Valentine’s Day is coming up which means that many couples are making reservations for their favorite restaurant. Although the crumbs on the floor and the occasional sticky table might add to the “homey” atmosphere of your preferred mom and pop diner, you should think twice about what the kitchen might look like if the dining area is so filthy. You like the relaxed nature of the employees that shows when they prefer to handle your food without gloves; however, you should also consider how many “relaxed” food handlers tend to disregard those “Employees Must Wash Hands” signs hanging in the restrooms. Hopefully, you are trying to help your significant other remember this special night for how much you love them, not for how upset their digestive system feels. Here are some suggestions to help make your dining experience safer and more enjoyable:

• Take note of the dining area and restrooms. If they do not meet cleanliness standards, it’s probably a good sign that the kitchen is also in need of more than just a light dusting. You might consider eating elsewhere for your own safety.
• Only eat foods that are served to you hot. If the food is served to you at a lukewarm temperature, chances are that it was left sitting for too long and has allowed harmful bacteria to multiply.
• Make sure the staff does not touch your food or the tips of your silverware with their bare hands. It’s probably not a good idea to let them sample your drink either.
• Be wary of meat, eggs, oysters, or other raw foods that are undercooked.
• Wash your hands properly before and after eating.

And what about the doggie bag? If you and your loved one know that you will not be back home to refrigerate your leftovers within the next two hours, leave your food remains behind (even if it makes starving children in other countries cry.) If your leftovers do make it home, make sure that you reheat the goods to at least 165 degrees F. With leftovers, always keep the “Temperature Danger Zone” in mind–the range of temperature that bacteria thrives in, usually falling between 40 and 140 degrees F. Make sure to keep your food above or below this range.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

–Madelyn Tucker

Sources: NSF.org, FDA.gov

Red lobster is a favorite of many, but often overlooked as a meal during Santa’s favorite season. Consider switching it up a bit and providing a delicious meal that matches the colors of the season.

Purchase the lobster live at any local seafood restaurant or fish monger. Check to see that the lobster is active when it is picked up to ensure that it is relatively fresh and healthy. As soon as a lobster dies, the enzymes from its digestive system break its body down, so it is best to keep the lobster alive until cooking it. For those concerned about hurting the lobster, it has been discovered that lobsters show less signs of trauma if they are numbed by being put in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes prior to cooking.

The nice thing about lobster is that it is relatively easy to cook. A video of how to cook a lobster can be found here. When cooking lobster, the safety precautions should be familiar since they are similar to handling other meats. As usual, keep the kitchen free of any cross contamination by using a bleach water mix to sanitize anything that raw meat has touched. The internal temperature of the meat should reach 145ºF, and the flesh should be cooked until it looks “pearly and opaque,” according to the FDA. Never eat the meat raw. Follow these tips to avoid getting the food borne illness listeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes (a strain of bacteria frequently found in seafood that initiates around 1,850 illnesses annually).

Pregnant women who may be attending the lobster dinner can be assured that, according to the FDA, it is safe for them to eat up to 12 ounces per week of different types of seafood, including lobster. But be sure that they have consulted their doctors before eating lobster, though, just to be safe.

Splurging, overeating and indulging are unhealthy but enjoyable customs during the holidays. One needn’t be as concerned about the fat content of a lobster meal, however, because it is lower in fat per ounce than beef and pork. If lobster is not in the budget (especially since it is out of season in the winter), save these tips for later enjoyment! However, if serving lobster this holiday season is possible, it will tickle the fancy of those with whom you share the festivities.

–Julia Simmons, M.Ed., Home Economist

Sources: homecooking.about.com, FDA.gov, whatscookingamerica.net, idph.state.il.us

The Christmas Milk

An Original Poem by Timothy Snarr, Esq.

The orange that you put in the toe of the stocking,

Has a hole in the rind and, being smashed, it’s dropping,

Orange juice into the cup that is sitting,

On the mantle waiting for the Bearded One’s sipping.

And the heat, oh the heat, from the fire is warming,

That milk on the mantle with the juice which is forming,

A curdle from unknown origin and warning,

Combined with the goo from the stocking’s long storing.

