DECEMBER 2019
HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS! “Hey Dad, what do you want for Christmas?” asked Blake. We had some ‘boy time’ in the car after I picked him up from an after-school activity. I smiled to myself. My nine-year-old son had just presented a perfect teaching moment.
for Christmas, I would like to plan some activities and adventures! What I want most is to experience life – to spend precious time – together.”
We drove by my Dad’s now abandoned corner auto repair shop, and I told him, “Grampa spent 47 years there to support his family and send his five boys to college.” A few blocks away, the husk of my former high school now sports broken windows and graffiti; it was shut down long ago. The neighborhood that I remembered doesn’t exist anymore.
As we approach the holidays, I am extremely fortunate and grateful to my “PTSMC family.” I hope you all are surrounded by friends, family and those you love. I hope your home is warm and your fridge full. Most of all, I hope the precious moments you share create memories to last a lifetime!
IN THIS ISSUE Clinician’s Corner by Liz Saunders Neurological Changes in Response to ACL Injuries
2020 Courses Blake’s response made me proud. He word-for-word said, “That would be great Dad, I really like your Over the last few years, I’ve talked to Blake about being approach!” We talked about going fishing or on a boys’ Techy Tips by Dave Lawrence privileged and about how fortunate he is to live the life overnight trip. Good stuff, I thought. He was catching on! HR Buzz he does. We’ve discussed the concept of gratitude, and Holiday Schedule I’ve tried to teach him to be grateful for all that he When we got back home to West Hartford, he scrambled December 401(k) and HSA Limits are Increasing has…even if he’s not having a particularly good day. into the house and began rummaging through the junk D4D and Goals and Objectives Time is Here I’ve driven him by the tiny house in New Britain that I drawer. After a couple minutes, he raised his hand in Update Your Address with HR grew up in, pointing out, “Blake, all seven of us – me triumph, holding a bright orange highlighter. I asked and your uncles, Nana and Grampa – all lived here. We him, “What do you need that for?” Wellness Program had bunk beds and shared one bathroom.” #GetMoving Holiday Edition “Well Dad, all the Christmas catalogs are here! If you and Lifebeat - Holiday Cheer “Cool Dad!” I are doing adventures, I need to circle a bunch of toys for FLAG - Get Your Health Back on Track my list for Santa!” He’s nine, I reminded myself; there’s I don’t know if my point was getting across. still time to teach and learn.
“Looks like a rough neighborhood Dad.” Getting back to his question, I responded, “Blake, we are fortunate not to need anything. We have love, great friends and family, a warm house and food in the refrigerator. We have more than enough stuff. Blake,
Happy Holidays! Alan
PTSMC’s 20th Anniversary Logo Contest!
Thanksgiving food drives have been going strong, and December Holiday food drives are kicking off! From patients and employees, to family and friends, the giving energy is truly inspiring. Be sure to check in with your chosen local food bank, and find out the best day to drop off the food.
PTSMC needs a 20th Anniversary logo! Who better to ask to design it than YOU, our employees who are creative thinkers, artists and innovators. We want to tap into that energy by asking you to help us design a 20th anniversary logo that will represent PTSMC for the entire year. Here are the details:
Reminder to get a final count of items before making the drop off, and send that number to mallory.mason@ptsmc.com
• The logo design must use the “Running Man” and the font “Copperplate” • It must incorporate the theme “20th anniversary” or “20 years” in some way • Submit sketches, drawings, or graphic designs – we will use the winning
Pictures of your bins, donations, raffle winners, especially the delivery, can be sent to Emily.fillion@ptsmc.com
submission to create an official digital logo file
• Email all submissions to 2020@ptsmc.com – either photos of your artwork or
digital files by December 20th • The winning designer will receivea $500 Visa Gift Card
Thank you to all who have given back so far, and many thanks in advance to those just getting started!
