About Microwave Ovens & Food Safety

Friends:

Hope that you had a great pre-Thanksgiving weekend!

Today, our subject is "Microwave Ovens & Food Safety." The information here should come in handy, as we prepare our Thanksgiving fare and take care of any leftovers.

And once again our data source is the United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA) Fact Sheets. I am depending on you to click on this link and to read the several Fact Sheets that appear, carefully. They are all highly informative:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Microwave_Ovens_and_Food_Safety/index.asp

Also, I will go a step further this time and recommend that you read up on the following questions. The USDA Fact Sheets provides full answers for your consideration and action:

· How do microwaves cook food?

· What are the USDA recommended temperatures for microwaving food safely?

· Is it safe to cook stuffed poultry in a microwave oven?

· How do you safely reheat cooked food in a microwave oven?

· What containers and wraps are safe to use in the microwave oven?

· Is it safe to use aluminum foil in a microwave oven?

· How do you determine if a utensil is safe to use in a microwave oven?

That's all for now. Please check us out again tomorrow!

Pink Turkey Meat! Is It Safe?

Friends:

Hi! Hope that you have followed the advice of "Planning Ahead" and of "Shopping Early" as you prepare for this year's Thanksgiving dinner!

Here, however, is another very useful bit of information about the color of your turkey after it has been properly baked. My source for this excerpt is again the Food Safety/Food Preparation Fact Sheets from the United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA). Please click on this URL and enjoy their many-faceted presentation:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Is_Pink_Turkey_Meat_Safe/index.asp.

Now here is today's excerpt:

"The color of cooked poultry is not always a sure sign of its safety. Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that
poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.The meat of smoked turkey is always pink."

Please use our "Leave A Comment" box to share any thoughts or suggestions.

Countdown To The Thanksgiving Holiday!

Friends:

Today, I'd like to share another great United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA) with you.

This one is entitled "Counting Down To Thanksgiving" and is loaded with tons of very useful information on how to prepare great turkey dishes for Thanksgiving.

It is a must read, I would suggest. Click on the URL (link) that follows, and try digesting all those wonderful tips at your convenience. The turkey Fact Sheet's URL is: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Countdown_to_the_Holiday/index.asp.

And, for all those who cannot reach the Fact Sheet, I sincerely hope that the following excerpts(from that Fact Sheet) will help get your Thanksgiving & Holiday preparations started without delay. Here goes:

Countdown to the Thanksgiving Holiday. As Thanksgiving approaches, cooking the traditional turkey dinner gives rise to anxieties and questions. What kind of turkey should I buy? Should I buy a frozen turkey or a fresh one? How do I store my turkey? A few simple steps will not only ease your holiday fears, but will ensure a delicious and a safe meal for you, your family, and your friends. The following information may help you prepare your special Thanksgiving meal and help you countdown to the holiday.

Plan Ahead. Plan your menu several weeks before the holiday. Shopping early will ease the countdown tension for your Thanksgiving meal. Ask these questions to help plan your meal. Do you want a fresh or frozen turkey? Do you have enough space to store a frozen bird if purchased in advance; if not, when should you purchase a turkey? What size bird do you need to buy?

These and other questions are answered in the Fact Sheet we have highlighted today.

Please enjoy, and let me know if you have any comments.

Cooking Poultry? Be Sure To Have A Food Thermometer Nearby!

Friends:

Our topic for today's POST, is again Food Safety! Our Thanksgiving and other holidays are fast approaching, so we think that Food Safety is definitely a front-burner item.

Our focus, today, is Poultry Cooking Temperatures. And hear what the US Department Of Agriculture (USDA) has to say about this. This is a verbatim excerpt:

Poultry Cooking Temperatures: FSIS is in the process of updating all the pages on its Web site to reflect new cooking recommendations for poultry. For safety, when cooking poultry, use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature. Poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product.

USDA has a comprehensive Fact Sheet (on the internet) which deals with poultry cooking and other related subjects. The URL for this fact sheet is:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Seasonal_Food_Safety_Fact_Sheets/index.asp. Please visit this site for a quick read. It is highly informative.

How To Handle Food Safely When Guests Don't Turn Up

Friends:

The rapidly approaching "Thanksgiving" and other major holidays dictate that we should shift focus for a while, and make certain that we are up to snuff on certain aspects of food-safety.

The source of the information which follows is the "Safe Food Handling" Fact Sheets provided by the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA). Please be aware, also, that the information on this subject which we have provided on this BLOG are verbatim excerpts from relevant USDA Fact Sheets. Reading these USDA Fact Sheets will, we think, be both informative and useful, and we stronly encourage all readers of this BLOG to study these documents carefully. The URL for these USDA Fact Sheets is: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/No-show_Guests_Jeopardize_Food/index.asp

Now here is today's verbatim (Q&A) excerpt:

Q. I have prepared a special dinner for a group of friends, but I just heard the weather report on TV advising everyone to stay home. What should I do with all the food?

A. If your guests can re-schedule within four days, cooked foods can be stored safely in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze any cooked meat or poultry entree or casserole. Arrange the cooked foods in shallow airtight containers or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap, and freeze. These foods will keep their best quality (flavor, texture, juiciness) for 3 to 4 months. Also, most vegetable, rice and pasta dishes can be frozen. Cream sauces may become lumpy or separate when frozen and reheated, but they will be safe to serve again.

Today's excerpt is brief and to the point. We promise more, later!

Excellent Online Resource For Product Recalls - From Six Federal Agencies

Friends:

I have added a terrific Federal Government website to our BLOG.

The title of this Federal Website is " Your Online Resource For Recalls," and its URL is http://www.recalls.gov/.

A wide variety of recall information is provided within the following categories: a) consumer products, b) motor vehicles, c) boats, d) food, e) medicine, f) cosmetics and g) environmental products.

An excellent resource document!

Enjoy!

"Sesame Street" For The Kids!!

Friends:

We have now added "Sesame Street" to our "YOU" blogsite! The kids will love and adore this latest addition, since they will learn a lot and will have fun while they learn. Please look for the Sesame Street link in the upper right hand corner of our blogsite.

And, for your added convenience , the link to the Sesame Street home page is also provided here (immediately below):

http://pbskids.org/sesame/index.html.

We are working hard to provide a creative learning experience for all the family.

Please enjoy!

New Features: "Today's Word," "Today's Quote," & NASA's "Image Of The Day."

Friends:


Today we added three new features to our "YOU" blogsite. As you would have noticed, we are constantly looking for web-based features that are free and available for use by all, and crucially, that help us learn something each and every day.

Today's three new features are: today's "word," today's "quote" and last but not least, NASA's "image of the day." From time to time we will all find, I feel certain, a new word or a new or unfamiliar quote, and NASA's images will no doubt cause our imagination to roam far and beyond.

The content of each feature will change, automatically, each day. So, if you can spare a moment please be sure to check us out for each day's input. And have some fun too! Try seeing how long you can go without being stumped by a new word or an unfamiliar quote.

Also, please use our "Leave A Comment" box to keep in touch.

Thanks.