Tag Archives: cooking

Got Mayo?

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A couple weeks ago while traveling I saw a billboard with the words “Got Mayo?”  It was accompanied by a photo of potato salad and the address and phone number of a local hospital.  Obviously they were hinting (if a billboard that size can hint) that if you have food poisoning while in this area you should go to that hospital.

Apparently the advertising person from this health establishment did not talk with someone who knows anything about food borne illness before they put up this sign.  They were perpetuating the “old wives tale” that says mayo is the bad guy when it comes to food borne illnesses.

I’d like to set the record straight about a common food safety belief about foods like macaroni salad, tuna salad and deviled eggs.  These are all foods made with mayonnaise or salad dressings. Folks seem to worry a lot about them. Yes, they can be potentially risky and care should be taken to keep them at the proper temperatures—but don’t blame the mayonnaise. 

I’m not sure how this belief got started; perhaps it was a holdover from when people made their own “real mayonnaise” with raw egg, lemon juice and oil.  That product would be exceptionally risky when left unrefrigerated.

But, let’s be honest. When was the last time you made your own mayo for a cookout?

Commercially-made mayonnaise and salad dressings do not have some of the same food safety concerns as their homemade counterparts.  All commercial dressings are cooked, eliminating the raw egg problem. Most also have a high acid content—usually vinegar.  Acids tend to inhibit the growth of pathogens that cause a foodborne illness or food poisoning.

OK. So you may think to yourself,  if mayo isn’t the problem can I just throw “caution to the wind” and not worry about these foods any more? No.  Usually the foods that we mix with mayo and salad dressings are highly susceptible to bacterial growth themselves. Think about it…eggs, cooked and chopped vegetables, cooked meats and seafood…these are all on the list of “potentially hazardous”  foods…whether mixed with mayo or not.

The general rule-of-thumb is that food (mayo added or not) should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours and this goes down to one hour when it’s one of those really hot over 90 degree summer days.

While I was ranting and raving about the stupidity of a hospital putting up this sign, my husband calmly said, “well it did what it was supposed to do”.  It might not technically be correct, but it did get my attention.

Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS
Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University

For great salad recipes, see our Salad Secrets Book:

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Summer Slow Cooking

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 For the second time in a couple of weeks I heard someone say…”we have lots of leftovers, let’s heat them in the Crock Pot for dinner.”  Please. Please. Please do not reheat leftovers in the slow cooker.

One of the basic principles of food safety is to get food through the “temperature danger zone” (41 -135 degrees) quickly.  This is extremely important for foods like leftovers that have been through this TDZ already (cooked and then cooled).  Restaurant food safety recommendations say that it should take no longer than two hours for leftovers  to be heated to 165 degrees.  This isn’t going to happen in a slow cooker. Staying within the TDZ increases the risk of bacteria multiplying to a large enough level  that could cause a foodborne illness.

Want to keep these leftovers warm for later?  Heat them quickly on top of the stove and then put into the slow cooker.  Actually this is good advice for most foods put into the slow cooker…get them started through that TDZ quickly.  Experts also recommend that you start food cooking in the slow cooker on HIGH if possible and the turn to LOW for long slow cooking after that initial heating.

Don’t think of using the slow cooker in the summer?   Why not? This is the perfect time of year to use this small appliance.  It’ll keep your kitchen cool and allow you more time for fun.  Slow cooked foods do not need  to be those heavy soups or stew frequently thought of as winter foods.

How about slow cooked pork, beef or chicken for shredded barbecue sandwiches? Roasted chicken. Instead of baking your beans in the oven, use the slow cooker.  The ideas can be endless if you just change the way you think about the slow cooker.

Here are favorite recipes:

Steel Cut Oats

Poultry Broth (great way to use roasted chicken or turkey carcass)

Split Pea Chowder

1 Whole Chicken, 6 Meals

Velvet Chili

The pumpkin adds a rich flavor and velvety thick consistency to this chili.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried pinto beans
8 cups water

Chili:

4 cups cooked pinto beans
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cans (15 oz) diced, no-salt-added tomatoes
4 cups water
1 can (16 oz) solid-pack pumpkin
1/3 cup brown rice, dry
1-1/2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

Place pinto beans in cold water in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 6 hours. Drain in colander.

Heat vegetable oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips:

Be sure to drain and rinse the beans thoroughly before adding them to the pot. Serve this chili with pasta, rice or quinoa.

