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Are You Stuck In a Cooking Rut?

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , on January 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Are You Stuck in a Cooking Rut?

I usually like to cook. In fact, I would cook more often if someone else always did the cleanup. At times I can feel like I get stuck in a rut with lack of inspiration leading to the redundancy of the same few recipes. This boredom leads to ordering more takeout and delivery, which often costs more time and money and increases the consumption of less healthy food. If you are finding yourself “stuck in a rut” and lacking inspiration here are a few ideas to shake up your everyday food routine.

A bowl of cereal with berries and nuts

Breakfast
Let’s start with breakfast, do you always eat the same thing? I like having cereal but after a few days it can become monotonous, and I find myself skipping this important meal or grabbing something unhealthy on the way to work. Try adding hot or cold cereal to the routine; include berries or other fruit in your meal or even on your cereal. Did you know adding more protein to breakfast will help you feel fuller longer? Easy sources of protein include eggs, yogurt, or milk. If you are looking for vegetarian or vegan friendly options, you can add a dairy alternative milk, seeds or nuts to your cereal or breakfast smoothie, or beans to a breakfast burrito.

Lunch
Lunch time meal shake ups may depend on your situation and if you have access to kitchen equipment, including a microwave. Salads can be a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet and shake up your meal ideas. Check out this recipe for Mason jar burrito bowl salads, another idea is to plan for leftovers. For example, you can, cook a little more of a main dish at dinner to ensure leftovers for lunch. For changes to your sandwiches try a new ingredient, make it a wrap, or turn your sandwich into a salad. One of my favorite lunchtime meals is to utilize healthy snack items as my lunch, such as hummus with veggies and pita chips, a yogurt parfait with granola and fruit, or crackers with cheese and nuts.

A tablet with recipe

Dinner
One the best ways to change up your dinner routine is to find new recipes. If you search recipes online, you can quickly become overwhelmed with all the possibilities. To reduce the fatigue of shifting through millions of recipes look for certain main ingredients or protein or, try to stick to staple ingredients that you already have in your pantry. The Ohio State University SNAP-Ed team has a great recipe website with many easy, low-cost recipes, check them out at CelebrateYourPlate.org

Still need inspiration? You can also try these ideas:

  • Have a recipe swap with friends.
  • Refresh a traditional family recipe.
  • Try cooking once and eating twice.
  • Pick one or two new recipes to try per week and have your family vote on their favorites.
  • Involve the rest of the family by having them choose a new recipe (this is a great way to involve your kids in learning to cook).
  • Explore a cuisine from another culture.

Whatever you decide to do, remember making small changes can benefit both your health and your wallet.

Written By: Laura Halladay, NDTR, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Greene County

Reviewed By: Laura Stanton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Warren County

Sources:

Harvard Health. (2018, December 1). Extra protein at breakfast helps control hunger. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/extra-protein-at-breakfast-helps-control-hunger

Healthy meals: Low cost recipes. Celebrateyourplate. (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://celebrateyourplate.org/

Henneman, A. (2019, October 14). How to cook once and eat twice. UNL Food. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://food.unl.edu/how-cook-once-and-eat-twice

Oliver, V. (2020, December 8). Make a week’s worth of lunches with Burrito Bowl Mason jar salads. Make a week’s worth of lunches with Burrito Bowl Mason Jar Salads | UK Human Resources. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://www.uky.edu/hr/thrive/12-08-2020/make-week%E2%80%99s-worth-lunches-with-burrito-bowl-mason-jar-salads

Photo Credit:
Sarah Cervera via Unsplash – Breakfast bowl with berries, nuts, and grains.
Jeff Sheldon via Unsplash – Recipe displayed on tablet.

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Find Inspiration to Fight Cooking Fatigue

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , on December 17, 2020| Leave a Comment »

What’s for dinner?

an empty cutting board with a fork and knife

After months of living in a pandemic, does the thought of finding an answer to this ordinary question evoke feelings of panic, stress, or dread? If you answered with an emphatic “yes”, you’re not alone!

