooked, do not keep food in the crock pot too long to prevent harmful bacteria from growing. Remove food to a clean container, cover, and refrigerate as soon as possible. For large quantities, divide it into several containers to cool faster.
Bean Soup
with Ham Hock
1 cup great northern beans or your favorite bean (rinse and sort beans)
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
1 ham hock
Place above ingredients in crock pot and turn on high for about three hours.
Add to beans:
2 or 3 carrots, chopped
1⁄2 head of cabbage, chopped
1 or 2 cups ham, chopped (optional)
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook soup another three hours or so, until beans are the desired tenderness.
FOOD SAFETY TIPS
To avoid cross-contamination: Always thoroughly wash and disinfect your cutting board, knife, and counter after cutting raw meat and before working with vegetables and other foods. Don’t forget to clean and disinfect your sink as well.
Always store raw meat in a container that will catch any blood that might drip from the meat.
Always store raw meat below any foods that you will eat so that if any blood drips from the meat, it doesn’t fall on other foods.
Always wash your hands thoroughly after working with raw meat.
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