All this, you don’t know, as you lie down to slumber,

Is the death trap for Santa you’ve laid with your blunder,

Santa likes milk tasting and sends it a whirling,

Looking for legs but sees only curd’ling.

But, try as he might, Santa cannot resist;

Addicted to obsessive milk drinking bliss.

And though the milk, ahem…curdle, might soon cause a thunder,

It’s Santa, don’t worry; his bowels are a wonder.

T’were you, with your bowels in humanoid fashion,

You’d double over in pain from drinking the ration.

And the knowledge you’d gain from downing the spoilage,

Is why the Great God put sink next to toilet.

His elfin magic saves him from the vomits,

And from fears of waking up kids in pajamas,

By thunderous reverberations of “cheer,”

He’s probably skipping your house next year.

If your goal is to take the breath away of your holiday dinner guests and leave them itching and gagging, you don’t need to read this article. Shortness of breath, itching, dizziness, and stomach discomfort, swelling and nausea are signs of food allergies. For some guests, avoiding allergic reactions can be as critical as life and death. To avoid these problems consider calling your guests and taking into consideration the food allergies of any expected guests. Organize a menu that accommodates all guests.

A cook who has given himself time to ascertain the needs of his guests gives himself extra time to look up special dishes within the parameters of guests’ palate and allergies. This might even include speaking to the companies that process meats, because though turkey may seem harmless to a gluten intolerant person, sometimes ingredients containing soy, wheat and even dairy are used to baste the turkey.

I recommend not making any dish with an item in it that a guest could have an allergic reaction to. This reduces the likelihood of an allergen lingering in the air, on serving utensils, on hands, or on the breath of anyone attending.

It might be tempting to just run to the store and buy an item that claims to be free of certain ingredients. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, food manufacturers only need to list food allergy items if they are a part of the ingredient used to make the dish. This means that there may not be any warning of possible cross contact!

If you are inviting over multiple families, it is best to do all of the cooking yourself, so that you can answer any food questions by guests and so that you can ensure their safety. This way you can also have ingredient labels handy, should anyone be curious. If certain guests insist on bringing something, you can have them bring non-food party items such as a video, decoration, poetry reading, music or packaged plastic ware.

With a little research and planning, you will help your guests avoid the problems associated with food allergies during the festivities at your home.

Here are some recipes you can use this holiday season for guests with common food allergies:

• Gluten-free Waffles for gluten allergy/intolerance (recipe calls for almond flour, eggs). 
• Shortbread Cookies for gluten allergy/intolerance, dairy allergy, nut allergy (recipe calls for eggs)
• Assorted allergen-free recipes

–Julia Simmons, M.Ed., Home Economist

Sources: allergicchild.com, MSN.com, foodallergies.about.com, mayoclinic.com,

It’s Christmas and you want to spend your precious days off in your pajamas wrapping presents and making cookies.  Nobody blames you for that!  But if you are the kind of person whose cookie dough never makes it to the oven because you opt for savoring every morsel raw rather than cooked, there might be a problem.  Then again, there might not.

When it comes to eating raw cookie dough, there seems to be a debate in the food safety world.  Some argue that you should not, under any circumstances, eat food that contains raw eggs because there is always a risk of Salmonella enteritidis, a strain of bacteria that causes foodborne illness which can sometimes become serious, especially for children, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, and the elderly who are highly susceptible because of their impairment of immune responses.

Others, however, think that because the chances of coming across an egg contaminated with Salmonella is so rare, you should be able to consume foods made with raw eggs freely, even if you are taking a chance.  To give you an idea of the risk you are taking, statistics show that “only 1 of every 20,000 eggs might contain the bacteria. So, the likelihood that an egg might contain [Salmonella] is extremely small – 0.005% (five one-thousandths of one percent).  At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years.”  And even if you do encounter an infected egg, you still might not even become sick.