While we know there are many positive, lifelong health and social benefits associated with family meals, most families have found themselves eating at home together much more often this year than in pre-pandemic times, and the continuous effort required to plan, prepare and clean up meals can be exhausting. In a survey of over 2,000 Americans conducted earlier this year, 55% said that cooking at home has made them feel fatigued. Of those surveyed, the average respondent was cooking nine meals a week and had cooked the same meal 28 times since the start of the pandemic. Even those who reportedly enjoy cooking wish they could make a healthy meal more quickly!

If you can relate, here are a few ideas for overcoming cooking fatigue:

  • Solicit help. Delegate age-appropriate food preparation and clean-up tasks to other members of the household whenever possible.
  • Use convenience foods such as frozen vegetables and canned beans to cut preparation and clean-up time.
  • Ask friends and family members to share their favorite easy recipes. You could coordinate a holiday recipe exchange or start an email chain for recipe sharing.
  • Try something new and exciting! Take a trip around the world by trying various recipes from different countries, work your way through a new cookbook, or take the opportunity to get comfortable with a new appliance – something like an air fryer or an electric pressure cooker.
  • Build a collection of easy recipes that can be assembled from ingredients you might already have on hand. Food Hero and Celebrate Your Plate are my favorite websites for finding easy, budget-friendly recipes that feature fruits and vegetables. Many of the recipes on these sites are kid-friendly, too.

Do you have additional tips for overcoming cooking fatigue? If so, please comment below with your ideas!

Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Franklin County

Reviewed by: Margaret Jenkins, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Clermont County

Sources:

Family Meals Movement. Why Family Meals Matter? https://www.fmi.org/family-meals-movement/meals-matter

Sadlier, A. (2020). Americans experiencing cooking fatigue while stuck at home during the pandemic. SWNS Digital. https://www.swnsdigital.com/2020/08/many-americans-are-experiencing-cooking-fatigue-while-stuck-at-home-during-the-pandemic/

Schuster, E. (2020). Cooking Fatigue: How to Overcome It & Resources. Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://www.sneb.org/blog/2020/12/02/general/cooking-fatigue-how-to-overcome-it-resources/

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What to Do with a Monster Zucchini!

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , , , on August 13, 2020| 1 Comment »

If you are out and about at farmers markets this summer, don’t be afraid of the monster zucchini! Finding fresh and unique food for a bargain is always exciting.  This weekend at the market I found a zucchini the size of Texas for .50 cents!  I hesitated to buy it because I was taught that they “aren’t as tender and have more seeds.” But I wanted to find out for myself if this were true, plus I was really curious how many dishes I could make from one large zucchini.

Traditional harvesting instruction for zucchini says to pick when they are young and tender, bright green, about 6-8 inches long and with no signs of bruising or softness.

While experimenting with this monster zucchini I learned:

  1. The inside was not tough. The inside was very edible and tasted almost as good as smaller ones. However, it did have a giant seed pocket that I removed.
  2. Large zucchini have longer shelf lives.  While smaller zucchinis have skin that is softer, large zucchinis skin may be tougher (think of it like a pumpkin shell) to protect the flesh for a long time and allow it to continue to grow inside without getting soft quickly.  This tougher skin can help keep large zucchini fresh for at least a month after harvesting instead of 3-5 days. If you find that the skin is too tough to eat, just peel it! Then use the inside to cook and eat as you would normally.
  3. You can save the big seeds inside for planting next year. One large zucchini could have hundreds of seeds in it! Just like pumpkin seeds you just need to dry them out, then you can save them and plant next year…free food!
  • You can make baked goods with zucchini that can be frozen for later use.  Making zucchini bread is one of my favorite things to do to use up zucchini! If you need some inspiration, try this Zucchini Cheddar Bread recipe that won first place for quick breads at last year’s Ohio State Fair. If you don’t want to freeze baked bread, you can also grate and freeze zucchini, then thaw and use it to bake with later.
  • You can use large zucchini slices to make zucchini lasagna. Simply follow your regular lasagna recipes but use zucchini in place of lasagna noodles.  Cutting the zucchini lengthwise lends itself to the perfect lasagna “noodle” and softens as it cooks. How perfect is that! No mess with boiling a noodle first, and you get extra veggies in your meal. 

