By Linda Hyder
     It all started as a way to help people stretch their money for food , to help feed families in the Seymour community.
     As the idea grew, the Seymour Family and Community Education (FCE) group committed to sharing years of cooking experiences.  
     This summer they printed a cookbook entitled, “Simply Put:  Family Recipes Using Foods from Cross Ministries.”  The cookbooks will be provided free to families receiving assistance from C.R.O.S.S. (Christians Reaching Out Serving Seymour).
     The goal of the cookbooks is to benefit the nutritional needs of families.  The FCE members did their research. With a list of basic foods offered bi-weekly by C.R.O.S.S., members searched for low cost recipes using those food items.  
     Thought was given, for example, as to how a “can” of corn could be “stretched” into a casserole.  Also directions are provided on how to soak and prepare those dried beans to use in a skillet meal.  Each recipe is practical, low cost and easy to follow.
     Seymour FCE members began working on this project a year ago.  Members selected recipes that they had actually tried and used.  Recipes were then organized, printed and compiled.   
     A total of 300 books were individually assembled “by hand” for this community project.   The project was a team effort.
     These cookbooks will be given to Dottie Sollman, President of C.R.O.S.S., for distribution to families as long as supplies last.  
     The hope of each FCE member is that the cookbooks will encourage families to make the most of their food resources and enjoy healthy foods at mealtime.  
     This is just an example of family service projects offered through Family Community Education (FCE) in Sevier County.  
     FCE is a national organization associated with UT Extension.  The University of Tennessee Extension offers educational opportunities like these to anyone in Sevier County regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion or veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  
     This Seymour FCE Club meets monthly at the Seymour Library and welcomes new members.  For more information, contact Linda Hyder, UT Extension at (865) 453-3695 or lhyder@utk.edu.

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