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A Safe Glass of Eggnog Starts the New Year Right!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
eggnog
Eggnog-Photo: Canva.com

Eggnog is a holiday party classic that dates back to the 13th century. This creamy, thick, spiced egg drink is a favorite for many worldwide.

Because eggnog uses eggs, there are ways to make it safely to prevent giving the gift of foodborne illness. And don’t let the added alcohol fool you! The alcohol will not kill bacteria.

Instead of using raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs. They have been commercially pasteurized with a low temperature heat treatment that destroys Salmonella without changing the physical and nutritional properties of the eggs. They are slightly higher in cost to standard eggs, but are worth the price to prevent foodborne illness. Egg substitutes are also an option.

Another, and even safer, method is to make a cooked egg base.

  1. Combine eggs and half the milk. Sugar may be added also.
  2. Cook the mixture to 160°F, stirring constantly. Use a double boiler to prevent scorching.
  3. After cooking, pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.
  4. Add remaining ingredients and enjoy!

If buying prepared eggnog, read the label to be sure it is pasteurized.

Sources: https://bit.ly/3yoWJzX and https://eggsafety.org/national-eggnog-month-make-safely/

Webinars for Food Entrepreneurs

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

The North Central Food Safety Extension Network is hosting three webinars for food entrepreneurs or those interested in the topics to be presented. The topics include:

Best Practices for Food Entrepreneurs
Date: January 28th
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST
Resource: Food Safety Best Practices for Local Food Entrepreneurs | NDSU Agriculture
Speakers:
Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D. North Dakota State University

Karen Blakeslee, M.S., Extension Associate, Kansas State University

Freeze Drying Foods: Science, Safety, and Cottage Industry
Date: February 4th
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST
Description: This session will cover the science and food safety aspects involved in producers freeze-drying foods for sale to consumers.

Speaker:
Dr. Mary-Grace Danao, Research Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sourdough Starters: Care, Safety, and Preservation
Date: February 11th
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST
Speaker:
Caitlin Clark, M.S., Ph.D., Food Scientist, Food Innovation Center, Colorado State University
Register now! Once registered you will receive the Zoom link.

North Central Food Safety Extension Network webinars

Carving Up Ham Facts

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Ham
Spiral cut ham. Photo: USDA Flickr

From a simple sandwich, to the star of a holiday dinner table, ham is a popular choice for many meals. The choices for ham include fresh, cook-before-eating, cooked, picnic, and country types. So, each type of ham has its own storage and cooking times.

Ham comes from the leg of the pork animal. Fresh ham is uncured and will be labeled “fresh” in the product name. They must be cooked before eating and will have a pale pink or beige color, like a pork roast. Cured ham or cured-and-smoked ham will have a deep rose or pink color. Country ham and prosciutto will have a pink to mahogany color. These can be eaten cold or heated.

The estimated amount per serving to buy is:

  • 1/4—1/3 pound per serving of boneless ham
  • 1/3-1/2 pound per serving of bone-in ham

Reheat cooked ham in the oven at 325°F to an internal temperature of 140°F as measured by a thermometer. A bone-in spiral ham will take about 10-18 minutes per pound.

For more information on ham, see this USDA publication entitled Ham and Food Safety.

2025 National Festival of Breads

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

National Festival of BreadsWhen it’s cold outside, what a better way to warm up your home with some freshly made bread! Get creative and submit your original recipe to the National Festival of Breads in 2025.

Entries are now being accepted until January 16, 2025. The categories include quick breads and yeast breads. This contest if for adult amateur bakers only. See the 2025 Official Rules & Regulations for all details and how to enter.

Submit your recipe and information on the National Festival of Breads Entry Form.

Don’t Ignore Food Recalls

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
carrots
Photo: USDA Flickr

There have been a few food recalls in the news lately, with the latest recall linked to organic carrots. A recall is issued to inform consumers to look through their pantry, refrigerator or freezer and identify any foods in the recall. Research has shown that fewer than 60% of Americans check their homes for recalled food. If you have a recalled food, what should you do?