In the end, my .50 cent monster zucchini experiment paid off!   I made lasagna that served 10 nurses on my son’s cardiac unit, 2 loaves of zucchini bread, and baked zucchini rounds rolled in egg, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. PLUS, I even saved some of the big seeds to plant for next year!

Author: Shari Gallup, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Licking County

Reviewer: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Franklin County         

Sources:

University of Minnesota Extension (2018). Growing Summer Squash and Zucchini in Home Gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-summer-squash-and-zucchini-home-gardens#harvest-and-storage-341015

Homegrown & Healthy (2020). What to do with overgrown zucchini. https://homegrownandhealthy.com/what-to-do-with-overgrown-zucchini/

Ohio State University Extension (2015). Food Preservation: Freezing Vegetables. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-5333

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Kids in the Kitchen: It’s More Than Making a Mess

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 21, 2019| 1 Comment »

child cracking an egg
child helping cook

child helping cook
child cracking an egg

Recently I came across a statistic that startled me: Many youth today are up to two generations away from households where healthy food is prepared from fresh ingredients. We’re cooking and eating at home less and less. Only about 60% of dinners eaten at home are actually cooked there.

This makes food preparation and nutrition education important to our next generation’s health.  In order for youth to make informed, healthy decisions about their food, they need to have skills and knowledge about nutrition and food. Teaching kids to cook isn’t just passing on useful information they will use to feed themselves later on it also builds math, science, literacy and fine motor skills.

Dinner time is often one of the busiest times every day at my house. Teaching cooking skills and having nutrition discussions with my kids is on the back burner or forgotten in the chaos of the evening. Having a plan to pass on these skills can help make sharing them with your children and teens a priority.

Including your kids in meal planning is a good place to start.  Have children or youth choose a recipe that they are excited to try.  Help them make a list and shop for the ingredients at the store.  This teaches meal planning, a valuable lifelong skill and can build their enthusiasm for being in the kitchen.  As you grocery shop with your child consider explaining to them why you make some of the choices you do.  Talk to them about how and why to compare prices, use coupons or why you choose some brands and sizes over others.

Keep in mind cooking is a skill that increases with experience.  If a recipe with a lot of steps or ingredients feels intimidating for your new chef consider having them start with a side dish or a simple dessert.  Building confidence is part of gaining skills. Keep in mind that not every recipe may turn out successfully.  There’s growth and learning in failure too.  Talk with your child about what went wrong, and what could be done differently next time.

If your child isn’t ready to tackle a recipe on their own, invite them to join you in the cooking process by reading the recipe to you as you prepare food.  This involves them in part of the cooking process and teaches them how to read and follow a recipe.  As they learn to follow a recipe have them participate in other parts of the process such as gathering ingredients, being an assistant chef, setting the table or serving food.

Allow some space and time to play in the kitchen.  Some ideas might include: helping your child with a food science experiment, encouraging your child to create a food dish without a recipe, or experiment with different textures and taste combinations with some of your favorite recipes.

Keep in mind this process will be messy! However, it’s all part of the learning process and will get better with time.  Be prepared to talk about and demonstrate the skills you are wanting them to learn. The important thing to remember is to invite your kids in the kitchen with you in any way. Help them build a lifelong skill; it’s never too late to start.

Author: Alisha Barton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension – Miami County, barton.345@osu.edu

Reviewed By: Amanda Bohlen, Family and Consumer Science Educator, Ohio State University Extension- Washington County, bohlen.19@osu.edu

Sources:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2015). Teaching Kids to Cook. https://www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety/four-steps/cook/teaching-kids-to-cook

Center for Nutrition Studies (2017). Cooking at Every Age, Why Kids Should Learn to Cook. https://nutritionstudies.org/cooking-at-every-age-why-kids-should-learn-to-cook/

eXtension (2017).Cooking with Kids in Schools: Why it is Important. https://www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety/four-steps/cook/teaching-kids-to-cook

 

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Grilling Safety

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , , , on June 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »

When talking about grilling safety, I usually think about food safety – cooking foods to safe temperatures to prevent food borne illness, proper handling before and after cooking, etc.  However, two weeks ago, I stepped out onto my patio when I noticed a large cloud of smoke in the sky. As I looked around, I watched as a home in my neighborhood went up in flames. The quickness and intensity of the fire was overwhelming.  

