It’s the most wonderful time of the year! While shopping and baking are fun, check out these events in Salt Lake City if you can. We’ve put together a great list of holiday events in the Salt Lake City area you can choose from:

• Lights at Temple Square
• Festival of Trees at South Towne Expo Center
• Santa’s Arrival at City Creek Center
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert
• Breakfast with Santa at The Grand America Hotel
• Ice Skating at the Gallivan Center
• Zoo Lights at Utah’s Hogle Zoo
• Candlelight Christmas at This Is The Place Heritage Park
• Light Up The Night at The Gateway
• Santa’s Reindeer and other events at Thanksgiving Point
• Red Butte Garden’s Annual Holiday Open House
• Live Nativity by Echoes of Christmas at Liberty Park
• Christmas Carole Sing-Along at Energy Solutions Arena
• Heber Valley Railroad North Pole Express

Author – Nikki Capener

Christmas spending can be stressful and expensive. When purchased on credit, Christmas spending is often rolled into the New Year; leaving you with bills to be paid for over the next weeks and months. By planning ahead for Christmas, you can save yourself a lot of money, time and headache. Here are some easy steps to help you save:

1. Create a budget: You can’t stick to a budget unless you have one. Take the time to decide how much you can afford to spend for Christmas and then stick to it!
2. Start saving: Begin setting aside money now. If you put money aside early, even $5 a paycheck, you can pay for Christmas gifts in cash.
3. Start a change jar: Throughout the year, dump loose change into the jar each night  and use it for Christmas cash.
4. Create a Christmas list: If you have a list of gifts to refer to, you can purchase items when you see an awesome sale price throughout the year. Utilize online resources such as Groupon and LivingSocial to find even better deals.
5. Cut your spending: Consider slashing your morning coffee expense, regular lunch date or weekly theatre visit. Instead, make your coffee at home, bring your lunch or rent a movie. Add the money you saved into your Christmas budget; small saving amounts will add up fast.

Purchasing gifts in advance and using cash to pay for things will help make your holidays less hectic. Remember that meaningful gifts don’t have to be costly. Oftentimes, the most remembered gifts are those that took time and thought rather than money.

Nikki Capener is a student at Utah State University studying family and consumer sciences education. She is the family and consumer science intern in Box Elder County and has loved working with the Extension faculty and 4-H youth. Her experience working with Extension has been incredibly beneficial; she has learned much while working with Ann Henderson. Her hobbies include running, cooking, sewing and making crafts.

Author – Carolyn Washburn

Take Control of Your Diabetes

Those with diabetes can enjoy holiday eating and maintain a strong and healthy lifestyle by understanding and taking control of diet and exercise.

Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management, including making healthy food choices, staying physically active, monitoring blood sugars and taking medications as prescribed by the doctor. More than 8 percent of the American population have diabetes.

Our bodies need daily nutrients. We consume carbohydrates for energy, proteins for strength and fats for nerves and body functions. How much we consume of each is critical to understand. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose during digestion and raise blood glucose.

As you take control of your diet, you will need to understand portion size, the ingredients in products and to watch for added ingredients. Fiber is also an important component for diabetics. Fiber can help control blood sugar levels by slowing sugar absorption. Fiber makes you feel “fuller” and helps move foods through the digestive tract. With bright colors and flavorful textures, vegetables are an excellent way to add fiber, vitamins and minerals to your daily plan. Fill your plate half full of vegetables at meal time. Aim for 30 grams of fiber every day.

Finding out that you have diabetes can be discouraging and frustrating. It is a serious disease with many possible complications. However, research has shown that people with diabetes can live long and healthy lives. The way to do this is by managing glucose levels with diet, exercise and proper medications.

Proper eating habits are are extremely important for those with diabetes. It is critical to find ways to eat foods with lower sugars, salts and fats. We all know how good sugar, salt and fats taste. These three items greatly flavor most of our foods. When we minimize these three substances, we must make modifications, finding new ways to flavor foods. Learning to use herbs, spices, sugar substitutes, low fat and low-sodium products will make a difference to blood sugar levels.

