One-Step Ham Casserole

Ingredients

1 ½ cups milk

1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup

2 cups diced cooked ham

1 cup dried elbow macaroni

1 4 ounce can (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained

2 tablespoons diced pimiento

1 tablespoon dried minced onion or 1/2 cup chopped onion

½ cup shredded American cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In an ungreased 2-quart casserole, gradually stir milk into soup. Stir in ham, macaroni, mushrooms, pimiento, and onion.

      2.     Bake, covered, about 40 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

The Results are in.......

What is the biggest misconception that the public has about firefighter/fire departments?

I posed this question to our FDI social media outlets the other day and fire chiefs throughout the United States with overwhelming responses.  Here is the TOP ANWERS:

“That we watch TV all day”

“Sit around all day in arm chairs sleeping”

“Play Dominos”

“People don’t realize all the training we have to do to keep up with the times. We not only train on the fire side of things but also on the EMS side now because most departments provide both services.”

Lets take the 24 on/48 off schedule of a firefighter for example. From the time they get to work their job does not stop. They have to do their daily checks of equipment and apparatuses, maintenance checks, station duties, training to keep them on top of the game….the list can go on and on.

 I have not even begun to mention what the firefighter main job priority: TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.  The numerous non-emergency and emergency calls that one station can get in a day along with the crazy hours they will come in changes constantly, they are on-call from the moment they arrive until they leave which may or may not be in that 24 hour period depending on the types of emergencies.  Here are a few more:

“They don’t understand why it takes three firefighters to go shopping in an engine.”

“Rescue Cats in trees”

“Pose for Calendars”

“People think the firehouse should be open 24/7 to the public and we should not lock it up.”

And the #1 response to the question was:

“That we are all PAID for the job we do!”

I believe this is note worthy as 71% of all fire departments in the United States are Volunteer Fire Departments according to the FEMA  2012 National Fire Department Censes: http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/census/summary.cfm

The definition of a volunteer is someone who does work without being paid for it, because they want to do it.  In the fire service, there are career (paid) firefighters and volunteers. Both are typically trained equally and perform the same job. A volunteer may be more community minded. They have a vested interest in the community because they perform the job as a sense of duty to their friends, neighbors and family.   

Whether private, volunteer or municipal firefighters, they are all professionals and ARE MUCH NEEDED IN OUR WORLD. They do the jobs that most of us do not or could not imagine doing with enthusiasm, zeal, and passion without regard to the weather, time of day, location or type of call.

Could you imagine if we had no one to protect our communities from fires, medical emergencies and catastrophes? Firefighters are our first community’s first defense in emergency and non-emergency situations.

So, next time you wonder what a firefighter does, go visit your community fire house or go to the next fundraiser they have, shake their hand and ask questions.  Support your firefighters by being involved and helping those who help others.  Never assume you know what the day and life of a firefighter consists of, because it is constantly changing and new challenges arise with out warning.

-Michele

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

                                         

What You Need

1/2

lb.  fettuccine, uncooked

1

lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

4

tsp.  flour

1-1/4

cups  fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

4

oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, cubed

3

Tbsp.  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

1/4

tsp.  garlic powder

1/4

tsp.  pepper

Make It

COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.

MEANWHILE, cook chicken in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 5 to 7 min. or until done, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet. Mix flour and broth in same skillet with whisk. Stir in Neufchatel, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, garlic powder and pepper; cook 2 min. or until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken.

DRAIN pasta; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

The Makeup of a Firefighter

The unique work and living conditions places high demand on each person that chooses to call themselves a firefighter. They respectfully represent their country, state, city, department and profession in all they do. The fire service has a long legacy of trust and respect, this reputation is one that is relied upon by the public eye during any and all situations.

Many aspects and the most crucial aspects of the job requirement would be to have above-average strength and agility.  On a daily basis, one on duty might handle an irate citizen, a traffic accident with a critically injured person, fight a warehouse fire or console a distraught family member on scene.  The day in the life of a firefighter is constantly changing, from the environment they work in to the people they work beside. They encompass the power of adaptability to work under high stress and life treating situation while keeping a clear presence of mind.  

As a public servant, firefighters are hard working, hard training people who take pride in their work and want to be the best at anything they do. This field requires such a vast knowledge and skills base, it is crucial to be proactive in education, training and improving themselves in job related ways.