Luckily, no one was hurt, but the brand new home that the family had only lived in two months, was a total loss.

The cause of this fire?  Grilling in the garage!  I’ve seen people pull their grill into the garage to avoid rain drops but I don’t think anyone in our neighborhood will ever do that again. This gave a new meaning to me for the term grilling safety.

How can you protect your family from this type of loss?

The National Fire Prevention Association provides a great fact sheet with safety tips when grilling. 

Tips from them and others include: 

·         All BBQ grills should be used only outdoors.

·         The grill should not be placed near any part of the home, deck railings. Place it at least 10 feet from any structure.

·         Never grill inside a garage or carport.

·         Keep it clear of eaves and overhanging branches from nearby trees.

·         Keep the grill clean – remove grease buildup from the grills and trays below the grills.

·         Never leave your grill unattended.

·         Do not attempt to move a hot grill.  

There are also safety tips specific to the type of grill you are using. 

·         For a gas grill, check the gas tank for leaks before using it for the first time each year.

·         Always make sure the lid is open before lighting it.

·         For charcoal grills, use care when starting the coals. If using starter fluid, use only one made specifically for lighting charcoal.

·         Keep the lighter fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.

·         When you finish grilling, cool the coals completely before safely disposing of them in a metal container. 

In addition to these tips, it is a good idea to keep a spray bottle of water close and also a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it! A fire can grow quickly and you won’t have time to read instructions if that happens.  

I really enjoy grilling out  in the summer with family and friends. I know that I will not forget these safety tips and hope that you keep them in mind the next time you fire up your grill. 

Sources: 

Grilling Safety, National Fire Prevention Association. (2016) https://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/Grilling_safety_Tips.ashx 

AgriLife Extension experts offer tips on grilling, food safety (July 2016), https://today.agrilife.org/2016/07/25/agrilife-extension-experts-offer-tips-on-grilling-food-safety/ 

Tips for summer grilling safety, (2015) http://www.dasnr.okstate.edu/news/2015/tips-for-summer-grilling-safety 

Author:  Marilyn Rabe, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County, rabe.9@osu.edu 

Reviewer: Michelle Treber, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County, treber.1@osu.edu 

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Do You Need to Change Your Oil?

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , on September 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

 

 

oil

If you’re confused by all of the healthy cooking oils in the supermarket, don’t be. From almond to walnut, today’s cooking oils offer benefits as well as disadvantages. Just be sure to read the label, check the price, and be willing to experiment. Here’s a primer on the hottest new cooking oils available on store shelves:

 

 

 

  • Almond oil – available in both refined and unrefined formulas, almond oil is made by expeller pressing ground almonds. It has a light, mildly sweet flavor with buttery undertones. The smoke point is 420 degrees so the best uses for almond oil are for stir-frying or roasting. Smoke point is the temperature at which the oil starts to decompose and begins to smoke as if it were burning.
  • Avocado oil – also available as refined or unrefined. Avocado oil is made by grinding and then pressing avocadoes. It has a rich, full flavor and with a smoke point of 520, it is good for grilling on high-heat and roasting or frying. Avocado oil may be used as a salad dressing, as a dip for bread or in pesto.
  • Coconut oil – is white and solid at room temperature but is clear when heated. High in saturated fat content, it should be used sparingly like any other saturated fat until more is known. Coconut oil is creamy and has a buttery flavor. It works great in stir-frying, as a spread or in baked goods.
  • Flaxseed oil – is made by crushing brown flaxseeds which removes the healthy lignans during processing. These may be added back to the final product by some manufacturers. Flaxseed oil is high in alpha linoleic acid and has a warm and nutty flavor. Not really a cooking oil since it should not be heated, flaxseed oil can be used with grains or tossed with salads or cooked vegetables. Flaxseed oil should be refrigerated to extend the shelf life.
  • Sesame oil – is made from extracting or expeller pressing the oil from sesame seeds. Rich in antioxidants, sesame oil has a light and nutty taste. Toasted sesame oil works well with light sauces, salads, or grains such as rice. The smoke point for sesame oil is 410 degrees.
  • Walnut oil – made from dried and pressed walnuts, it contains omega-3 fatty acids. It has a nutty flavor with earth tones and is good in vegetables or cream soups. Smoke point is 400 degrees. Walnut oil must be refrigerated.