During this holiday season, take the opportunity to eat high fiber foods, lower intake of fats, sugars and salts and enjoy smaller portion sizes of some old favorite foods. Try this salad as  a tart and tangy option.

No Sugar Added Sweet Fruit Salad

3 or 4 large apples, diced with peels left on

4 or 5 bananas, sliced

Other fruits as desired: peaches, pears and grapes work well

1 regular can crushed pineapple

1 tub of Crystal Light lemonade

1 package of gelatin-brand sugar-free vanilla pudding

Mix fruits in a large mixing bowl. Mix lemonade powder and gelatin together and blend over fruit. Chill and serve.

Carolyn Washburn is a family and consumer sciences agent for Utah State University Extension. Her responsibilities include financial management education, food safety and nutrition, healthy family relations, emergency preparedness and working with youth. Her goal is to help individuals and families become self-sustaining and resilient by being financially prepared and healthy for any emergency. She serves on the National Disaster Education Network and has just completed the new food storage manual for USDA. Her most cherished award is America’s Promise, awarded by Colin Powell.

Author – Margie Memmott

So, you have this frozen turkey, now what do you do with it? There are a few ways to safely thaw your turkey. Make sure to take enough time to completely thaw it.

Thawing time in the refrigerator (40° or below): approximately 24 hours per 5 pounds (whole turkey). After thawing keep turkey refrigerated only for 1-2 days.

Thawing time in cold water: approximately 30 minutes per pound (whole turkey). Change water every 30 minutes to maintain cold temperature. Cook immediately.

Thawing in the microwave: microwave thawing is safe if the turkey is not too large for the oven. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the size turkey that will fit into your oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level for thawing. Cook immediately after thawing.

Roast the turkey, using the following instructions: Preheat oven temperature to no lower than 325 F. Place turkey breast-side up on a rack in shallow roasting pan. If you choose to stuff your turkey, fill the cavity loosely. Cook the turkey immediately. Use the following chart for the time to cook your turkey. The times are for thawed turkey in an oven at 325 °F. The times are approximate:

Pounds             Unstuffed          Stuffed

Test the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer to see that it reaches a minimum of 165°F. If you do not have a meat thermometer, make sure that the pop-up thermometer on the turkey has popped up.

Food Safety: Perishable foods, such as poultry, should not be out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours. Do NOT leave perishable foods out all day for “grazing.” Incidents of food borne illness increase during the Holiday season. Remember that young children, the elderly, and pregnant women are the most at-risk for food borne illness.

Wash hands, utensils, sink and anything else that has been in contact with the raw turkey with soap and warm water.

You can also sanitize utensils, sink, countertops, etc. with a chlorine bleach solution of 2 tbsp. per gallon of water.

Use leftover turkey in the following recipe shared by Darlene Christensen, USU Extension Agent in Tooele County:

In a large saucepan, simmer stock, tomatoes, barley, bouillon granules, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil for 1 hour. Add turkey, carrots, celery, onions, green pepper, and okra. Simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes about 16 cups.

Download our pamphlet – Preparing Your Holiday Turkey Safely by Darlene Christensen

For more information on food preparation and food safety, contact the Juab County Extension office at 623-3450 or visit extension.usu.edu/juab.

Margie Memmott has been serving families and communities for more than 20 years with USU Extension in Juab County. Margie earned degrees in family and consumer sciences from BYU and USU and loves to teach youth and adults valuable life skills. “What a great reward when others adopt these principles and apply the tools to improve their everyday lives.”  Margie and her husband Sam have four sons, three daughters-in-law and two grandsons. In her spare time she enjoys creative textiles/sewing, crocheting, music, technology, four wheeling in the ‘RZR’ and most of all, being with her family.