Eat smart with free hands-on cooking, canning classes in Asheboro

Jeannie Leonard

ASHEBORO -- From soups to appetizers and crockpots to stir fry, learn the basics of preparing healthy meals with Randolph County Cooperative Extension Agent Jeannie Leonard, at 6:30 p.m. every other Thursday from September 8 through November 3.

Sponsored by the Randolph County Public Library’s Margaret C. Taylor Memorial Culinary Arts Collection, the classes will take place at the Randolph County Cooperative Extension Center, 112 W. Walker Avenue in Asheboro, except for the September 8 session, which will be held at the Asheboro Public Library, 201 Worth Street.

The classes will incorporate concepts from the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less program. They are free and open to anyone age 18 and up.

Registration is required; call 336-318-6803 to sign up or for further information. The sessions are:

September 8 — Basics of Home Canning (Asheboro library). Learn how to choose the best canning methods for different foods, and what could go wrong.

September 22 — One Dish Crockpot Meals. With fall and winter just around the corner, it’s time for hot meals and a crockpot is just the thing to warm you up. Learn how to prepare delicious and nutritious crockpot meals.

October 6 — Stir-Fry Up the Night. Stir up your weeknight dinners with something easy and different. Learn the 10 easy keys to cooking smart and find out about food safety.

October 20 — Soup’s On! Warm up the winter nights with a fortifying meal. Learn how to make excellent soups with a base and layered flavors, and what items to keep on hand for a quick meal.

November 3 — Holiday Appetizers to Wow Your Guests. Prepare for the season with new appetizer recipes and ideas that will leave your guests talking for weeks about your delicious and tasty treats, and learn about food safety practices for the holidays.

Leonard is Cooperative Extension’s Family and Consumer Services agent, focusing on nutrition and wellness, food safety and home food preservation.

The classes are supported by a bequest from the estate of Margaret C. Taylor, a Randleman native who passed away in Dearbon, MI, last summer. The library received her collection of cooking and culinary arts books, and funding to develop and enhance the collection.