Firefighters are part of a team or “Brotherhood” if you will. This means that others rely on each other to do their best and do it efficiently. Each department must work together, if one slacks or does not do the job correctly, the whole team suffers and safety will be threatened. Unlike any other profession, this team concept applies to practically all aspects of a firefighter’s job and life.

There are many traits that men and women in the fire service demonstrate.  Most people run away from fire, these have dedicated their life to protect life and property.  Firefighters boast pride and hearts full of compassion.  Each day the ones they help show love for the job while others negatively judge the job done for various reasons.  A firefighter will deal with people from all walks of life, cultures, races, backgrounds and all social economic levels.   Tolerance and understanding is one of the most honorable traits of a firefighter.

Today, I would like to thank each man and woman that serve in the fire service industry. You are the communities first defense and you put your life on the line for other. You are true heros! 

By Michele Nitsch

Beefy Make Ahead Lasagna

Ingredients

12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (24­oz.) container 4% small­curd smooth­and­creamy cottage cheese
1 (16­oz.) container ricotta cheese 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup refrigerated pesto
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 (24­oz.) jars tomato­and­basil pasta sauce

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare noodles according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, stir together cottage cheese and next 4 ingredients. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
3. Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium­high heat, stirring often, 6 to 7 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in pasta sauce.
4. Layer 1 cup beef mixture, 3 noodles, and 2 1/2 cups cottage cheese mixture in a lightly greased 13­ x 9­inch baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, 2 cups beef mixture, and 3 more noodles. Top with remaining cottage cheese mixture, 3 noodles, and beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake, covered, at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes or until cheese is browned. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Note: Freeze unbaked lasagna up to 3 months. To bake, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Let stand 30 minutes; bake as directed. We tested with Classico Di Napoli Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce and both LeGrand Garden Pesto and Buitoni Reduced Fat Pesto with Basil.   

Aren’t we all working for a common cause?    

Is there any reason we cannot just get along?  Is it someone’s ego or something much more? You are correct, I have never put my life on the line for others, but I am pretty sure if I did, I would want anyone and everyone to have my back. Why are police officers so determined to arrest firefighters? Aren’t they just trying to keep everyone including them safe? I personally would prefer a speeding motorist ramming into a huge fire truck instead of the emergency responders working the scene. Personally, you just need to take examples like Arlington’s Engine #11, as proof to that scenario. If Engine #11 was not there, how many people would that SUV driven by a drunk driver have killed? Unfortunately, 3 firefighters were injured, but at least not one of these injuries was a fatality.

            In my opinion, when you arrest a firefighter at the scene of an accident that they are working, you are doing a great injustice to the victim of the accident. You are taking away a pair of capable hands (usually at least EMT certified, if not higher) to at least assist in saving or freeing someone’s life. What if the rolls were reversed? Do you think that police officers would enjoy firefighters arresting them in the line of duty? Sometimes an ego can be checked with something so simple as, “Do to others, as you would have them do to you”.  Check your ego at the door please and use your brain.

Examples:

• Feb 2014 - A Chula Vista Police Officer arrest a Chula Vista Firefighter for not clearing the road of his truck.

http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/02/when-police-arrest-fire-fighter-doing-his-job-something-is-badly-messed-up.html/

• Feb 2010 - A CHP cuffs the Battalion Chief for causing to much congestions.

http://www.independent.com/news/2010/feb/24/chp-officer-cuffs-montecito-fire-battalion-chief/

• May 2003 - Fire Captain arrested for a dispute over where his fire apparatus was parked during a 2003 car crash rescue.

http://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-safety/articles/350877-Fire-captain-arrested-for-apparatus-placement-awarded-17-500-in-Mo/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1971982/posts?page=61

These are just 3 examples. There are so many more......

Arlington's Fire Engine 11

About 3 a.m., the driver of a black SUV slammed into the driver’s side of Engine 11 at a high speed totaling the truck and injuring two firefighters and a lieutenant, said department spokesman Lee Tovar. The firefighters and lieutenant were transported to an area hospital where one was treated for an open head wound, and the other two had minor injuries. All three have been released from the hospital. 

The engine was blocking the scene of a vehicle rollover in the westbound lanes of the 2600 block of East Interstate 30 while personnel from another engine cared for the person involved in the accident.

