Cheesy Potato and Bacon soup.  How much more comfort could there be?   This is an economical and easy recipe anyone can make.   

Boil 6 cups diced Green Giant Klondike Rose ®  potatoes.  Do not over cook. Leave slightly firm.

While the potatoes are cooking, dice 6-8 slices of bacon and start browning in heavy bottom pot. I prefer cast iron dutch oven.

Dice 1 cups of celery and 1 cup onion and add to bacon.

Add 1/2 cup  butter.

Continue cooking bacon, celery and onion over low heat for 20 minutes.

Whisk  in 1/2 cup flour.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Slowly add in 3 cups of milk and 2 cups of chicken stock.

Add 1/2 teaspoon thyme,  2 teaspoon Worcestershire, 1 Tablespoon parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.

You can add more milk or stock if too thick for your taste.

Cook for an additional 15 minutes over low heat.

Children are back in school and for many of us that means packing lunches again.   You may not realize that some lunch box choices my be putting your child at risk for foodbourne illness.  Many talk about nutrition in lunches, which I am big proponent of, but often food safety is overlooked or misunderstood.

I have included some guidelines for you to follow which are based on the recommended FDA food code.

First let’s discuss what are typical high risk lunch box foods.  There are foods that are  more at risk for the growth of harmful bacteria and you should avoid or take special care of them.   For these “at risk” cold foods your goal should be to keep at 70° or below for no more than 6 hours and never above 70° for more than 2 hours.  Many children’s lunches are packed in the early morning hours and it can be close to 6 hours before consumption. Hot foods should not be below 145° for more than 4 hours.

Here is a list of the common lunch box “at risk” foods.  This list does not include every food that needs temperature control but rather common foods that need special attention.

• Lunch Meats
• Hard boiled eggs that are peeled
• Cut melons
• Cut lettuce and tomatoes
• Left overs that will be served cold. For example, sliced chicken from the night before
• Soft moist type cheeses that are not commercially wrapped
• Dairy food like yogurt

Second, here are some tips on protecting the food you do pack and alternative foods that make great choices.

• Be sure to refrigerate all food that will be packed in lunch box / bag the night before.  Putting warm food next to cold will increase the temperature of the “at risk” foods unnecessarily.  Even chips and other snacks can be refrigerated.
• Pre-freeze anything you can.  Yogurts can be frozen and will defrost throughout the morning.
• Use whole, washed fruit instead of cut melons.
• When slicing or packaging  foods remember to use clean and sanitary surfaces and properly washed hands.
• Nuts are a great source of protein.  There is a Cocoa Roasted Almond that my daughter loves mixed with raisins.
• Use pre-portioned unopened cans of Tuna Salad or Chicken salad rather than homemade.  They may be more expensive but we are talking about your child’s health.
• Raw vegetables with dressing / dip on the side.
• Look in the club type stores commercial section for items in commercial packaged food that are individually portioned like dressings.
• Whole wheat crackers
• Cheese in the individual portions.

I hope this list will help you start thinking about lunches as more than a sandwich and chips.  A good mix of dairy, protein, fruit and carbohydrates will keep your children going strong all day long and keep them safe from the dreaded gastrointestinal discomforts that are commonly associated with excessive bacterial growth on foods.

Please feel free to share your favorite food safe  lunch time ideas! Can’t wait to hear your ideas.

I usually fry my perch, however, today I was looking for a healthier alternative.  Wanting the crunch of fried without the fat was a small challenge that I took on and won.  This lite baked version was a perfect blend of flavors and crunch.

Lay 4 Perch fillets on a plate skin side down and drizzle with olive oil.

On a separate plate add:

• zest of one lemon
• 1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Pat the side of fish with olive oil in the coating.  Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Sprinkle the remaining coating on the fish.

Bake at 425°  for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your fillets to an internal temperature of 145°.  Do not over cook.  Many do not realize that over cooked fish will have a more “fishy” taste.

I served with a lemon wedge on the side for those that like that extra lemon flavor.

Enjoy.

1 in 6 Americans will become affected by Foodborne Illness every year.  Please note that I said, “Foodborne Illness” and not food poisoning.  Although most people refer to upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea after eating a suspect food as food poisoning it is not an accurate statement.

I bring this up because I often see blogs that write very authoritative articles on how to prevent, treat and today I read one packed with inaccurate information about when to seek medical care.     The FDA has this statement when asked,  “What is the difference between food poisoning and foodborne illness?

The CDC estimates show that 58% of foodborne illness is caused by the Norovirus pathogen.  Although the illness associated with Norovirus is usually resolved within a few days to a week in MOST cases, individuals that have had Norovirus can still spread the virus to others even after they are symptom free.  Some reports have found Norovirus in feces for up to two weeks after symptoms have ended.   This is why if you suspect any type of foodborne illness you should seek medical attention immediately.  Although your symptoms my seem manageable you should get an official diagnosis.  Norovirus is one of 5 pathogens that must be reported to the local heath department.

Be sure you are getting your information from a reliable source.  You can also ask your question directly to the FDA via Ask Karen.

When Carl Fisher, the Owner of the Inner Harbor, Five Guys ® Burgers and Fries franchise,  contacted me for training I thought he would be just another satisfied customer.   Over several months I have trained many of  his employees.  What I didn’t know was the opportunity he  offers to his employees. Read on – this man deserves some credit.

Avocado spread for sandwiches to be used as a replacement for mayonnaise
1 Avocado Diced
1 tbl of lime Juice (can use less if you like)
1/2 Roma tomato diced
1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt.

Combine ingredients. You can add salt to taste. I use a pinch of Sea Salt.

Store in a zip type baggie so you can compress air to avoid discoloration of the Avocado.

I used this the other day in my tuna salad and it was fantastic, it is also wonderful on turkey and chicken sandwiches.

Enjoy and please let me know how you like it!

The FDA has produced some very informative brochures about food safety.  They are written specifically for high risk individuals.  Click this link to be redirected to the FDA site.  They have downloads for people in all high risk groups. Including Cancer, Pregnant woman, Diabetes, Older Adults, HIV/AIDS and Transplant recipients.

If you are high risk or just want to learn more about food safety basics I am offering a 2 hour seminar on food safety August 29.

You can register here . The class cost is $25 and include informative handouts.

It started out with a craving for southern style pulled pork.  I made it one time before on the bbq a while back before I had perfected my techniques.  In partners with a friend we set out to find a nice piece of pork. We could not find a pork butt so we settled for a 9# shoulder.

I spoke with the Somerset County inspector today and she indicated she visited establishment and feels confident that they have adequate plans and procedures in place to prevent cross contamination.  I am not feeling warm and fuzzy.

I started thinking about other owners and the expense of training staff in the full manager certification.  I feel very strongly about proper training and I want to give everyone no matter how big or small the opportunity to have a professional training their staff in good personal hygiene, preventing cross contamination, learning how to take proper temperatures and how to properly clean and sanitize all kitchen surfaces.

We are offering a 2 1/2 hour training on August 29th.  This is perfect for line workers, prep cooks or any other staff member that you do not want to pay to attend the full two day training.  A certificate of completion will be given at end of class.  We also offer private classes in the Food Handler or Food Manager course.   Visit :http://www.marylandfoodhandler.com/private-food-safety-classes.php for more information on classes and why you should train your staff.