It's a Matter of Food Safety/Food Recalls And The Need to Grow Your Own...

Hi everyone!  Yes, we are in the throws of gardening season and so far everything seems to be doing well in my garden.

The other day, I got a message on my phone from Costco followed up with the following letter:

Yes, that's right.  We actually had some of these products in our Freezer.

CRF Frozen Foods LLC recalled specific frozen vegetables due to a concern with possible Listeria moncytogenes exposure in individually quick frozen (IQF) organic peas and IQF organic white sweet corn.  Well that was such welcome news as you might expect.

I was less than happy to learn that I had some of the recalled food in my Freezer.

The bad news just keeps on coming.  The FDA released an updated list from CRF that included the following (May 4, 2016):

"This expanded recall of frozen vegetables includes all of the frozen organic and traditional fruit and vegetable products manufactured or processed in CRF Frozen Foods' Pasco facility since May 1, 2014. All affected products have the best by dates or sell by dates between April 26, 2016 and April 26, 2018. These include approximately 358 consumer products sold under 42 separate brands, the details of which are listed below. Products include organic and non-organic broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, corn, edamame, green beans, Italian beans, kale, leeks, lima beans, onions, peas, pepper strips, potatoes, potato medley, root medley, spinach, sweet potatoes, various vegetable medleys, blends, and stir fry packages, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries."

We were the lucky winners again!

We quickly disposed of our tainted vegetables.  But, here was the chilling fact, we already had some of them for dinner over a few meals. So far, everyone is fine....but the thought of what could be is a bit chilling for me. It was a good reminder that I need to flash freeze my own vegetables from my Garden.

So, as I planted extra beans yesterday, I plan to be more responsible for the foods that I do have in my home.  Yes, this was a problem at the manufacturing site, but I still am ultimately the one who is responsible for what my family eats. 

The other thing that was a bit concerning to me is that Costco remembered what I purchased.  While I am thankful to have been notified, I am not so sure I like the fact that they could not only send a letter to me, but call me as well.  

I hope this was as much of a wake up call for you as it was for me!  Check your freezer and see if you happen to have any of the recalled fruits or vegetables.  It is worth the time to look and protect those you love.

It's a Matter of Safely Transporting Food to Feed a Crowd

I have had many opportunities to prepare and transport food to feed our beloved Young Single Adults for various meals and snacks.  We live about 30 minutes from these good young people, so I have had to prepare and plan to arrive with delicious piping hot food.  I have used the Haybox method most of the time. 

Transporting Hot Food Safely in a Crockpot

After doing a bit of research, I purchased this 6-quart Crockpot that has a great indicator of the temperature that operates whether the device has power or not.  

 See the indicator with the yellow-to-red dial?  I decided to try it out!

As usual, I decided to prepare my meal from my food storage staples.  Today's offering....a creamy Lemon Chicken dish.

 In a separate sauce pan, I melt the butter.

 Next I add the Cream of Mushroom soup.

Stir the butter and soups together.

I prefer to use Crockpot liners to avoid baked on messes. Here I am using Chicken Fingers that are frozen.  I drop them right in.

Pour the combination of butter, spices, and soup over the chicken.  Cook as directed.

Here is the creamy result.  The chicken and sauce were served over rice.

Let's just say there was nothing left...

Take Home Points:

• I was pleased with this device.  It has clips to keep the lid on tight and a gasket that avoids spills. It also holds in the heat and the indicator let me know how the temperature was holding.  The food was very hot after a 30 minute drive.
• I will be using this Crockpot in the future particularly when I need to transport large amounts of hot foods.  It really lived up to the hype that I read.
• Here is the recipe if you wish to bless the next crowd that you feed:

Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either frozen or thawed out is fine)
1 recipe cream of chicken soup (equivalent to 1 can*)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp.+ lemon pepper seasoning*
4 oz. chopped mushrooms
Place chicken breasts on the bottom of your slow cooker. I don’t even grease mine, but you might if you are afraid of things sticking. Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper.
Mix soup, milk and 2 Tbsp. lemon pepper.
Add mushrooms to soup mix.
Pour soup mixture over chicken in the crock pot. Add chicken broth.
Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Try it! 