Serves 6. Each 1 cup serving: 251 calories, 4g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 273mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate, 13g fiber, 6g sugars, 12g protein. © Food and Health Communications

Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS

Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University

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Eggs in the Microwave

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IMGP0066Years ago when microwave ovens were still new in most kitchens I taught many how-to classes.  I remember telling folks that eggs were difficult to do in the microwave.  There are always exceptions to every rule.

Recently while visiting my mom she showed me how to poach an egg in less than 45 seconds. She has a specially designed “egg cup” to use in the microwave.

I’m not sure what the original instructions are…but let me tell you how she does it.  Place one teaspoon of water in the bottom of the cup. Drop in the egg –you don’t need to pierce the yolk.  Put the lid on and microwave for 30 seconds.  Open the door, take the lid off and look at it.  Put the lid back on and microwave for 13 seconds more.  It worked. IMGP0078

Now, as the “microwave teacher” in the family, I said OK…I can do this too. I thought that part about stopping the oven and looking at the egg was pointless.  So, I put the water in the cup, added the egg and put the lid on and microwaved for 43 seconds.  Wrong. The egg exploded all over the oven.

Obviously you need that “rest” in the middle for the egg to continue to cook and the steam not to build up too quickly in the yolk.  I admit, mother knows best.

The time on the second step can be adjusted a little depending upon how hard you like your eggs poached. Also, they do continue to cook for a short while after taking them out of the microwave, so don’t overcook. It  takes some experimenting based on your specific oven.  But it can be done.

Mom’s not really sure where she got her microwave egg cups, but it’s one of those cooking gadgets that she really uses.  I checked on E-bay and there are several different styles available, seems other people have known about these for years.

Judy Doherty, President of Food and Health Communications shared that she has great success with eggs in the microwave, too.  She makes a breakfast sandwich using egg whites that she says is a winner!

The National Egg Board emphasizes that egg wisdom dictates you shouldn’t try to cook an egg in the shell in the microwave because steam builds up too quickly inside and the eggs are likely to explode. IMGP0081

What’s great about both of these recipes, no added fat, no dirty fry pan and a fast easy protein-rich breakfast. Another plus, no need to turn on the stove, so something that kids or people with limited skills or mobility could do.

Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS
Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University

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Egg-actly

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chef_2_eggtakerOne of the most important steps in cooking is planning ahead.  That goes the same for your Easter eggs. This is a simple suggestion: buy your eggs this week.

For easier peeling, eggs should be 7-10 days old. This isn’t rocket science. When an egg is fresh the white is very attached to the shell.  As the egg gets a little older it starts to dehydrate. This forms a small air sac around the egg that helps to separate the egg membrane from the shell.  Thus, when you hard cook the “older” egg it’s easier to peel.

To help make peeling even easier, the American Egg Board (http://www.incredibleegg.org)  says to peel the egg  soon after cooling because cooling causes it to contract slightly in the shell.  They also recommend to gently tap the egg on the countertop until the shell is finely crackled all over. Then roll the egg between your hands to loosen in the shell.  Start peeling at the large end. Holding  the egg under cold running water helps ease the shell off.

I know there are lots of suggestions out there on what you can do to help make peeling an egg easier…everything from putting pinholes in the shell to adding vinegar or salt to the water.  But none of these ideas really work and some may actually allow bacteria to enter the egg.  The best bet is to plan ahead and use just a little “older” eggs.

A quick food safety reminder:  age does count after the eggs are cooked.  Hard cooked eggs should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within a week.

Speaking of hard cooked eggs. I have a personal “pet peeve”.  I know it’s semantics or just me being picky, but it really bugs me when people say “hard-boiled eggs”.  I always try to say “hard-cooked eggs”, because I learned a long time ago that eggs should NEVER be boiled.

Overcooking—as is frequently done when boiling an egg—causes that ugly green “halo” around the yolk. This green ring is harmless but doesn’t look very appetizing when making deviled eggs or serving hard cooked eggs. It is a reaction between the sulfur in the egg white and the iron in the egg yolk that occurs when the eggs have been cooked too long or at too high a temperature.

These recommendations come from the National Egg Board (incredibleegg.org)—sadly, they call them “hard-boiled” too.  I thought of all people they’d stress cooking not boiling.

To hard cook eggs: place the raw eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer.  Add cold water to cover eggs by one inch. Cook over high heat JUST to boiling.  REMOVE from burner and cover pan.  Let the eggs stand in the hot water for about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium and 15 minutes for extra-large.)  Drain immediately and serve warm or cool quickly and completely under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. If you don’t cool them quickly you may still get that green ring, because the eggs continue to cook inside the shell. Store the cooled eggs in the refrigerator.