CLINICIAN’S CORNER
NEUROLOGICAL CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO ACL INURIES By Liz Saunders, MS, LAT, ATC PTSMC New London As clinicians, we are experts in treating the body’s hardware…but what about the body’s software? Neuroplastic alterations secondary to orthopedic injury have become widely assayed in recent research. Cortical adaptations have been demonstrated amongst individuals living with low back pain, chronic ankle instability, and soft tissue rupture/repair.1-6 What may be most convincing in this realm of study are the long-lasting neurological changes demonstrated in response to anterior cruciate ligament By understanding the ways in which our brains react to orthopedic injury. injury, we can better prepare our patients for full and successful recoveries. It is key to remember: there is no injury without deafferentation; Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common orthopedic there is no deafferentation without neuroplastic compensation. Everyinjury that usually requires surgical reconstruction and physical thing that we do as rehabilitative clinicians has the ability to affect the rehabilitation to restore mechanical stability and function.1 Aside minds and bodies of our patients. It is a responsibility we must handle from its mechanical necessity, the ACL also serves a crucial role in the with both intellect and care. proprioceptive function of the lower extremity. The ACL is densely innervated by mechanoreceptors responsible for detecting and communicating functional joint position, anatomical force producREFERENCES tion, and biomechanical forces which may lead to lower extremity injury.7 Upon rupture, these nerve cells become damaged with poor 1. Kobayashi, Y. et al. Augmented cerebral activation by lumbar mechanical stimulus in chronic low back pain patients: an FMRI study. Spine. 2009; 34, 2431–2436. potential for regeneration or neuroplastic rerouting, thus creating a 2. Giesecke, T. et al. Evidence of augmented central pain processing in idiopathic chronic low disconnect between the peripheral and cortical nervous systems.8 back pain. Arthritis Rheum. 2004; 50, 613–623. 3. Rosen, A.B. et al. Alterations in cortical activation among individuals with chronic ankle These mechanical disruptions ignite a cascade of complex physical instability during single-limb postural control. J. Athl Train. 2019; 54, 718-726. and neurocognitive adaptations which may negatively impair 4. J Baumeister. et al. Changed cortical activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction long-term recovery.7 in a joint position paradigm: An EEG study. Scand. J. Med. Amp Sci. Sports. 2008; 18, 473–84. Statistically, we know that traditional recovery methods following ACL rupture have poor long-term outcomes. Even with extensive rehabilitation, individuals who sustain an ACL injury have a 30% failure rate on the ipsilateral structure, a significantly increased risk-of-injury to the contralateral structure, decreased health-related quality of life, an increased risk for osteoarthritis, and a self-reported “inability” to perform at pre-injury status.5-7 So, what does the brain have to do with this? And how can we help mitigate these effects? fMRI studies have found evidence of hyperactivity in the motor, lingual, somatosensory cortexes amongst individuals who’ve undergone ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation (ACL-R).4,6 These effects can be largely attributed to altered sensory feedback, causing the nervous system to rely on other sources (i.e. visual stimuli, external feedback) to produce functional movement.6 Current rehabilitation paradigms do not place specific importance on neurocognitive or visual-motor training. Incorporating these ideals into our everyday clinical practice could be as simple as performing eyes-closed quad sets, providing external feedback cues, or adding quick cognitive tasks to basic strengthening exercises.7
5. Kapreli, E. et al. Anterior cruciate ligament deficiency causes brain plasticity: a functional MRI study. Am. J. Sports Med. 2009; 37, 2419–2426. 6. Grooms, D. et al. Neuroplasticity associated with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017; 47(3):180-189. 7. Grooms, D. Neuroplasticity Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Framework for Visual-Motor Training Approaches in Rehabilitation. J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther. 2015; 1–33. 8 Dhillon, M. et al. Differences among mechanoreceptors in healthy and injured anterior cruciate ligaments and their clinical importance. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2012; 2(1): 38–43
2020 Courses
Email coned@ptsmc.com to register
Email coned@ptsmc.com to attend Mulligan Lower Quarter 2020 Internal Courses - Dates TBD March 7-8, 2020 Lower Extremity Intstructor: Russ Woodman Return to Sport PTSMC Wallingford Cervical Spine PTSMC Sponsored Course Concussion: A Conceptual Framework for Evaluation & Management October 3-4, 2020 Instructors: Anna Mucha & Victoria Kochick Location TBD PTSMC Sponsored Course
STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE
A total of 17 DPT students will successfully complete clinical affiliations with PTSMC for the 2019 cycle. Fifty percent are final level interns. This is a ten percent increase from 2018. Read what some of our 2019 SPTs had to say: “My CIs and all of the staff at PTSMC contributed to my education, made me feel welcome, and helped me grow as a clinician.” “PTSMC exceeded my expectations regarding my overall clinical experience. I was challenged in a way that will better myself as a clinician for many years ahead. Not only did I learn a great deal, but was given supplemental information on how I can continue my education through fellowship and residency through PTSMC.” “PTSMC provided me with a plethora of professional relationships and several different treatment perspectives that helped me to grow as a clinician.” “PTSMC provided a good learning experience and I was able to learn how to treat conditions that I was less familiar with (I.e. TMJ Dysfunction, Vestibular). I also was able to travel to different clinics to observe and get a sense of the different clinic environments. “ “CI helped me to become more independent throughout the rotation. He did a great job of providing feedback and was very approachable.” “I was frequently challenged and encouraged to think critically during my 10 week rotation. CI is an excellent clinical instructor who went out of her way to make sure I got what I wanted out of this clinical.” A special thank you to our Clinical Instructors and their clinics! Your hard work and belief in our PT for Life culture is what keeps our Student Program strong, growing and offering unmatched experiences for our students. Joe Allen Bryan Baker Melissa Boutagy Kevin Connellan Danielle Dunn