Packing it in!

It is that time of year.  School is out, kids are restless, I personally get a touch of wanderlust.  It's time to go either camping or on a picnic.  How Fun!

Amid the fun, you still need to be taking food safety into consideration. This really is a huge thing to keep in mind as you make your preparations to play.  There are a few things that I would suggest to keep things organized and cool.

These are 2 Cheesecakes that I have in containers with lids.  I stacked them on top of each other.

I put a bag of ice right next to these dairy products.  Even though this is a commercial bag of ice, I often use ice from my ice maker and double bag it in zip-closure bags.

Because I am packing a lot of fresh produce, I protect it by putting a folded towel on top of the ice.  Touching the ice can cause things like brown spots on grapes etc.

I have placed the fruit salad, Strawberries to place on top of the Cheese Cakes, and the lettuce.

Now, remember when I said you don't put produce directly on ice?  Well, here is another example of what I do.

Here I am placing another bag of ice in this towel.

I put the dressings, the tomatoes, cheese etc and the Grape Salad round the ice pack.

Now, where was I going with all of this?

To a Young Single Adult "Break-the-Fast" meal.  Yes, we pack a cooler on Sundays for this too:)

Enjoy your Summer and be safe!

7 Ways to Prevent Foodborne Illness..........

I recieved this information from Brother C W who graciously shared it with all of us.  My thanks to him for thinking of us all!  This comes from FoodSafety.gov.

Start at the Store: 7 Ways to Prevent Foodborne Illness

Posted April 26, 2010

By Doriliz De Leon, Consumer Safety Officer in FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)

I think it is very important for consumers to realize that protecting your family against foodborne illnesses begins not at home, but at the supermarket, grocery store, or any other place where you buy food that you plan to store and serve. According to the CDC, foodborne ailments cause about 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,200 deaths nationwide each year. So, here are some simple things that you can do while you are shopping for food to safeguard you and your family:

1.Check for cleanliness

Buy from a retailer who follows proper food handling practices. This helps assure that the food is safe. Ask yourself: What is my general impression of this facility? Does it look and smell clean?

2.Keep certain foods separated

Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in your grocery shopping cart. Place these foods in plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods. It is also best to separate these foods from other foods at checkout and in your grocery bags.

3.Inspect cans and jars

Don't buy food in cans that are bulging or dented. Also, don't buy food in jars that are cracked or have loose or bulging lids. A bulging can or jar lid may mean the food was under-processed and is contaminated. Don't buy a food product whose seal seems tampered with or damaged.

4.Inspect frozen food packaging

Don't buy frozen food if the package is damaged. Packages should not be open, torn or crushed on the edges. Also, avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store's freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This could mean that the food in the package has either been stored for a long time or thawed and refrozen.

5.Select frozen foods and perishables last

And, meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be the last items placed in your shopping cart. Always put these products in separate plastic bags so that drippings don't contaminate other foods.

6.Choose fresh eggs carefully

Before putting eggs in your cart, open the carton and make sure that the eggs are clean and none is cracked. Buy only refrigerated eggs and follow the "Safe Handling Instructions" on the carton.

7.Be mindful of time and temperature

It's important to refrigerate perishable products as soon as possible after grocery shopping. Food safety experts stress the "2-hour rule"—because harmful bacteria can multiply in the "danger zone" (between 40° and 140° F), perishable foods should not be left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Modify that rule to 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F, as they often are in cars that have been parked in the sun.

If it will take more than an hour to get your groceries home, use an ice chest to keep frozen and perishable foods cold. Also, when the weather is warm and you are using your car's air conditioner, keep your groceries in the passenger compartment, not the trunk.

Combating foodborne illnesses is a top priority at the FDA – we hope it will be for you too!