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October 2024 – Around the Table

The Fall Issue

• Letter from Lisa
• Traditions
• Recipes
• Pull Up a Chair with Us
• Let’s Tailgate

Lisa Smith
Martin County
104 Kehukee Park Road
Williamston, NC 27892
252-789-4370
martin.ces.ncsu.edu

Dear Readers,

A sure sign of fall in Martin County is seeing beautiful, bright peanuts lying on top of the ground as the farmers begin the harvest. Lately, boiled peanuts have been a frequent snack at my house. Peanuts are nutrition powerhouses that are great additions to salads, stir-fried dishes, and even soups. This newsletter includes nutritional information about peanuts and a delicious peanut recipe. Fall is also the time to start planning for holiday meals. A guide to cooking for a crowd can also be found inside. Enjoy the crisp, fall weather, and all the gatherings of friends and family that this season brings.

– Lisa Smith

Safety First

No one wants to be sick or cause someone else to be sick due to foodborne illness. Many different disease-causing germs can contaminate foods, so there are many different foodborne infections (food poisoning). The Centers for Disease Control estimates 48 million people are affected each year by foodborne illnesses. The most common factors contributing to foodborne illness are: purchasing food from unsafe sources, failure to cook food to the correct temperature, holding food at improper temperatures, contaminated equipment, and poor personal hygiene. Follow food safety guidelines, so from the farm to the table you and your family will be safe. Adopting safe practices will ensure this autumn’s gatherings are memorable for all the right reasons.

Times Are Changing

Fall has always been one of my very favorite times of the year. It’s a time when the air becomes crisp and clean, the crops are being harvested, and it’s time for football! Now, I must confess, I do not follow football very closely. My favorite part about football games has been, for the last 35 years, about the halftime show. But I’m not talking about Beyoncé or Prince, I’m talking about the marching bands.

You see, both of my sons have been in band since they were in sixth grade. When they were old enough, both boys auditioned and joined the local high school’s marching band. One year, they were all about football, camping, and hunting; the next year, they stayed high school and band-focused, completely committed to marching band and their peer colleagues. They even traveled out of state to compete as an amazing band unit against other schools. Band has been in our house for a number of years, and we love it!

Times are changing, much like the leaves on the trees. This is the last fall that we are making plans, buying football tickets, and hitting the road. Our oldest son is married and has his career firmly in place, and our youngest has graduated. Gone are the days spent setting up rows of band flags, watching them perform. Instead, they will always be some of my fondest memories. My husband and I are settling into being “an empty nest” house as Saturday afternoons will not be as busy as they have been this last decade or so. I’m not sure I could enjoy each Saturday that fall season as it comes without reminiscing.

I guess my point in all of this is simply the moments in life. One day you will look back and realize you were making memories during each passing day. Take this fall season to slow down a bit. Spend time with family or reconnect with friends. Go to a pumpkin patch, visit an orchard, bake a fall treat, or try out a new recipe with loved ones. Fall is about taking in the beauty that it has to offer.

– Jean Brownfield

Million Dollar Dip

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp slivered almonds
• 6 slices bacon, or more as needed
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (8 ounce) package sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Cook almonds in a saucepan over medium heat until lightly golden.
2. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain and crumble.
3. Combine mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, green onions, bacon, and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl. Toss until combined. Wrap and chill in the fridge at least 1 hour before transferring to a serving bowl.

All Recipes – Million-dollar Dip

Let’s Tailgate!

Many mark fall as the beginning of Football Season, but for others it’s less about the game and more about the food. Even if your recipes score a touchdown, be sure not to fumble on food safety. Be sure to keep hot food hot and cold foods cold. Minimize the time food is in the danger zone between 40°F and 139°F. When other foods are stored and served at safe temperatures, the growth of bacteria is reduced. It is important that foods not stay in the danger zone for more than four hours. If you are grilling, use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food before removing it from the grill. Refer to the USDA chart below to ensure your food has reached the proper temperature.

If you would like a safe storage order and final cooking temperatures magnet like the picture to the left, they are available at the Extension Office free of charge.