Although we all frequently think of decorating with eggs….if you want other “Easter ideas” check out our Easter Rabbit Fruit Salad. And see our fun article, 5 Things We Love About Peeps.

Here is a basic recipe to color the hard cooked eggs:

  • 2 tsp vinegar
  • 22 drops of food color
  • 1 cup hot water from tap
  1. Place ingredients in glass bowl or measuring cup that is deep enough to submerge the eggs.
  2. Allow the eggs to set for 5 to 8 minutes depending on the color intensity desired.
  3. Remove with a fork and allow to dry on a rack.
  4. You can use crayons to make patterns on the eggs. And you can re-dye eggs again for various color combos.
  5. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. They make fun after-school snacks and can be used on salads during the week.

Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS

Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State Univerisity

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Free pasta or gummy noodles – too good to be true?

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Calorie free, carb free, fat free, cholesterol free noodles and pasta. Is this too good to be true?

Some of the popular daytime television doctors have been recommending shirataki noodles to help with everything from weight loss, to cholesterol reduction, diabetes control and intestinal regulation. They can be purchased on-line, at health and Asian food stores as well as some grocery stores.  My sister-in-law bought several bags of these noodles and recently shared them with me.  I’m not sure if she gave them to me because she knew I’d write about them…or she just wanted to get rid of them.IMGP9896

Described as the ultimate guilt-free, miracle noodle, this pasta-like product is made from the konjac plant (a relative of the yam). It’s mostly composed of a soluble fiber called glucomannan. The 8.8 ounce package (they consider this one serving) contained 9 grams of fiber. Her cost was about $3 + shipping.

OK. I was a little leery. The angel hair “noodles”  came in a bag surrounded by water, looking very much like white or almost translucent pasta. The instructions say to drain and rinse well. I read a newspaper article about this product and it said to drain the “funky, earthy, fishy” smelling water—I got thinking—why would I want to eat something that smelled “funky”. I’m told this is the natural smell of the plant and it goes away with rinsing or heating—and it did. They are ready-to-eat once rinsed or can be heated.

My family joked— calling them “gummy” noodles  (this was “gummy”  like gummi bears–not gummy like over-cooked oatmeal).  They had lots of texture and little flavor. The “pasta” tends to pick up the flavor of the sauces or other foods added to them.

The supplement glucomannan is promoted as an appetite suppressant. The supplement and the “noodle” product tends to absorb water as it hangs out in your intestinal track— thus making you feel full. While some promoters of the noodles say they don’t cause bloating or gas, other web sites warn people to eat a small amount initially—to see if you have intestinal distress.

So what did I think? They were OK. It is fiber and it gives you something to chew (and chew and chew). Not awful—but just OK. I do think this is another one of those fads or gimmicks. It’s always fun to try different foods. I’m back to the moderation thing, I certainly won’t want to eat lots of these on a regular basis. They may be good for a person on a gluten-free diet…but there are other pasta products available, too. I, personally, would rather have a smaller portion of regular pasta or a flavorful dish of spaghetti squash. Don’t know what to do with spaghetti squash?  Try our recipe for Spaghetti Squash Parmasan.

Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS

Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University

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Washing bagged lettuce

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Tossed SaladBagged lettuce certainly makes eating salads and other fresh vegetables more convenient. But many there is still that nagging question: “Should it be washed before eating?”

I’ve visited a couple of the bagged lettuce companies in California and personally feel comfortable eating these products directly from the bag. I don’t think I could wash the produce as good myself.

According to the Partnership for Food Safety Education (fightbac.org) rewashing is not necessary. They say “while it is important to wash most fruits and vegetables, if packaged greens are labeled” ready-to-eat, washed or triple washed” then the product does not need to be washed at home. Pre-washed greens have been through a cleaning process immediately before going into the bag. Re-washing and handling the greens creates opportunities for contamination.”

One of the key point in this recommendation is the concern that the produce could be contaminated after you get it home. Sometimes the re-washing and handling the lettuce at home can cause more problems than if you used it directly out of the bag.

Some other tips:

· Pay attention to sell-by dates

· Buy bags that have been kept cold in the grocery store

· Refrigerate as soon as possible once you get the produce home

· Wash your hands, utensils and counter tops before handling the greens or other pre-washed produce

· Dumping directly from the bag into salad bowls without handling will help avoid cross-contamination.

The great thing about bagged lettuce is that kids can help pour it into a bowl and they can top with their favorite veggies.

Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS
Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University

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