Joanna Fisher Channing Harwood Tom Kassan Kristina Lipeika Ted Raczka
Lindsey Scianna Katy Sullivan Ashley Tighe Stephanie Weyrauch
Mary Wojtowciz
StriveHub Fab 5 “Bailey (McPherson) is the BEST! She is highly knowledgable, works with me and adapts my plan based on what is best/how I'm progressing, and she truly cares that I heal. I'm so thankful for her!” - Wallingford “From the moment I arrive until I leave I am treated with respect and caring by all members of the staff that I interact with. They really care about how I am progressing and do everything possible to guide me in the appropriate direction, including contacting my doctor for clarifications. They instill trust and they are able to heal and get this old body back in working order.” - Southington “Joe Caliguiri is an unbelievably fantastic therapist. My orthopedist can't believe how much he has helped me and my shoulder. I have been able to postpone a shoulder replacement for almost four years and have pretty much no pain. This has given me time to be in better shape for the replacement. Can't recommend enough.” - Naugatuck “Anthony (Ciaburri) and the entire team CARE! If you want great physical therapy with a team that really cares about helping you achieve your goals in regaining your strength, stamina and quality of life then you need to get to Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers now!” - Orange “It's a wonderful office with a great staff! They take the time to talk with you about your injury and they work with you to heal and recover. I recommend Scott (Cameron) and the entire team at PTSMC Westbrook if you need PT!” - Westbrook
Be on the lookout for Compliance Training 2019!! In early December you will receive an email with a link for your specific compliance training video. You may complete this in a staff meeting or independently. Please look ahead to schedule this between December 6th and December 31st. The training for clinicians will be about 35-40 minutes and 15-20 minutes for PSCs. Please be in touch with Emily.Hansen@ptsmc.com with any questions.
HUMAN RESOURCES Decemeber Holiday Schedule The December Holidays for 2019 and New Year’s Day Holiday for 2020 will be observed as follows: Wednesday, December 25th Christmas Closed Wednesday, January 1st New Year’s Day Closed Tuesday, December 24th Christmas Eve Schedule All clinics will be open from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm on Tuesday, December 24th. All full-time employees who are scheduled to work 8 hours a day and work from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm will be paid for 8 hours on this day. All part-time employees who are scheduled to work will be paid for hours worked. All employees who have requested time off on this day will use the total vacation hours requested.
Attention Health Savings Account (HSA) Participants, 2020 Limits Have Increased! • Individual coverage has increased to $3550 up from $3500 in 2019. • Family coverage has increased to $7100 up from $7000 in 2019. • If you are 55 years old or turning 55 in 2020 you are eligible for catch up contributions in the amount of $1000. This means you can contribute the maximum of individual or family plus the catch up amount of $1000; $4500 and $8100 respectively. Changes to your HSA contribution can be emailed to payroll@ptsmc.com
Have You Changed Your Address? We know this time of year may be hectic, however, HR should be one of your first contacts. Your address change needs to be made in some or all of the following: Employee Navigator, John Hancock and Paychex. So PLEASE let HR be the FIRST to know by emailing payroll@ptsmc.com. Thanks!
Tuesday, December 31st New Year’s Eve Schedule All clinics will be open from 7:00 am – 3:00 pm on Tuesday, December 31st. Full time and part time employees working 8 hours on this day can take a ½ hour paid lunch. Employees do not enter your ½ hour lunch time on your time sheet. However, in the notes section enter ½ hour lunch taken.
Dialogue for Development (D4D) & Goals and Objectives Time is Here with Fillable Forms
Employees* who participate in the Dialogue for Development and Personal Goals and Objective process will be contacted by your Supervisor to schedule your meeting time.
Sandra Boccialetti will be emailing all employees the following information by position: • Fillable D4D form to be completed - NEW THIS YEAR! • Performance considerations • Goals and Objective SMART format samples Want to review prior D4D’s and Goals and Objectives? They are located in Human Resources under Employee Documents. * PTSMC employees who work less than 20 hours may or may not participate in this process. Check with your supervisor.
Attention 401(k) Participants, 2020 Limits Have Increased! • Employee elective deferrals have increased to $19,500 up from $19,000 in 2019. • If you are 50 years old or will be turning 50 in 2020 you are eligible for catch up contributions in the amount of $6500. This means you can contribute the maximum of $19,500 plus the catch-up amount of $6500; $26,000. • Contact Sandra Boccialetti if you would like a calculation done to see the “effect” to your paycheck by increasing your pretax 401(k) contributions. Reminder: Employees who would like to make a change to their 401(k) biweekly contributions for the 1st quarter of 2020 must complete the request by Friday, December 13, 2019 to be effective with the January 1, 2020 payroll. Login to your account on www.jhancockpensions.com and click on Manage and Contributions.