Using a new oil can totally change the flavor of a dish and add a new dimension to your family meals. Experiment with smaller bottles until you know if you like the qualities, taste and texture of the new oil. Don’t be afraid to try something new; there’s more to cooking than using vegetable or canola oil!

Source(s): Delicious Living, April, 2015; Cleveland Clinic Heart Healthy Cooking Oils 101, October, 2015; WebMD Healthy Cooking Oils Buyer’s Guide.

Author: Jennifer Even, FCS/EFNEP Educator, OSU Extension, Hamilton County. Reviewed by Cheryl Barber Spires, Program Specialist, OSU Extension.

 

 

 

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Bake for Family Fun

Posted in Healthy People, Healthy Relationships, tagged , on February 16, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The Home Baking Association pronounced February as ‘Bake for Family Fun Month.’ That sounds like a good way to observe the month because when I am snowed in with my family, my children love to bake something yummy. Baking together offers an opportunity to (1) spend quality time together, (2) teach children baking skills, and (3) pass along a favorite family recipe. So how can we enjoy that time with our kids and bake something that is good for us? There are changes you can make to traditional recipes to make them healthier. One of my favorite family recipes, bran muffins, calls for all-purpose flour, but I substitute whole wheat flour for half of the flour requirement to “up” the nutritional value and fiber content.

mother and daughter cooking

The American Heart Association recommends these substitutions to reduce fat and cholesterol content in recipes:

  • In place of whole milk, use fat-free or low-fat milk, plush 1 T. of liquid vegetable oil per cup of milk.
  • In place of heavy cream, use evaporated skim milk or ½ low-fat yogurt and ½ plain low-fat unsalted cottage cheese.
  • Instead of sour cream, try low-fat unsalted cottage cheese and low-fat or fat-free yogurt; or use fat-free sour cream.
  • In place of cream cheese, use 4 T. soft margarine blended with 1 cup dry, unsalted low-fat cottage cheese (add small amount of fat-free milk if needed).
  • Instead of butter, try soft margarine or liquid vegetable oil.
  • In place of 1 egg, substitute 2 egg whites or ¼ cup commercially prepared cholesterol-free egg substitute.
  • Instead of unsweetened baking chocolate, use unsweetened cocoa powder with vegetable oil or soft margarine.

For a list of other ideas for recipe substitutions, see OSU Extension’s fact sheet, “How to Modify a Recipe to Be Healthier.”

Maybe instead of modifying an old recipe, you’d like to try something new. The following websites have healthy recipes available:

American Heart Association

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Iowa State University Extension

If you would like to know more about baking with children, the Home Baking Association offers these tips for success:

  • Allow time.
  • Always wash hands and countertops before starting and clean up “as you go.”
  • Stay safe! Have an adult show how to do age-appropriate baking/cooking tasks.
  • Before you start: All bakers read the recipe top to bottom.
  • Gather all the ingredients and equipment.
  • Use the right tools.

Whatever you decide to bake in your kitchen as a family, you can have some fun and be healthy at the same time.

Written by: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County

Reviewed by: Donna Green, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Erie County

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How to have an EGG-cellent Easter

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , on March 14, 2013| Leave a Comment »

ImageWe have waited patiently all winter long and spring is ALMOST here!  There is anticipation for the birds returning from the south to greet us with a song, a warm breeze through the green grass, and a positive feeling is in the air.  Along with spring comes the first holiday of the season – Easter.

