Page 3 - Quarterly Newsletter - December 2016

Family & Consumer Science — Jamie Rathbun
Freeze Pies to Save Time
During the holiday season and other busy times of
the year, everyone’s kitchen is often a flurry of
activity not only preparing daily meals but also
making preparations for holiday meals. A helpful
suggestion is to make pies ahead of time and then
freeze.
Fruit pies tend to withstand freezing better than
custard pies and they can be frozen baked or unbaked.
To freeze unbaked pies, make the crust and filling as
usual. The filling can be frozen separately from the
crust, or it can be added to the crust. To freeze
without the crust, line a pie pan with freezer safe
wrap. Fill with the filling and place in the freezer.
Once frozen, remove the filling from the pan, wrap
and freeze well. The crusts can also be frozen
unbaked. When ready to assemble, simply remove
both crust and filling from the freezer, assemble (the
frozen filling with fit nicely inside the crust), and
bake. Bake at 450oF for 15-20 minutes, then reduce
the temperature to 375oF and bake for 20-30 minutes.
For custard pies, instead of freezing as a complete
pie, try freezing the filling and crust separately. Chill
the prepared filling, pour into a freezer container and
freeze. The day before baking, place the frozen filing
in the refrigerator to thaw. Stir well, pour into the pie
crust and bake as usual.
Retirement Planning
One of the fundamental building blocks for
retirement is understanding Medicare, a federal health
insurance program for those who are 65 or older or
for those with disabilities. Most questions about this
program deal with eligibility, coverage, and cost.
Let’s explore a bit about each of these.
The program begins when you turn 65, but the sign
up begins 3 months before you turn 65 and ends 3
months afterwards. If you miss the deadline, your
coverage may be delayed and you may face monetary
penalties. There are different categories of insurance
to sort out and there are many options within each
category. For instance, there is Part A – Hospital
Insurance and Part B – Medical Insurance, which is
designed to cover the health costs not covered by Part
A, such as doctor visits, outpatient care, and lab tests.
However, additional insurance can be purchased to
cover expenses not covered in Part A and B. This
insurance can take two forms: an all-in-one Managed
Care Plan (sometimes called Part C, often referred to
as Medicare Advantage Plans) that bundles together
Part A and B and other coverages or you can add a
supplemental or “Medigap” policy.
Finally, there is prescription drug coverage or Part
D to consider.
As a certified counselor for the Senior Health
Insurance for Kansas (SHICK) program, Jamie
Rathbun can help you navigate through Medicare
enrollment. Contact our offices to set up an
appointment.
Managing the Holidays without
Letting Stress Take Over
Holiday time is approaching. How can one manage
to get decorating, shopping, and baking done without
too much stress? Setting priorities and managing your
time and energy will help accomplish the tasks to be
completed with reduced stress. All tasks can be
divided amongst family members.
A checklist of tasks to be completed will help
make holiday preparations easier, and allows
all family members to know what still needs
to be done.
Have a decorating day or weekend. Include all
family members – its not always about the
décor being perfect, but about the memories
the family creates while accomplishing
something together.
Plan a baking day for holiday cookies, treats, and
desserts. Try making items ahead of time and
freezing to ease the busyness immediately
surrounding the holiday. (see Freezing Pies to
Save Time)
Keep all receipts for gifts in one place. This will
save frustration after the holidays if items
need to be returned.
Prepare the table for meals the night before to
save anxiety at the last minute.
Have plenty of batteries and other items you may
need on-hand to save last minute stress.
Scissors for opening packaging. Variety of
batteries for all of the kids’ toys.