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS Travis Lytle Ashley Troiano Sarah Milot Ken King Alan Balavender Ashlee Smestad Danielle Butsch Heather Erb-Dowling Meagan Hoffman Nicholas Maltese Ted Fifield Joan Porper Shannon Harrell Alison Rivera Mallory Mason Nikki Matarazzo Alex Zablan Michelle Linicus Rob Bass Juliann Chacko Maria Grice Jenna Hancock Alyssa Griffo Mike McGowan Tina Boccialetti Bryan O'Neill Christine Raffone Scott Cameron Mary Clark
1 2 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 9 9 9 10 14 16 18 19 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 31
Avon New Haven Middletown Westbrook Admin Plainville Admin & Middletown West Hartford Westbrook Guilford Watertown Admin Orange Naugatuck Admin Wallingford Orange New London Admin Orange Southbury New London East Hampton Windsor Admin New Milford New Haven Westbrook New Haven
ANNIVERSARIES Abru Santhosh Alex Zablan Jessica Fontaine Nicholas Maltese Nikki Matarazzo
PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide
Newington Orange Watertown Guilford Wallingford
EMPLOYEE NEWS
NEW EMPLOYEES Welcome to PTSMC. We’re so happy to have you!
Welcome back!
Meghan Blanusa, PT Naugatuck Former PT Aide Guilford
Rachel Bernard, PT Aide East Hampton
From left to right: Matilda Comaskey, PT Aide New Milford Julia Bedini, PT Aide Orange Megan Holt, PT Aide Essex
Grace Martin, PT Aide Wallingford
Dave Lawrence, Information Systems Coordinator
uglyisweater contest Get ready for our 3rd Annual Ugly Sweater Contest! Dress your best (or worst) and Facebook will vote for their favorite groups’ attire. An email will be going out soon with more details. Pictured is last year’s winner: Guilford.
Molly Killeen, PSC Watertown married Mike Deel on Saturday, November 16, 2019. Pictured left to right: Jen Catuccio (PT Aide Watertown), Jenna Bouffard (ATC Watertown), Derek Marinaro (former PT Aide Watertown), Molly Killeen, Liz Walton (PSC Naugatuck), Kate Carson (PSA Watertown), and Kate’s husband Eric.
Congratulations to Sandy Wickman Mason, Vice President of Operations, who coached Granby High School’s Field Hockey Team to a State Tournmanet win! Some of the PTSMC family was there to support her. Pictured is: Jim Hungerford, Sandy Wickman Mason, Alan Balavender, Mallory Mason, and Mike Durand.
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES Patient Services Coordinator Guilford
Patient Services Administrator Guilford
Physical Therapist Middletown
Part Time Office Assistant Admin
Practice Liaison Admin - will cover the west and southwest region
Physical Therapy Aide Westbrook Wethersfield Windsor
Check PTSMC.com for our most up to date postings and feel free to share! Call Jenn or email at jenn.detlefsen@ptsmc.com if you are interested in a PT Aide position. Call Karen or email at karen.havlicek@ptsmc.com if you are interested in a position other than PT Aide.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PROMOTIONS TO PSA! Ashley Figueiredo - PSA New Milford Ashley essentially opened the doorsto PTSMC New Milford with partner Bryan O’Neill in February 2017. A local to the New Milford community Ashley provided the hometown perspective as the New Milford clinic grew. In just two and a half years, the practice has three full time clinicians and is continuing to grow. Bryan O’Neill commented, “Ashley brings an amazing customer-centric approach to her role and is an integral piece in our success in New Milford. She has continued to develop in her role and I look forward to her continued contributions in New Milford.” Ashley attended NVCC then transferred and graduated from WCSU with a bachelor’s in psychology. In her free time, she enjoys snuggling with her dog and reading a good book. She also enjoy exploring and traveling to new places, most recently to Ireland (see photo!). She is excited about her new role as it will allow her to have a more prominent part in the growth of the clinic and play a more active role for the company. Jacky Severance - PSA Middletown Jacky joined PTSMC Middletown just 8 short months ago. She brought with her over-the-top customer service skills from being a restaurant owner (The Loose Goose Café in Amherst, MA) and most recently working in the medical field. The timing was perfect for partner Mike Antunes. “Jacky started and dazzled our patients with her extraordinary warmth and compassion. She reached out to many community businesses to promote us; she even had a PTSMC business display table at our local bank! We are lucky to have her in Middletown and we are excited for her continued growth as well as the clinic’s.” In her free time, Jacky spends time with her “absolutely brilliant, incredible, loving” 21 year old daughter who also happens to be her best friend in the world. She is looking forward to continuing to help grow this vibrant, energetic clinic with Mike and their amazing team. She is looking forward to working with Marianna Nasiakos in the front. A former patient in Newington, Jacky received PT with Alyssa Griffo long before she worked at PTSMC. Marianna was her PT Aide. Jacky believes she and Marianna make a great team with wonderful communication and respect. She loves the culture at PTSMC and is grateful to be a part of it. Kara Larson - PSA Essex Kara joined PTSMC Essex in January as part of the acquisition of Shoreline Orthopedics PT practice. She had been in her front office receptionist position for just over a year. The transition of systems is always tedious and difficult, yet Kara made the process so much better with her incredible work ethic, attention to detail and upbeat attitude. She has continued to bring those qualities to her role at PTSMC. When asked about Kara’s promotion, director Craig Katko stated, “Kara has been a right arm for me, overseeing our front desk operations, delivering and role modeling amazing customer service to our patients and maintaining composure and professionalism for our entire Essex team. I know I speak for myself and the staff that we are excited for Kara’s promotion and her continued influence on our office ops.” Kara grew up in Chester, and loves to spend time outside of work with friends, family and volunteering for Homeward Bound CT, a non-profit dog rescue organization. She views becoming a PSA as an exciting new learning experience, which will allow her to continue to grow professionally. Kara said that it’s been a pleasure working in the PTSMC community and she looks forward this her new role.