The driver of the SUV has been  identified as 28-year-old Hugo Humberto Veloz; he was also transported to the hospital and then released into police custody. He is being held in the Arlington City Jail and faces a charge of intoxication assault with a vehicle/serious bodily injury. Bail has been set at $5,000.

"The Tower"

Meet the newest addition to our training team!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J305uy8Zusc

The Tower allows for High Angle, Low Angle, and Confined Space training. 

Firefighters waiting at Logan airport for family of one of the fallen Boston firemen.

As a wife of a United States Marine, sights like this one really open the water works for me and tug at my heart strings. This is a true sign of respect, love, brotherhood, and a lifetime of support. I am very lucky to not know the feeling of loosing someone that I depend on every single day and I couldn't imagine how gut-wrenching it is. I am told that being a firefighter holds this bond that is irreplaceable, the men and women standing beside you hold your life and safety in their hands each time you are out on a call or training exercise. In my opinion, being a firefighter is truly selfless, most say it is a calling, but to be able to put someone else's well being and life almost ahead of your own, is indescribable and amazing. I am grateful every single day for men and women like these kneeling in this picture, for the sacrifices they make, for the challenges they face, and for the amount of respect they hold dear to their hearts. My thoughts and prayers truly go out to the two fallen firefighters, their families, and their fellow firefighters.

Short Rib Sandwich

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 3 hrs

Serves: 4 

Description

Short ribs are heaven. Short rib sandwiches are almost too good for this earth.

Ingredients

2-1⁄2 pounds Beef Short Ribs

Salt And Pepper

Olive Oil, For Searing

1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced 3 whole Carrots, Finely Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 cup Red Wine

1 cup Beef Broth

1 whole Baguette Loaf (or Smaller Crusty Buns)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Salt and pepper the short ribs. In a heavy pot, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides over about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium high. Add onions, carrots, and garlic and stir to start cooking. After a minute or two, pour in the wine and broth and stir to combine. Set the short ribs back in the pot, put on the lid, and place in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until short ribs are tender and literally falling off the bone.

If you have time, allow them to cool, then store in the fridge for several hours so the fat will congeal on top. Once it’s hard, remove it with a spoon and discard (some of the juice and a few pieces of onion and carrot will come out with the fat, but that’s okay.) Reheat on the stovetop, then shred the short ribs.

Toast the baguette until warm, then split down the middle. Spoon the short rib meat down the length of the baguette, then spoon the veggies and some sauce over the top. Place the top of the baguette on top, then slice sandwich into pieces with a sharp serrated knife. Serve immediately!

(If you don’t have time to refrigerate, you may skim as much fat off as you can, then just shred the short ribs immediately and serve as above.)

Variation: Melt brie cheese on top of the sandwich! 

Creole Pot Pie

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Serves: 3

Description

This Creole Pot Pie with sausage and chicken will bring New Orleans cajun flavors to you in a fresh and new way.

Ingredients

1⁄2 sticks Butter

4 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

1 cup Diced Onion, Celery And Green Pepper

1 teaspoon Minced Garlic

2 cups Chicken Stock

2 cups Diced Red Skin Potatoes

1 cup Diced Carrots

1 cup Shredded Chicken

14 ounces, weight Andouille Sausage, Sliced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce

2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning

1⁄4 teaspoons Creole Seasoning

1 teaspoon Parsley

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 Roll (about 9 Oz. Size) Puff Pastry, Thawed

1 whole Large Egg, Beaten With 1 Tablespoon Of Water

Preparation

In a medium-sized pot, melt butter over medium low heat until a mildly browned. Whisk in flour and continue to cook over heat, creating a brown roux (about 7-9 minutes total).

Add in chopped onion, celery and green pepper and cook until tender. Add in minced garlic and only cook for 30-60 seconds (do not burn).

Whisk in chicken stock, then add in potatoes, carrots, shredded chicken and Andouille sausage and simmer on low until stew has thickened and ingredients have become tender.

Add in Worcestershire, hot sauce, all seasonings and parsley and lightly stir together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle stew into oven safe ramekins.

Roll out puff pastry on floured surface. Cut out puff pastry rounds larger than the size of the ramekins. Brush the sides of the ramekins with egg wash and place puff pastry rounds on top of each ramekin. Brush the tops of each puff pastry round with egg wash and add two small slits to each pastry.

Bake for 30-35 or until puff pastry has puffed and is golden brown and inside filling is bubbly. Remove pot pies from oven to cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy warm.