-3-
There are basic rules to follow when handling food.
They are
COOK, SEPARATE, CLEAN,
and
CHILL.
COOK
It’s crucial to cook food to a safe internal temperature to destroy bacteria that is present.
The safety of hamburgers and other foods made with ground meat has been receiving a lot
of attention lately, and with good reason. When meat is ground, the bacteria present on the
surface is mixed throughout the ground mixture. If this ground meat is not cooked to at least
160
o
F to 165
o
F (71
o
C to 74
o
C), bacteria will not be destroyed and there’s a good chance you
will get sick.
Solid pieces of meat like steaks and chops don’t have dangerous bacteria like E. coli on the
inside, so they can be served more rare. Still, any beef cut should be cooked to an internal
temperature of at least 145
o
F (63
o
C) (medium rare). The safe temperature for poultry is 180
o
F
(82
o
C) and solid cuts of pork should be cooked to 160
o
F (71
o
C). Eggs should be thoroughly
cooked too. If you are making a meringue or other recipe that uses uncooked eggs, buy
specially pasteurized eggs or use prepared meringue powder.
SEPARATE
Foods that will be eaten uncooked and foods that will be cooked before eating MUST ALWAYS
be separated. Cross-contamination occurs when raw meats or eggs come in contact with
foods that will be eaten uncooked. This is a major source of food poisoning. Always double-
wrap raw meats and place them on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator so there is no way juices
can drip onto fresh produce. Then use the raw meats within 1-2 days of purchase, or freeze for
longer storage. Defrost frozen meats in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
When grilling or cooking raw meats or fish, make sure to place the cooked meat on a clean
platter. Don’t use the same platter you used to carry the food out to the grill. Wash the utensils
used in grilling after the food is turned for the last time on the grill, as well as spatulas and
spoons used for stir-frying or turning meat as it cooks.
Make sure to wash your hands after handling raw meats or raw eggs. Washing hands with
soap and water, or using a pre-moistened antibacterial towelette is absolutely necessary after
you have touched raw meat or raw eggs. Not washing hands and surfaces while cooking is a
major cause of cross-contamination.
CLEAN
Wash your hands and work surfaces frequently when you are cooking. Washing with soap
and warm water for at least 15 seconds, then dry with a paper towel.
CHILL
Chilling food is very important. The danger zone where bacteria multiply is between 40
o
F and
140
o
F (4
o
C and 6
o
C). Your refrigerator should be set to 40
o
F (4
o
C) or below; your freezer should
be 0
o
F (-17
o
C) or below. Simple rule: serve hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Use chafing dishes
or hot plates to keep food hot while serving. Use ice water baths to keep cold foods cold. Never
let any food sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours - 1 hour if the ambient temperature
is 90
o
F (32
o
C) or above. When packing for a picnic, make sure the foods are already chilled
when they go into the insulated hamper. The hamper won’t chill food - it just keeps food cold
when properly packed with ice. Hot cooked foods should be placed in shallow containers and
immediately refrigerated so they cool rapidly. Make sure to cover foods after they are cool.
NOTE: Special considerations must be made when using venison or other wild game, since it
can become heavily contaminated during field dressing. Venison is often held at temperatures
that could potentially allow bacteria to grow, such as when it is being transported. Refer to
the USDA Meat and Poultry Department for further questions or information on meat and food
safety.
FOOD SAFETY
-10-
Pasta may be the ultimate comfort food. And it’s certainly one of the most versatile
foods there is. It can be a main dish, side dish, salad or even a dessert!
Buying pasta in a store is a nice convenience, but there is something special about
making it at home. Not only is it a healthy, preservative free option, but most people
agree that homemade pasta has a better flavor. You can even enhance the flavor by
adding things to the pasta itself … spinach, beets, peppers, herbs, saffron. Plus you
can’t beat the prep time: homemade pasta only takes 3 minutes to cook!
The process is easy. It can be a fun family project that kids enjoy helping with.
Just follow these steps:
.
Form a mound with the dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
.
Add the liquid ingredients into the well. Using a fork or bench scraper, mix the dry
and liquid ingredients by dragging the dry ingredients into the center. Keep doing this
until you have formed a sticky dough ball.
.
On a floured surface, knead the dough ball by pushing down with the heel of your
hand then give the dough a quarter turn. Repeat this until the dough is smooth,
elastic, even in color and no longer sticky.
PASTA!
.
DOUGH CONSISTENCY You know when you’re finished kneading the dough when
the ball of dough has a soft texture. It should feel moist, but not stick to your fingers.
.
LET IT REST! When you have your dough ball, set it aside to rest for 15-30 minutes.
While resting, wrap it in cellophane wrap or cover it with a damp towel (or paper towel) to
keep it from drying out. Resting gives the flour time to fully absorb the water.
.
WATER If the recipe that you are using calls for water, add it last in portions. Depending
on egg size and accuracy of flour measurement, you may not need the entire amount of
water in the recipe.
.
FLOUR & WATER RATIO Don’t be afraid to use flour. If after resting, the dough feels
too damp add a little flour and knead it a little more (don’t worry, if you add too much you
can add more water or olive oil to balance it).
.
FLOUR IS YOUR BEST TOOL Before rolling out the dough or cutting the sheets,
sprinkle the rollers with flour to keep the dough from sticking. This will also help the
dough separate when you cut the pasta.
.
Before cutting the dough and between changing the roller settings, dredge the dough
sheet in some flour. This will also help to cut the dough better.
PASTA TIPS