Techy Tips By Dave Lawrence, Information Systems Coordinator
Intrusion prevention and safeguards are needed in our work environment to secure our patient information and protect PTSMC as a whole. Our open clinic environment lends itself to a warm, friendly space where everyone tends to know everyone. It is critically important to protect our patients’ information that our clinicians may have open in WebPT. The following is an easy to step to take when you “step” away from your device. A tip to maintain our patients’ privacy: Lock your device if you are not next to it. This helps to prevent unauthorized personnel to view ePHI on a patient. You can lock your device by pressing the following key combination: “CTRL+ALT+DEL” on your keyboard and then clicking “Lock Computer.” To regain access, password back onto your device.
Mindset is what separates the best from the rest.
PTSMC Happenings
- OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THIS MONTH Sunday, November 8th at 10 am New Haven at Christopher Martin’s Christmas Run for Children WELLNESS MEET UP! Monday, December 9th at 6 pm Kathryn Flodquist presenting to the Waterbury YMCA Tri Club about recovering in the off-season Thursday, December 12th at 11am Ann Hall and Kelley Cahill presenting “Watch Your Step” at the Valley Shore YMCA
Waterbury held a coat drive and brought the donated items to the Salvation Army. Pictured are Stevie Fell and Carol Corbo.
Tom Kassan, West Hartford Partner & Director, and Ally Condo, Community Development Coordinator Hartford Region, attended the Helping Heroes event in Hartford.
Mary Clark, New Haven PT, gave a presentation on pelvic floor health at the Well for Women, a wellness center for women in New Haven.
Rebecca Petrosino Fairfield Partner & Director, spoke at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers High School Career Fair.
Christine Boyd and Lauren Peladeau, Groton PT Aide and PT, attended a Girls on the Run event in Waterford.
SoCIAl Media Sensation Stevie Fell, PSC Waterbury
Stevie sent in multiple photos this month of Waterbury happenings, including this photo of the Waterbury team’s going away party for their student Miranda.
Thursday, December 12th at 6 pm West Hartford at Wine, Women, Wellness Event Saturday, December 21st at 12 pm Newington at Destress for the Holidays event at Newington Library
Newington sponsored and attended the Chamber of Commerce’s Silent Auction.
Employee Spotlight
Kasey Adinolfi, Partner & Director of Wethersfield, is this month’s Employee Spotlight! Get to know Kasey and check out the new Wethersfield clinic at www.ptsmc.com/videos.
Life Beat
Holiday Cheer Take the Stage Need a new way to celebrate the holidays with your family and friends? Entertain the kids and relatives? How about a night at the theater! Connecticut hosts a number of shows from traditional ballets, to musical performances, funny spins on your favorite stories, and spooky but heartwarming Christmas tales brought to life. Here are a few coming to a stage near you:
#GETMOVING
Holiday Edition #GetMoving is back and better than ever- holiday style! Put on your most festive gear and prepare to get active. Between the parties, food, spirits and sweets, your health might end up feeling less than cheery and bright. If you commit to a goal or challenge, you will sleigh the 2019 holidays. #GetMoving is a company-wide, social-media based initiative to inspire physical activity and well-being through friendly & fun competition. The challenge is simple: be active 3 days a week for 30 minutes, over 3 weeks.
