January 2026 Edition

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FCS January 2026

DATES

January 1-2
Office closed for New Year
January 19
Office Closed - MLK Jr Day
January 19
WBKR
January 20
Homemaker Lessons
January 20
Homemaker Council

February 10
International Cooking Program
February 14
Valentine’s Day
February 16
Presidents Day
February 16
WBKR
February 28
Homemaker Tea

 International Cooking
Let’s go to India! February 10, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
You must register for the class by CALLING the Extension Office, 270-685-8480. 
Registration opens January 12. Spaces are limited.

WBKR
Tune in around 8:10 a.m. on January 19 to hear an on-air taste test of White Chicken Chili, January’s recipe of the month. 

PECANS
We still have a few 12-ounce bags of pecan pieces left!  Only $10 each. They are great for holiday baking!

Learning to Love Leftovers
From https://foodashealthalliance.mgcafe.uky.edu/

Learning to love leftover food is all about knowing how to use it! To begin, you can try creative remixing by using leftover ingredients for new dishes. For example, try adding leftover meat and vegetables to a salad, wrapping them in a whole wheat tortilla for an easy wrap, or tossing them together with broth and other ingredients to make a soup or stew. Try some flavor enhancements by experimenting with new sauces or seasonings to give the leftovers a whole new taste. If you made roasted chicken and vegetables, combine the leftovers with a simple sauce and brown rice for an easy stir-fry, or use your favorite taco seasoning to make tacos the next day. Lastly, there are no rules for mixing and matching leftovers. At the end of the week, prepare a “hodge podge” dinner to use up any remaining leftovers.

Here are some examples and ideas for ways to use up leftovers from some of your weekly meals.
Fried Rice Salad Bowl
· Make your fried rice part of a bowl: heat the rice with a tablespoon of water to prevent drying, then assemble a bowl with a combo of your favorite salad greens, fresh chopped vegetables, and some extra chicken for additional protein. Top with a small amount of your favorite dressing.

Shepherd's Pie Soup
· Transform leftover shepherd's pie into a comforting soup. Dice the cooked potatoes and combine them with leftover filling, some low-sodium beef stock, and canned diced tomatoes.

Fish Tacos
· Dice leftover tilapia and create fish tacos. Serve topped with lime, diced white onion, and cilantro. Toss any leftover veggies into your next soup or stew.

Beef and Vegetable Stew
· Turn your hobo stew into real stew by mixing in a can of tomato sauce, a little broth, and any extra fresh vegetables you need to use up. Green beans, peas, or tomatoes would all be delicious.

Tuna Pattie Sliders
· Make leftover tuna patties into sliders by serving them on small whole wheat slider buns topped with lettuce, tomato, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Shredded Chicken Salad
· Shred the meat from leftover chicken legs to add to a salad the next day, or try the cucumber salad as a topping for whole wheat crackers for a simple snack.

Pasta with Meatballs
· Serve leftover meatballs with whole wheat pasta and your favorite tomato sauce, or turn your unstuffed egg roll into a stir fry by adding extra veggies and serving over fried rice.

BBQ Chicken Sandwich
· Try leftover BBQ chicken over whole wheat buns topped with a low-fat slaw, or chop your chicken thighs and veggies to serve over shredded lettuce with your favorite vinaigrette for a simple chopped salad.

Buying Sheets Online
Jeanne Badgett, Senior Extension Associate for Clothing, Textiles, and Household Equipment

Online shopping can give you easy access to unlimited products – but sometimes it can be hard to know what will work for you just by looking at a photograph. Understanding the “buzz words” in product descriptions can help you make informed decisions. When it comes to buying sheets online, certain words can be an indicator of how they will feel and perform. Here are some helpful terms and concepts to know:

FIBER CONTENT is the source material for fabric yarns. Fibers are either “natural” or “manufactured” (synthetic) and their varied composition impacts their physical properties.
                · Cotton: natural, soft, breathable; Egyptian, Pima, and Upland are cotton seed types
                · Polyester: manufactured, durable, easy-care, can trap heat
                · Rayon: semi-synthetic (chemically processed wood pulp fibers), absorbent, soft; “Bamboo” sheets are usually made with rayon; similar to lyocell or Tencel™
                · Cotton-rich: this usually means the fabric is a blend of cotton and another fiber (usually polyester)
                · Microfiber: technically NOT a fiber content, instead, “microfiber” refers to synthetic yarns that are very, very small (finer than human hair); usually made from synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon, therefore microfiber sheets can trap heat

FABRIC CONSTRUCTION refers to the specific way the sheet fabric is woven or knit. Most sheets are made with woven fabrics (the yarns are “interlaced” at right angles in an “over/under” of pattern).
                · Percale: woven in an over-one/under-one “plain weave” pattern; results in a crisp, cool-feeling sheet
                · Sateen: woven in an over-four/under-one pattern; results in silky, smooth-feeling sheet
                · Jersey: yarns are interloped to create a stretchy, knit fabric that feels like a T-shirt
                · Flannel: plain, woven fabric that is brushed to create a warm, fuzzy surface

THREAD COUNT is the number of yarns (threads) woven up and down (vertically), and side to side (horizontally), within a square inch. A higher thread count does not always mean better sheets; yarn size and quality can be more important. Sheet thread counts may range anywhere between 150 to 800, but 350 thread count is a good place to start. Keep in mind that your personal comfort depends more on the fiber content and fabric construction.
                · 200 – 300 thread count: may feel rougher (if made from thicker yarn) but may also be more breathable
                · 400 – 600 thread count: may feel smoother (if made from thinner yarn) and feel warmer

SIZE or DIMENSIONS should be listed to help ensure the sheets will fit your mattress size. If you’re unsure of your mattress size, measure it. In addition to the common mattress sizes of crib, twin, full, queen, king, or California king, be on the lookout for these terms:
XL: sometimes twin or full-size sheets are available in longer sizes to fit twin XL or full XL mattresses; XL sheets are normally fine for regular-length mattresses
Deep pocket or extra-deep pocket: the average mattress is less than 10 inches thick (high), but more luxurious, supportive mattresses can be as high as 14 inches or more; if you have a thick mattress, look for phrases like “deep pocket” or “extra-deep pocket,” which means the sheets will cover your mattress

It’s OK to be curious when you read fancy words such as “cooling,” “tech fabric,” or “eco-friendly.” These performance claims listed by the manufacturer simply relate to the fiber content, fabric construction, and thread count. For example, the description, “silky, temperature regulating” sheets probably means that the sheets are made with smooth, thin rayon fibers (often marketed as bamboo), woven in a sateen weave with a thread count around 450.

In addition to considering the descriptions above, take time to read customer reviews. Reliable companies will usually respond to negative comments and offer solutions. And be sure to know the return policy. What happens if the sheets don’t fit your mattress or you really just don’t like the way the sheets feel (even after they are washed)? Some companies will let you return opened or washed sheets, and some will not.
References 
https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/sheets/buying-guide/ 
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-bedding#how-to-choose

HOMEMAKER HAPPENINGS
Lesson for the Month
Selecting Sheets - a Management and Safety Lesson

Roll Call
January is National Hobby Month. What is your favorite hobby?

Thought of the Month
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”
                                                - Groucho Marx

 Homemaker Lesson Training
January 20th at the Daviess County Extension Office only for in-person training.  
10 am - February lesson: Using an Air Fryer. This is a Food, Nutrition, and Health lesson. 
11 am - March lesson: Stretching Your Food Dollar. This is a Management and Safety lesson. 

The lessons will be recorded and uploaded to Green River Area Homemaker YouTube channel.

FOYER DECORATIONS
Southern Belles shared the reason for the season with us. They really added a festive flair to the foyer.
South Hampton will decorate in January. 

The Homemaker Council will be meeting Tuesday, January 20, 2026, following the lesson training at the Daviess County Extension Office. 

Watch your mail in January.
The 2026 lesson ballot will be mailed to you separately from the newsletter. 

 Empowerment Academy
Daviess County Homemakers presented a donation to the Empowerment Academy in Owensboro.