So what does this mean?  Simply, it means make your choice.  If you are worried about Salmonella, simply refrigerate your eggs, cook them thoroughly when you use them, and don’t eat them raw.  If you’re up for the risk, eat away.  Just don’t blame me when you have a run-in with Salmonella enteritidis during your vacation—or in the next 84 years.

–Aubrey Pontious

This is me. Well not really, but you can imagine what it would be like if it was . . .

Sources: farmprogress.com, incredibleegg.org, plosone.org

Thanksgiving is over, and the leftovers are gone. It’s depressing. But who am I kidding?  Thoughts of Christmas sprang up as the last morsel of turkey hit my tongue. Even though December is still hours away, my mind already lingers fondly on fireplaces, It’s a Wonderful Life, and eggnog.

Although made-from-scratch eggnog may be one of those long-standing traditions you can’t do without, the fact is that this holiday treat is often made with uncooked eggs. And that is a definite concern. Yes, the eggs may look untainted, but don’t let their flawless shells fool you. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), “Even grade A eggs with clean, un-cracked shells can be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritis bacteria.”

But don’t worry! There is a quick and easy solution that will keep you safe: just cook the eggs. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me. This simple step will not only keep you far, far away from bacteria this Christmas, but it will also allow you to enjoy your eggnog without fear.

Try this safe and delicious recipe found on the USDA’s website:

Holiday Eggnog

Ingredients

• 1 quart of 2% milk
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
• ground nutmeg

Note: And no, a dash of rum won’t make it safe! Adding alcohol cannot be relied upon to kill bacteria.

Directions

1. Heat milk in large saucepan until hot (do not boil or scald).  While milk is heating, beat together eggs and salt in a large bowl, gradually adding the sugar.
2. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture while continually stirring.
3. Transfer the mixture back to the large saucepan and cook on medium-low heat.  Stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture thickens and just coats a spoon.  The food thermometer should register 160° F.  Stir in vanilla.
4. Cool quickly by setting pan in a bowl of ice water or cold water and stirring for about 10 minutes.
5. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.
6. Pour into a bowl or pitcher.  Fold in whipped cream.  Then dust with ground nutmeg and enjoy!

Calories: 135 per 1/2 cup

Cholesterol: 120 mg. per 1/2 cup

Yield: 2 quarts

Drink up!

-Aubrey Pontious

Photo Source

Source: FSIS.usda.gov

Via Certification Map – Teacher Credential & MAT@USC: Teacher Certification

Caroling with plates of goodies is a favorite tradition of many Americans during this holiday season. Benevolent folks load decorative plates with all kinds of delights to deliver to neighbors. It is a time when good-will brims as holiday treats are passed around.

Speaking of passing things around, you may not know that about one in fifteen Americans, per year, is infected by norovirus (you may have heard it called “the stomach flu.”).The FDA reports that the contraction of norovirus, as well as other highly contagious foodborne illnesses,  happens in a very short period of time and the chances of getting it increase when exposed to crowds common during holidays (think performances, school class parties, rest home visits, dinners, recitals, and vacations). Symptoms of norovirus infection include stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and some less distressful nuisances.

The weakened immune system of someone visited in a retirement center or elementary school may not be able to successfully fight off a foodborne illness like norovirus. So it pays to prepare holiday food with just as much care as a professional restaurant worker. Wash hands thoroughly with hot water and soap before and after touching food or utensils. Pay attention to cooking temperatures and transport both hot and cold items with extra care to avoid bringing food into the Temperature Danger Zone (41°-135° F) for too long.

Although the FDA has approved hand sanitizer to clean off hand germs in hospitals, substances that touch hands during cooking (water and some foods) interfere with the effectiveness of alcohol-based sanitizers. Using hot water and soap are required to wash hands appropriately, and gloves never replace frequent and thorough hand washing!

Washing hands before delivering treats both sweet and savory, ensures that sniffles, coughs, and bugs will not be as common as holiday carols, handshakes, and hugs.

-Julia Simmons, Home Economist, M.Ed.