WELLNESS MEET UP Christopher Martin’s Christmas Run for Children 5k in New Haven December 8th Meet at 10 am at the PTSMC tent If you run, walk, are at the PTSMC tent, or simply come out to support, you will earn 50 bonus points! To sign up use this link: https://www.jbsports.com/christopher-martins-5k
We’re changing the game for the Holiday Edition, so read carefully below: 1) The challenge runs for 3 weeks: Monday, Dec. 2nd through Sunday, Dec. 22nd A Pentatonix Christmas 2019 Tour Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville - Dec 8 only! Grammy Award winning, world touring acapella group Tickets: https://mohegansun.com/poi/venues/mohegan-sun-arena.html The Nutcracker, presented by the Eastern Connecticut Ballet The Garde Arts Center, New London - December 14 & 15 only! The beloved & traditional Nutcracker ballet featuring New York City Ballet stars Tickets: https://gardearts.org/events/the-nutcracker/ The Nutcracker Suite & Spicy The Aetna Theater at The Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford - Dec 20-22 only! Fusing ballet, modern, ballroom, tap, jazz, and hip hop with a sense of humor to create a unique show that is fun and accessible for audiences of all ages Tickets: https://www.eventbee.com/v/connetic-dances-nutcracker-suite-spicy-10th-anniversariy-2019/event?eid=115888924#/tic kets A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas The Hartford Stage, Hartford - Nov 29 – Dec 28 The magic of Charles Dickens’ heartwarming classic returns for its 22nd season. Go see Connecticut’s favorite family holiday tradition and spend some time with Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. (Smoke effects, strobes, and scary ghosts- Recommended ages 8+) Tickets: https://www.hartfordstage.org/christmas-carol/ A Connecticut Christmas Carol 2019 The Terris Theater, Chester - Dec 4 – 28 Local heroes Mark Twain, P.T. Barnum and Benedict Arnold make spirited visits to Scrooge in a highly theatrical twist on a family favorite. A tuneful, heartfelt confection spiced with plenty of Nutmeg State flavor. Tickets: https://www.goodspeed.org/shows/a-connecticut-christmas-carol-2019
Each DAY you work out for at least 30 min, you will earn 10 points. To earn those points, you must submit a photo via email or post one on social media. Multiple submissions or posts per day will not earn you additional points - this challenge is about the number of DAYS you can get active. Social media users can post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag @ptsmc. Use “#GetMoving” in your post or story. Be sure to tag us or we won’t see it! If you don’t use social media, email your weekly activities to wellness@ptsmc.com with pictures from each activity attached. 2) You can earn BONUS POINTS by participating in the following activities: • Weekly Workout - The PTSMC Wellness Program (PWP) will send out the WW each Monday. If you do the WW as 1 of your 3 activities that week, then you will receive 5 bonus points (No, you will not be awarded extra for doing it more than once). Be sure to indicate “WW” in your post or email so we know! • Wellness Meet Up - Attend the Wellness Meet Up and get 50 bonus points! 3) Prizes will be awarded based on 3 tiers of points. The more points you earn, the better the prize you will receive. 4) Clinic Challenges are back! The PWP will send out 2 challenges, and clinics will compete to see who can master each task. Remember to have fun with it - everyone LOVED the videos from Spring #GetMoving, so we can’t wait to see your Clinic Challenge videos! Email wellness@ptsmc.com by December 2nd to sign up!
Get Your Health Back on Track this New Year! Kristen Ludwig, Registered Dietian and Certified Personal Trainer, PTSMC Avon, is offering FLAG: Food & Lifestyle Accountabilitiy Group. It’s a 6-week, online program to help you learn healthy, long-term habits with professional guidance, weekly challenges, and healthy recipes. THERE’S MORE: If you sign up for FLAG and 8 Personal Training Sessions, you’ll get $100 off! Visit www.ptsmc.com/FLAG to sign up or email Kristen at Kristen.Ludwig@ptsmc.com. Payroll deductions are available!
Y A D I L HO S E P I C RE Cranberry-Orange Glazed Meatballs
Meatballs - you can either buy frozen or make your own! 4 lbs Ground beef for meatballs 4 Slices White Bread (pulse in blender or food processor to make soft crumbs) 4 tbs Lawry’s Beef Seasoning 2 Eggs Combine ingedients and roll into 1” size meatballs and bake at 350 on foil-lined baking sheet. Cranberry-Orange Glaze Sauce 2 14oz cans Cranberry Sauce 3 Cups Sweet Baby Ray’s “Original” BBQ Sauce 1 Cup Orange Juice 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar Combine the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer on low heat, stirring occassionally. Add meatballs and simmer until sauce slightly thickens, approximately 30 min, or you can transfer to a slow cooker and simmer on low. Joan Porper, Director of Payer Relations - This is one of my favorite recipes that co-workers, friends, and neighbors always ask me to make!
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions) 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1 quart chicken stock or water Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes. In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold. Danica Sadowski, Community Development Coordinator and PT Aide New Milford - I love this soup because it’s so nice to have soup when it’s cold out!
