Noteworthy News
January 2023
Thank you...
What's New in the New Year?
New Staff:
- Rebecca Harrison, Teacher Aide in Stissing Mountain
- Erica Evanko, Long-term Substitute in Stissing Mountain
Please join me in welcoming them to the district!
Employment Milestones:
- Leonard Barton, Custodial Worker
- JoAnn Fennelly, Cook
Congratulations to Leonard and JoAnn for completing their 26-week probationary period and transitioning to permanent!
Interesting Dates (at least to me…)
National Get Organized Month
National Soup Month
Oatmeal Month (Try making some baked oatmeal!)
National Thank You Month
New Years Day: 1
National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day: 3
Trivia Day: 4
Show and Tell Day at Work: 8
Rubber Ducky Day: 13
Popcorn Day: 19
National Hugging Day: 21(only hug people that want to be hugged)
National Pie Day: 23
National Compliment Day: 24
Fun at Work Day: 25 (What are you going to do?)
National Curmudgeon Day: 29
Other Notable Dates:
January 16, 2023 - Martin Luther King Holiday - Buildings are Closed
January 18, 2023 - BOE Meeting, 7:00 pm at Stissing
Reminder: PPFE Members that are considering retirement!
January is National Soup Month
Soup... Mmmm Mmmm good!
A hot bowl of your favorite soup is a great way to warm up. Soup is a national comfort food especially if you have a cold and a lot of that is going around… Here is a soup recipe in recognition of National Soup Month and a home remedy for the common cold!
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, chicken fat or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
Heaped tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs (4 or 5 thighs)
8 cups chicken stock or broth, low sodium
5 ounces egg noodles (or pasta of choice)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Water or more stock, as needed
Directions:
*Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring every few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften; 5 to 6 minutes.
*Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, while stirring the garlic around the pan, for about 1 minute.
*Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a low simmer. Taste the soup then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Depending on the stock used, you might need to add 1 or more teaspoons of salt.
*Submerge the chicken thighs into the soup so that the broth covers them. Bring the soup back to a low simmer then partially cover the pot with a lid and cook, stirring a few times until the chicken thighs are cooked through; about 20 minutes.
*If, during this time, the broth seems low, add a splash more stock or a bit of water. Turn the heat to medium-low.
*Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Stir the noodles into the soup and cook until done, 6 to 10 minutes depending on the type of noodles used.
*While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into strips or dice into cubes. Slide the chicken back into the pot and then taste the soup once more for seasoning. Adjust with more salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the parsley and serve.
- Refrigerating Chicken Noodle Soup: As the soup sits, the noodles soak up the soup broth. When reheating, add a splash of extra chicken stock or if you don’t have any, water.
- Freezing Chicken Noodle Soup: The noodles don’t fare too well when frozen. If you plan on freezing the soup, remove the portion of soup you plan to freeze before adding the noodles. Freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables. When you are ready to reheat the soup, add dried noodles to the soup and simmer until done.
- Seasoning the Soup: If you feel the soup is missing some zing, add a bit more salt. You can also add a pop of flavor with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a dash of fish sauce (we use this trick for store-bought stocks and broths often) or Worcestershire sauce.
https://www.inspiredtaste.net/37475/homemade-chicken-noodle-soup-recipe/
EAP Newsletter - January
This is the link to the Employee Assistance Plan Newsletter:
The links to the EAP newsletters can also be found on the district website under:
Resources-Staff-Employee Assistance Plan
Julia W. Tomaine, Personnel Administrator
Email: j.tomaine@ppcsd.org
Website: https://www.ppcsd.org/employment
Location: 2829 Church Street, Pine Plains, NY, USA
Phone: 518-398-7181