If we were playing Family Feud and were asked to list our top five responses to things associated with Easter, eggs would definitely be one.  There are so many things we can do with eggs at Easter time.  They can be hard boiled or the center blown out.  They can be dyed, glittered, stenciled, and stickered.  They can be used as a decoration, put in baskets, or used in an Easter egg hunt. 

 What I am most interested in is egg safety at all stages of the Easter egg process.

We are going to buy a dozen eggs to get ready for decorating and want to be sure and keep them safe. How do we ensure egg safety during the holidays?  The USDA gives the following tips that should be used when purchasing and using eggs:

  • Always buy eggs from a refrigerated case. Choose eggs with clean, un–cracked shells.
  • Buy eggs before the “Sell-By” or “EXP” (expiration) date on the carton.
  • Take eggs straight home from the grocery store and refrigerate them right away. Check to be sure your refrigerator is set at 40°F or below. Don’t take eggs out of the carton to put them in the refrigerator –– the carton protects them. Keep the eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator – not on the door.
  • Raw shell eggs in the carton can stay in your refrigerator for three to five weeks from the purchase date. Although the “Sell-By” date might pass during that time, the eggs are still safe to use. (The date is not required by federal law, but some states may require it.)
  • Always wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after handling raw eggs. To avoid cross-contamination, you should also wash forks, knives, spoons and all counters and other surfaces that touch the eggs with hot water and soap.
  • Don’t keep raw or cooked eggs out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.

So now we have our eggs.  While there are a variety of ways they can be prepared before being decorated, the focus today will be on hard boiling the eggs.  Here are the steps from Alabama Cooperative Extension:

  1. Start with 6 raw eggs.  Make sure the eggs are clean and that none of them are cracked or broken.
  2. Place a single layer of eggs in the bottom of a pot.
  3. Fill the pot with water and make sure that the eggs have at least an inch of water above them.
  4. Cover the pot with a lid and place on the stove top with the heat on High.  Let it boil for four minutes and then turn off the heat.
  5. Take the pot off the stove.  With the lid still on, let the eggs sit for 15 – 17 minutes.
  6. Place the pot in the sink, take off lid, and fill with cold water.  Let the eggs sit in the cold water until completely cool.
  7. Take the eggs out of the water and dry them off.  They can now be decorated or peeled to eat.

Once all of the eggs are hardboiled, cooled, and dried, it is time for decorations.  Decorating eggs is a great time to bond with family and friends.  There are thousands of different ways to decorate eggs.  Personalize them for each person to make them feel special!

Now that the eggs are decorated, they are egg hunt ready.  If the eggs for the hunt are going to be eaten, keep the following points from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in mind:

  • Consider hiding places carefully. Avoid areas where the eggs might come into contact with pets, wild animals, birds, reptiles, insects or lawn chemicals.
  • Make sure all the hidden eggs are found and then refrigerate them. Discard cracked eggs.
  • As long as the eggs are NOT out of refrigeration over two hours, they will be safe to eat. Do not eat eggs that have been out of refrigeration more than two hours. Refrigerate hard-cooked eggs in their shells and use them within 1 week.
  • If you are planning to use colored eggs as decorations, (for centerpieces, etc.) where the eggs will be out of refrigeration for many hours or several days, discard them after they have served their decorative purpose.

Whatever you decide to do this Easter, make sure that you are using eggs safely.  If you are planning to eat the Easter eggs keep in mind that they should not be out of refrigeration for more than two hours.  Follow the above suggestions and you’ll have egg-xactly the Easter you were hoping for!

Written by:  Dana Brown, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Ohio State University Extension, Morrow County, brown.4643@osu.edu

Reviewer:  Marilyn Rabe, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County, rabe.9@osu.edu

Resources:

Egg Handling and Safety Tips for Easter: http://food.unl.edu/web/safety/egg-handling-safety

Safe Eggs for Easter:  http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/E/EFNEP-0215/EFNEP-0215.pdf

USDA Gives Hard Boiled Tips for Easter and Passover Food Safety: If You Find a Hidden Easter Egg Three Days Later, Throw It Out! Leave That Egg On The Passover Seder Plate:  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news/NR_032105_01/index.asp

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Thanksgiving Leftovers – Keeping them Safe!