Learn More: CDC.gov, FDA.gov

Photo Source

We’re completely aware that Thanksgiving has come and gone, but the blissful gluttony of delicious holiday delights has only just begun. If anything, Thanksgiving is a but a bookend to a smorgasbord that doesn’t end until after New Year’s. For some, however (namely the cooks), the holidays mean months of dreaded epicurean agony. Naturally, those in the kitchen lean towards preparing as much food as they can before big events. Though not all food stores well, there are a handful of dishes that do–even to the point of tasting better if prepared in advance: turkey gravy, pie, unbaked rolls, baked casseroles, stuffing, vegetable platters, salad dressings, and dips, just to name a few. But before jumping in and getting too excited about all the time you’ll save by preparing your food ahead of time, consider this list of Dos and Don’ts to keep your meal safe:

DOs:

1. Thoroughly clean your refrigerator and freezer.  This not only gives you the room you will need to store your delicious morsels, but it will also keep them from absorbing the smells and bacteria of a dirty cooling device. If you’re extra worried about smells, let a partially opened box of baking soda accompany your food just to be safe (the sodium bicarbonate in baking soda absorbs odors like a champ).
2. After preparing hot food, allow it to cool before placing it in the refrigerator or freezer.  Also, refrigerate or freeze food in shallow containers.
3. Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator—or, if you’re running low on time, in cold water.  Follow the USDA’s chart for turkey’s defrosting times.
4. Reheat all hot foods to a minimum of 165 degrees, including the center of the dish.
5. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold (140 degrees or above for hot foods; 40 degrees or below for cold foods).

DON’Ts:

1. Interrupt cooking.  Partially cooked foods cool to temperatures that bacteria thrive in.  Be safe by cooking foods completely the first time.
2. Overstuff your refrigerator or freezer.  Doing so will not only put your food at risk by heating up appliances’ internal temperature, which allows bacteria to grow, but it will waste energy by making your appliances work harder to maintain a cooler temperature.
3. Thaw food anywhere except in the refrigerator, cold water, or the microwave.
4. Let food sit out.  Bacteria starts growing in food only two hours after it is prepared.
5. Stress.  Following these basic rules will save you time and energy, which will in turn allow you to enjoy, with your guests, a day of blissful gluttony.

–Aubrey Pontious

Sources: thekitchn.com, dummies.com, FSIS.usda.gov, renewalblesathome.com

We love leftovers, hence the title of this post. But we know that it is better to have eaten once and thrown away than to never have loved (um, we mean eaten) at all. If you are going to do turkey sandwiches, soups, and casseroles this year, here’s what you need to know:

• Bacteria multiply invisibly, increasing up to 2 times their number every 20 minutes, especially when left in the Temperature Danger Zone (e.g. your counter). The acceptable amount of time for food to be left unrefrigerated is less than 2 hours; any longer and it should be thrown out.
• Proper care of leftovers begins right after the food is initially served. Home Economics classes all over the county counsel home cooks to use shallow, sealed dishes to store leftovers. This enables food to cool quickly once it is placed in the fridge.
• If the food is going to be saved for longer than just a few days, it is best to consult a food storage chart (available here), which gives standard lengths of time for refrigeration and freezing. For example, fresh, raw, and cooked eggs each have a different expiration date acknowledged on the chart.
• A great way to keep track of expiration dates of items kept in refrigeration is to date them with a permanent marker on a disposable bag or piece of tape affixed to the storage container. Date them with the date they are placed in storage as well as the last possible date the food can be used, according to the food storage chart.
• Once it’s time to take leftovers out of the freezer or refrigerator, food safety standards prompt a cook to re-heat food items until  there is steam coming off their surface or until they reach 165° F.
• When using your microwave to reheat items, first cover the food to allow the heat to disburse evenly, stir occasionally to reduce cold spots (which would more likely contain bacteria) and check the temperature of the food with a food thermometer to ensure the goal temperature of 165° F has been achieved.

Good luck to you all in love as well as sandwiches!

Julia Simmons, M.Ed., Home Economist contributed to this article.

Sources: FSIS.usda.gov Preparation, FSIS.usda.gov Be Food Safe, FDA.gov Downloads