Independence Today Your Bi-weekly Update from the City of Independence

Thanksgiving is right around the corner - are you ready?

Thanksgiving is just over two weeks away. For many of us, this may mean traveling, cooking, and time spent with friends and family. To help you prepare, we've spoken with a few of our friends across the City to bring their best tips (and maybe recipe ideas) to the table.

Independence Fire Department

Did you know Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average? Christmas Day and Christmas Eve ranked second and third, with both having nearly twice the daily average. So here are some tips from the IFD.

1. Stay in the kitchen! It seems simple but a lot of fires start because people leave a stove or oven unattended.
2. Keep kids away from the stove and make sure knives are out of reach. If you have little kiddos, you can use painters tape on the floor to remind them of the no-go zone around the stove and oven. This should be at least 3 feet in all directions.
3. Test your smoke alarm (and not with your cooking). A working smoke alarm can give your family the time they need to safely exit in the event of a fire.

Let's kick off the recipe fun with a quirky side from Interim Fire Chief Lauss.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

For the crust:

• 2 1/2 c. crushed pretzels
• 4 tbs. sugar
• 3/4 c. margarine or butter

Cream ingredients:

• 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
• 1 c. sugar
• 8 oz. whipped topping

For the top:

• 1 lg. package strawberry jello
• 1/2 c. cold water
• 2 c. boiling water
• 1 pt. frozen strawberries

Mix crust ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Let cool. In a bowl, mix cream ingredients and spread over the top of the crust. Mix top ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until partially set. Pour on top of the cream layer. Refrigerate until firm. Top with whipped topping and sprinkle with nuts or pretzel crumbs.

Independence Police Department

Are you traveling this holiday season? Be sure to prepare your home and keep it safe from opportunistic criminals.

1. Consider waiting to share those fun family pictures of your travels until you get home. Social media has become a platform criminals use to find out when people are not home.
2. Make sure to lock your doors and windows around the house. Leaving a light on or having it on a timer can also discourage someone up to no good.
3. Getting new electronics? Don't leave the boxes by the trash or recycling containers.
4. As you are cleaning up the yard for the winter, trim back bushes and hedges where someone could easily hide.

And to add to your holiday recipe list, Deputy Chief Peterson shares his wife's family recipe for apple crunch.

Great Grandmother’s Apple Crunch

• 6 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin. A variety makes it taste better. (Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, Delicious, etc.)
• ½ c white sugar
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg to taste. ( or mixes such as Penzey’s Baking Spice and Penzey’s Apple Pie Spice) No more than ½-3/4 tsp. each.
• 1 c. flour
• 1 c brown sugar
• ½ c butter. (My grandmother used shortening)

1. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Preheat oven 375* Mix the white sugar and spices. Blend well, toss over the apples, to coat. Put apples in prepared pan.
2. Mix flour and brown sugar together. Cut in the butter, mix should look “sandy”. Top the apples with flour mixture evenly.
3. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Let cool.
4. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. (Cinnamon ice cream would also be delicious. As would a caramel sauce!)

Independence Health and Animal Services Department

Cooking and spending time with family and friends are a holiday season favorite. Here are some tips to help keep everyone healthy and safe as you gather.

1. Have you had your flu and COVID-19 booster? As we gather with family and friends, no one wants to bring home an illness.
2. Be sure to wash your hands. You may be visiting people you don't often see and that can mean a variety of illnesses. Washing your hands for 20 seconds with warm, soapy water can save you from a variety of easily transmitted yuck.
3. Be sure to store your ingredients and leftovers at the proper temperatures. Once thawed, that turkey should only be stored for 1-2 days before cooking. Be sure to allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lbs to thaw. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and don't eat them beyond 3-4 days in the fridge.

Okay, enough of the safety messaging. Have you tried sugared cranberries? Cranberries are a delicious snack with a lot of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and manganese. Sugared cranberries add a little holiday zing with seasonal spices. Here's a simple recipe.

Sugared Cranberries

• 3 c. water
• 3 c. sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 c. superfine sugar

In a saucepan, combine 3 cups water, 3 cups sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil and simmer for one minute stirring until all sugar is dissolved. Stir in cranberries and let sit in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours. Strain the cranberries from the simple syrup (and keep it for holiday drinks), and roll the cranberries in the superfine sugar while still damp. Place sugared cranberries on a cookie sheet to dry for one to 2 hours. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days (but they won't last that long).

However you spend the holidays, we hope you have a safe and happy time

Thanksgiving is just the beginning of a season filled with activities, programs, family gatherings, time with friends, and reflecting on what we are grateful for. We hope these tips help keep you and those you love safe and healthy throughout the holiday season.

How do I report a code violation?

First, we want to share this video which provides an overview of Code Compliance, what they do, and how we follow-up on code-related concerns.

It is easy to report a concern with a few clicks from your phone or on your computer via the IndepNow App or at independencemo.gov/indepnow.

Below we walk you through the reporting process for a concern about trash in the app with pictures step by step.

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