Emeril’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 cup creamy all natural peanut butter ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup packed light brown sugar ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 large egg beaten 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. In large bowl, combine all the ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Divide dough into 24 portions, about 1 heaping teaspoon each. Roll each portion into a ball shape. Place each dough ball, 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a fork, press dough in two directions to form a crosshatch pattern. Bake cookies until puffed and lightly golden, 10-12 mins, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet. Janet Tarasuk, Practice Liaison
Cinnamon French Toast Bake 1/4 Cup Butter, Melted 2 Cans (12.4 oz each) Pillsbury Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls 6 Eggs 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon 2 Teaspoons Vanilla 1 Cup Chopped Pecans 1 Cup Maple Syrup Heat oven to 375 F. Pour melted butter into ungreased 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Separate both cans of dough into 16 rolls, set icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 pieces; place pieces overb utter in dish. In medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in cream, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended; gently pour over roll pieces. Sprinkle with pecans; drizzle with 1 cup syrup. Bake 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove covers from icing; microwave on medium 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle icing over top; sprikle with powdered sugar. If desired, spoon syrup from dish over individual servings. Serve with the additional 1/2 cup maple syrup. Heather Feiner, Community Development Coordinator Shoreline - This breakfast/brunch recipe is a favorite every time I make it. It is super easy to assemble the morning of a holiday and its always a big hit. My son’s ask for it anytime we have company and its so rich you don’t need to eat a lot to enjoy it.
PTSMC’sY HOLIDA RECIPES Buche de Noel Chocolate Cake 6 Egg Yolks 3/4 Cup Sugar 5 Egg Whites 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract Pinch Salt
Chocolate Ganache 6 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Pinch Salt
Coffee Mascarpone 12 Ounces Mascarpone 6 Tablespoons Confectioner’s Sugar 2 Teaspoons Instant Coffee or Espresso 1 Vanilla Bean Pinch Salt To make the cake: Preheat oven to 375 F and line a 9 inch by 13 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease the paper. Lightly dust a clean kitchen cloth with cocoa powder. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the yolks with half of the sugar on high until the mixture is pale and very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla, then the cocoa powder. Wash and dry the bow and whisk, then beat the egg whites on medium high until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add the rest of the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the egg yolks to lighten everything up. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and bake until the cake springs back and is dry to the touch, 10-15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then turn it out onto the cocoa-dusted kitchen cloth. Gently roll the cake, towel and all, into a long cylinder. Let the cake cool completely in the towel while you prepare the ganache and filling. To prepare the ganache: Add the chocolate, butter, and salt to a bowl. Heat the heavy cream to a bare simmer, then add it to the chocolate. Stir until smooth and let sit at room temperature until it cools to a spreadable consistency. To prepare the filling: Heat the cream to a bare simmer and turn off the heat. Add the sugar, salt, vanilla bean, and instant coffe. Stir and let steep for 20 minutes. Add to the room temperature mascarpone and stir to combine. To assemble the cake: Gently unroll the cake/towel. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the top and use the towel to help roll the cake into a tight cylinder. Cut a 2- to 3- inch piece off one end at a diagonal to use as a stump. Gently move the cake to a parchment-lined baking sheet or serving platter. Use the cooled ganache to attach the stump to the log. Then slather the ganache on the rest of the cake. Danielle Butsch, Practice Liaison and PT Middletown - I make a buche de Noel ever year. I love to bake, and this recipe is so much fun!
Holiday Cosmopolitan 1/2 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup white cranberry-peach juice 1 ounce triple sec 1/2 ounce vodka Shake with ice
Pour into a glass rimmed with lime juice, corn syrup, and flaked coconut. Christine Raffone, PSA New Haven - This Christmas cocktail makes that holidays that much better!
