the BEACON Newspaper, Indiana 3-18web | Page 18

Page 8B THE BEACON March 2018

By Melanie Alexander

Each April , the women of St . Teresa Benedicta of the Cross in Bright sponsor “ A Chocolate Affair ” that collects both canned goods and monetary donations for the North Dearborn Pantry . Here is one suggestion for an easy-to-make pie for dessert at your own chocolate affair .

This pie is one that goes “ over the top ” if you make a sweetened whipped cream using the “ real thing .” However , refrigerated already whipped cream in a can ( aka as “ squirty cream ” by my grandkids ) is certainly easier . You can either purchase a graham cracker crust or make your own ( see recipe below ).

Chocolate Chip Pie 1 8 or 9-inch graham cracker crust 1 ½ cup sugar 1 / 3 cup flour 3 eggs , beaten 1 ½ sticks butter ( 12 tablespoons ), melted and cooled

1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract 1 ½ cups chocolate chips 1 cup pecans or walnuts , chopped

Mix sugar and flour . Add beaten eggs and butter . Mix until well combined . Add

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chocolate chips , nuts , and vanilla extract . Pour into shells and bake at 350 °. Cool before serving . Top each slice with sweetened whipped cream . Note : Be sure to refrigerate leftover pie .

Graham Cracker Crust 1 ½ c . graham cracker crumbs

( 18 crackers ). 3 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons butter , melted .

Mix all together and press onto bottom and sides of pie plate .

See you next month as I begin to think about upcoming spring days and the promise of early seasonal fruits and vegetables . Think rhubarb , strawberries along with asparagus and spring peas .

By John Hawley

Purdue Extension Educator

hawley4 @ purdue . edu

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Garden Tips for Late Winter Months

Though many seasoned gardeners have their own book of gardening magic tricks to keep things as ‘ green ’ as possible during the winter , many of us out there ( myself included ) could certainly use a hand . Purdue Extension offers some great tips and tricks for keeping your thumb as green as possible before the spring thaw .

As we approach late winter , chances are you ’ ve left your plot or raised beds alone for quite a while now . That is obviously just fine . However , assuming we can avoid another deep-hard freeze , it wouldn ’ t hurt to consider a soil test before spring planting , especially if you noticed a less than fruitful 2017 harvest . If you decide this might be a good idea , give my office a call , we can work on it together .

Something I plan to do in the next few days is to create a sketch of my garden plans . My wife and I love fresh sweet corn , so I plan to plant quite a bit . I also want to try tomatoes for the first time , so I am doing all of the extra research I can to be sure it goes well . If you are experimenting with some different crops this season , it may be a good idea to separate them in your garden for special attention .

Another good tip from the experts at Purdue Extension is to routinely check on stored bulbs , seeds . Although often quite hardy , some bulbs , seeds may be susceptible to damage if left exposed to cold or moist conditions . Secure storage is also key to reducing pest problems . If you have time , it may also be a good idea to test any stored seeds for germination rates . This can be accomplished by

Hannah Weiler and Alli Beard from East Central FC- CLA started their PUFF ( People Unite for Furry Friends ) Project after they noticed a problem in their community : animals in shelters are commonly overlooked as possible pets . Overpopulation in shelters results in many problems , especially for no-kill shelters where euthanization is not used as a means of population control . Animals are only taking a dozen or so , placing them on a warm , moist paper towel , lightly covering with soil . If less than half germinate , it would be wise to start with new seed .

At this time of year , it would also be wise to take inventory of your tools to be sure they are working properly . Nothing causes a bigger headache than getting ready to go to work in the garden only to discover that your roto tiller or tractor won ’ t turn over . Also , be mindful of those tools often taken for granted . If your shovels , rakes , hoes , fencing are in bad shape , this would be a great time to make a stop at the hardware store for replacements .

Lastly , for those planning on cold season vegetables ,

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With Ages Comes Wisdom

Mrs . Dennis ’ First Grade at North Dearborn Elementary is 100 Days smarter ! They dressed up as 100 year olds to celebrate .

DAN , DAVE , TYLER it is about time to consider starting seeds indoors . Plants such as broccoli , cauliflower , cabbage can all be started indoors five to seven weeks prior to transplant .

To learn more about winter garden topics , visit : https :// extension . purdue . edu / pages / article . aspx ? intItemID = 28001 or https :// www . purdue . edu / hla / sites / yardandgarden / category / seasonal-information / winter /

For additional information about other agriculture and natural resources topics , feel free to email me at hawley4 @ purdue . edu . You can also reach my office at 812-926- 1189 . We are located at 229 Main Street , Aurora , IN 47001 .

Look for my next article in the April issue of The Beacon !

Pet Parcels Make Pet Adoption More Fun

Alli Beard and Hannah Weiler created Pet Parcels for adopted pets to take with them to their new homes .

$ 9 Adult · $ 5 Children Toddlers Free Carry-out available are deemed too dangerous to live safely in society . Nokill shelters strive to implement a variety of programs to increase the number of pets leaving the shelter alive . These shelters rely heavily on volunteers for assistance with shelter operations , socialization of animals , and adoption promotion .

Alli ’ s and Hannah ’ s love for animals inspired them to create an incentive to increase adoption rates . Their program , Pet Parcels , partners with the members of the East Central FCCLA chapter , Girl Scout Troop , family members , and peers to create handmade care packages that are given to new pet owners when they adopt a cat or dog .

Each Pet Parcel contains a tie blanket , a bag of treats ( both handmade and donated ), and toys made from old t-shirts . The totes that hold these materials are also made from donated t-shirts . These items were made during the PUFF Project Community Night where Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and East Central FCCLA members participated in the program .

Hannah Weiler is the vice president of finance and Alli is an active member of the ECHS FCCLA Chapter . FCCLA stands for Family , Career and Community Leaders of America . This co-curricular organization promotes strong family relationships , prepares young adults for their future careers , and engages them in a multitude of community service projects . Alli is also a member of Troop 41174 of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio .

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