Cooking for a Crowd

When you are cooking for a large group, it is a good idea to have a plan. List everything: your budget, menu, and schedule. You may decide to purchase, rather than prepare, items like dinner rolls, tea, and salad mixes. Consider the ages of your guests. Teenagers tend to eat 30-40% more than an average adult, and senior citizens often eat less. Here are a few guidelines to help you estimate how much food you will need.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves: 3 (4 oz per serving)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (about 4 cups) Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as thyme)
• Optional: 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled until crispy

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Trim the stems from Brussels sprouts. Cut any very large heads in half through the core. Tip: Save the outer leaves that fall off while trimming, as they get crispy when roasting.
3. Place Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
4. Spread Brussels sprouts on a large sheet pan in a single layer.
5. If you are including crispy bacon, evenly sprinkle the cooked bacon pieces over the Brussels sprouts.
6. Roast in the oven for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time, until lightly browned.

Pull Up a Chair with Jean

Traditions

I usually write articles that focus on some aspect of healthy living or specific food item, but with the holidays approaching, I want to write about something that is very important to me personally. I come from a very large extended family where traditions are very important. Our matriarch, my Granny, has instilled in all of us a great need to stay close-knit. We get together for all of the major holidays such as Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. That doesn’t seem like a big task, except for the fact that there are over 74 members of our “immediate family.”

One of my very favorite traditions is making apple jacks with Granny and a handful of other family members the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas. We meet at Granny’s house in the morning and prepare everything for our day’s work. We gather around the kitchen table where Granny and her mother made apple jacks for many years before. Everyone knows their job and they begin setting all of the ingredients out in front of their work stations. My job is to make the dough and roll out the jacks. I start by mixing the flour, buttermilk, and shortening in an old, well-worn yellow bowl. Granny is close by and keeps an eye on the process. She can tell, just by the way the dough feels, when it’s ready. I pinch off a small piece of the dough and roll it into a ball. Then I press the fresh dough onto the table and take a small wooden rolling pin to flatten it out. The rustic circles are passed on to the next person in line where they will then be placed on small glass bread plates. They are filled with the cooked apple filling and then folded over. Once folded, each apple jack is crimped with a silver fork before heading to the last station. The final step in the process is putting the jacks into an old electric frying pan. There they are carefully tended and turned until they are perfectly golden brown. Once the cooking is complete, the jacks are placed on an antique silver tray that has been lined with copious amounts of paper towels to soak up any of the hot cooking grease. Tradition dictates Granny gets to have the first apple jack. It’s a sign of respect and, if Granny doesn’t like it, no one else will. Throughout the morning, we joke, tell stories and just enjoy spending time together. All of our family knows the tradition of cooking jacks the day before the holiday, so it’s not uncommon for some family members to just “stop by.” By the time we are finished cooking, we have 2 platters full of delicious apple jacks.

To some people, this may seem like a lot of work, but to me it’s a magic time. We get to spend time with family doing something so very special. In more recent years, we have even included a few members of the younger generation so that this tradition can continue with them someday.

If you take the time to slow down and cherish traditions with your family, you will realize they are some of the best parts of your life.

Peanut Nutrition

A serving of peanuts is equal to 1 ounce (28g) or roughly 28 peanuts. The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for a serving of raw, unsalted peanuts.

• Calories: 161
• Fat: 14g
• Sodium: 5.1 mg
• Carbohydrates: 4.6 g
• Fiber: 2.4 g
• Sugars: 1.3 g
• Protein: 7.3 g

USDA Peanut Nutrition Information

Peanut Sauce

This versatile sauce is great for noodles, rice, as a sandwich spread in place of mayo, or as a dip for vegetables (grilled or raw). If you want a smoother sauce, blend for a few seconds in a blender or food processor. For a thinner dressing, add more warm water.

Serving Information

Serves: 5 (Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Nutrition Information per Serving

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 80 calories
• Carbohydrates: 4 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Protein: 3 grams
• Fat: 7 grams
• Sodium: 280 mg

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce (such as Sambal or Sriracha)
• ½ teaspoon ginger grated
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2-4 tablespoons warm water, depending on the thickness you want
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients together in a glass jar with a screw top. Tighten the lid well and shake.