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
2 Italian sweet sausages (about pound) ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional) ¼ cup finely minced yellow onion 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced Olive oil, as needed ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup chopped black olives, preferably imported 1/3 cup thick Béchamel Sauce (see below for recipe) Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 12 large white mushrooms Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to taste Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the sausage meat from the casings and crumble into a small skillet. Sauté over low heat, stirring often, until the meat is thoroughly done. Season with the fennel seeds and, if desired, the red pepper flakes. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic in the rendered fat over low heat, adding a little olive oil if necessary, until tender and golden, about 25 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley, then add to the reserved sausage meat. Stir the olives and béchamel into the sausage mixture; combine thoroughly. Taste the mixture, and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the mushroom stems and save for another use. Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp cloth and season lightly with salt and pepper. Fill each cap generously with the stuffing. Arrange the caps stuffed side up in a lightly oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the tops of the stuffing with the cheese. Bake, until bubbling and well browned, about 15 minutes. Let settle for 5 minutes before serving. Béchamel Sauce 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 2 cups milk Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook gently, stirring almost constantly, for 5 minutes. Do not let the flour and butter brown at all. Meanwhile, bring the milk to a boil. When the milk reaches a boil, remove the butter and flour mixture from the heat and pour in the boiling milk all at once. As the mixture boils and bubbles beat it vigorously with a wire whisk. When the bubbling stops, return the pan to medium heat and bring the béchamel to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Use at once, or scrape into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Note: For thinner sauce, use 3 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with the same amount of milk. Erin Walsh, Partner & Director Waterbury
Crockpot Lentil Soup
For the crockpot: 2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed) 2 cups carrots (peeled and sliced) 2 cups potatoes (chopped) 2 cups celery (chopped) 1 cup green lentils 3/4 cup yellow split peas (or just use more lentils) 1 onion (chopped) 5 cloves garlic (minced) 8–10 cups vegetable or chicken broth 2 teaspoons herbs de provence 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste) add at the end: 2–3 cups kale (stems removed, chopped) 1 cup parsley (chopped) 1/2 cup olive oil Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Place about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking. Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and parsley. Turn the heat off and just let everything chill out for a bit before serving. The taste gets better with time and so does the texture! Colleen Menard, PT New Milford
Tourtière
Pastry 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2/3 cup butter or lard 6-7 tablespoons cold water Filling 1 pound ground pork 1 pound ground beef 1 small onion finely chopped 1 clove garlic finely minced 2 large potatoes 1/2 teaspoon Bells poultry seasoning or your favorite poultry seasoning 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 egg scrambled for glazing Prepare the Pastry In a large bowl, combine flour with the salt. Cut in butter or lard until mixture is a roughly even crumbly texture. Add water and blend just until dough comes together. Shape into a rough disc, wrap and chill in the refrigerator. While pastry is chilling, prepare filling. Prepare the Filling Cook potatoes in a pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2-cup of potato water and drain the rest. Mash potatoes and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the onion, garlic beef and pork over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Combine the seasonings in a small bowl and add to the meat mixture in the skillet. Add the reserved potato water. Mix in well and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from heat, stir in mashed potatoes, and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half and flatten one ball of dough with your hands. Roll dough to about 12-inches in diameter to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Place the pastry into the pie plate and add the meat filling. Brush around the outer edge of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the top pastry and place on top of the filling. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust and pinch or flute the edges. Brush with egg wash and cut vent holes. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove the tourtière from oven and let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Yield: Makes 1 pie, about 8 servings. Peter Decoteau, Director of Marketing - My grandmother, Memere Jacques, makes this classic French Canadian meat pie, called a “Tourtiere Pie," every year for me and my siblings for the holidays. No, not to eat as a holiday dinner - she actually makes a pie for each of us, freezes them, and gives them as gifts! I can’t share the official old family recipe because that’s on lock down, but any Tourtiere Pie is better than no Tourtiere Pie.
Peanut Brittle
2 Cups Granulated Sugar 1 Cup Corn Syrup 1/2 Cup Water 1/2 Teaspoon Salt 1/2 Cup Butter, Cubed 2 1/2 Cups Unsalted, Roasted Peanuts 1 Tablespoon Vanilla 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a siplat mat, or butter it well. In a large, heavy bottomed pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occassionally. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the temperature reaches 280 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Add the butter and peanuts and continue to cook, stirring constantly another 7-10 minutes until the temperature reaches 300 degrees F. When the candy reaches 300 degrees F, immediately remove from heat and add the baking soda and vanilla, stirring vigorously to combine. Immediately pour the hot brittle mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, then tilt and jiggle the sheet to help it spread covering the entire pan from corner to corner. Let the peanut brittle set until completely hard then use a mallet or back of a spoon to crack the brittle into chunks or bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight contained for up to 1 week. Rachel Bellone, PSC Wethersfield - Every year, among other baked goods, I would make this peanut brittle with my mom. She taught me from a young age to give thanks and spread joy to people around me. We would make enough goodies for the office staff and every teacher I had that year and years prior. Once all our preparation was done (about a weeks worth of baking that looking back I realize my mom did most of), she would take me to school early so I could go into each classroom and hand out my treats. It’s a great memory I hope to pass down to my children some day.
Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
1 cup soy milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably high-quality cocoa powder, like Valrhona) 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3/4 tablespoon salt 2 cups granulated sugar 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup canola oil 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan with margarine or oil and flour. In a small bowl, whisk together soy milk and lemon juice/apple cider vinegar. Allow mixture to rest for at least 5 minutes or until thick. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well mixed. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar, maple syrup, canola oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and beat again until smooth. Add the flour mixture and soy milk mixture in several additions until all ingredients have been added, alternating between the flour mixture and soy milk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes then remove the cake from pan and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, top the cake with a vegan ganache. Emily Fillion, Marketing Coordinator - I love this cake, because it tastes even better than a regular cake.