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , on November 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Many people think that the best part of Thanksgiving is not the big turkey dinner but the leftovers! After enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner, there are usually plenty of leftovers to save for another day or to share with friends and family!

You want to ensure that they are handled and stored properly to avoid food borne illness. The USDA estimates that more than a half million cases of foodborne illness are caused each year just from improperly handled turkey leftovers.

Here are some food safety rules that you should remember when handling your leftovers.

  • Remember to always wash your hands and keep your work areas clean.
  • Bacteria grow rapidly between 40° and 140°. After food is safely cooked, leftovers must be refrigerated within two hours. Throw out any leftovers that have been left out for more than two hours at room temperature.
  • It is important to cool hot foods quickly to the safe refrigerator temperature of 40°. To do this, divide large amounts of food into small, shallow containers. Cut large items into smaller portions to cool quickly.
  • Use refrigerated turkey, stuffing, etc. within 3 to 4 days. Gravy should be kept for just 1 to 2 days.
  • If you are freezing your leftovers, use them within 2 – 6 months for best quality.
  • When you are reheating your leftovers, use a food thermometer to check that the food reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

By following these basic food safety rules you should be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Here is a great recipe to use some of your leftover turkey: 

 

Turkey Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

1⁄4 cup orange   juice
2   tablespoons vinegar,   white wine
2   tablespoons onion   (finely chopped)
1⁄4   teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper   (of)
1   tablespoon oil
2   teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 cups salad   greens (torn)
2 cups cooked   turkey breast (cut into julienne strips)
1 can mandarin   orange segments (11 ounce, drained)
1⁄2 cup celery   (sliced)

Instructions

1. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine all vinaigrette ingredients; shake well. If you don’t have a container with a tight-fitting lid, place ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix together with a whisk.

2. In large bowl, combine all salad ingredients; toss gently.

3. Serve with vinaigrette. If desired, garnish with fresh strawberries.

Source:  University of Nebraska, Cooperative Extension, Cook it QUICK!

Notes

You can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons dried chopped onion for the chopped fresh onion or a as recommended on the dried onion container. Prepare the dressing at least 10 minutes before you need it to allow the dried onion to rehydrate from the fluids in the dressing.

Use white meat leftovers if you’ve prepared a whole turkey and not just the breast portion.

Another way to add crunch to your salad would be to use 4 tablespoons chopped walnuts instead of the celery.

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Written by:  Marilyn Rabe, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County.

Reviewed by: Michelle Treber, Extension Educator, Family and consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County.

Sources:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/safefood/newsltr/v9n1s02.html

http://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/turkey_leftovers.html

http://www.nsf.org/consumer/food_safety/safe_leftovers.asp?program=FoodSaf

http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/recipes/turkey-salad-orange-vinaigrette

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Thawing Turkey Tips

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , on November 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Thanksgiving is exactly one week away!  If you are like me you have been watching the ads and searching for the best prices on a turkey. I plan to buy a whole bird for my family. If you choose to buy a frozen bird you may do that at any time, but make sure you have adequate storage space in your freezer. If you are buying a whole bird, it is recommended to buy one pound of turkey per person.

Here are some thawing  times and tips for you this Thanksgiving holiday:

In the refrigerator, place frozen bird in the original wrapper in the refrigerator ((40 °F or below ).  Allow approximately 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

In the   Refrigerator (40 °F or below)
4 to 12 pounds 1   to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds 3   to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds 4   to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds 5   to 6 days

If your forget to thaw your turkey or don’t have room in the refrigerator for thawing.. Don’t panic! You can submerge the turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey.Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping.The following times are suggested for thawing turkey in water.

In Cold Water
4 to 12 pounds 2   to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds 6   to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds 8   to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds 10   to 12 hours

Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze.

source:

http://fightbac.org/safe-food-handling/safety-in-all-seasons/138-talking-turkey?gclid=CPGcrP-ywrMCFUqoPAodsGQABw

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