  1. Don’t panic! Most food recalls are not associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, and many recalls are issued because there is a potential for the food to be contaminated. Often, food manufacturers issue a recall as a precautionary measure. Besides bacterial contamination, recalls are issued for many others reasons such physical contamination or food allergen issues.
  2. Don’t open the food. Resist the temptation to open the food and check it. You can’t see, smell, or taste the bacteria or viruses that cause foodborne illnesses. If you do open or handle the product, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for 20 seconds after handling it.
  3. Check the recall notice to find out what to do with the food. When a manufacturer recalls a food product, they provide instructions on what to do with the product. Typically, the instructions will indicate that you need to do one of the following:
    • Return the product to the store where you bought it for a refund.
    • Dispose of the product properly so that other people or animals cannot eat it. (This is particularly important if you opened the product.) 

For information on the latest food recalls, see the Food and Drug Administration website.

It’s Cookie Time!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
cookie dough
It’s not just the raw eggs that cause food safety problems. All kinds of flour are raw and must be baked for safe consumption. Photo: FDA ARS

The holidays bring the joy of time with family and friends! One tradition is making cookies to share. It is important to handle cookie dough safely to not spoil holiday fun.

You may not realize it, but most flour is a raw food. And it hasn’t been treated to kill any bacteria (germs) it may contain. Cooking and baking is what kills any bacteria in flour, as well as in raw eggs that are often used with it.

To stay safe, don’t eat or taste raw (uncooked) flour, dough or batter. Also, don’t let children use raw dough for crafts or “play clay.” Even if children don’t eat the dough, they may put their hands in their mouth after handling it.

Many cookies are shaped with your hands. Resist the temptation to lick your fingers or sample the cookie dough! Risks from eating raw eggs and now uncooked flour, can increase your risk of getting a foodborne illness. Regardless of the brand or source of flour or eggs, the risk of foodborne illness is present when consumed raw.

Be sure hard surfaces to roll out cookie dough are clean and sanitized before and after dough has been in contact with the surface.

As always, wash your hands before and after handling cookie dough or any raw foods. Follow recipe instructions for baking cookies at proper temperatures and specified times.

Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tips for Freezing Pie

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: KSRE

Save some meal prep time this holiday season by freezing pie ahead of the holiday meal. There are options to make baking easier. Here are many tips from Penn State University Extension.

Freezing Pie Dough

  • Pie dough can be rolled into circles and frozen flat on lined cardboard separated with pieces of freezer paper or foil.
  • To freeze unbaked dough in pie pans, stack pie pans with two layers of freezer paper between them and place all in a freezer bag.
  • Prick pastry that will be baked unfilled. Pricking a frozen pastry will cause it to break.
  • Do not prick pastry that will be filled before baking.
  • To use frozen sheets of dough, thaw in the refrigerator before shaping to the pan.
  • Pastry shaped in pans before freezing does not need to be thawed before baking.

Freezing Shaped Pie Filling

  • Freezing a pie in a pie pan takes lots of space and ties up the use of that pan.
  • Freeze the pre-measured fruit filling for one pie in a large freezer bag or foil-lined pan.
  • Before adding the cooled filling, plastic wrap can be placed over the foil in the pie pan to avoid filling sticking to the foil.
  • Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
  • If freezing the filling in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, then seal.
  • Place the bag into the pie pan, shaping it to fit the pan, and freeze until solid.
  • When the filling is frozen, remove it from the pan. This way, you can continue to use the pie pan and yet have everything mixed ahead to put into fresh pie dough.
  • When you are ready to use the pie, unwrap and place the frozen filling in an unbaked pie shell, top, and bake. Allow an extra 20–25 minutes of baking time.

Freezing Prepared Pie

  • Unbaked pies have a fresher fruit flavor than ones baked before freezing.
  • Freeze the filling and crust separately to prevent fruit juice from penetrating and softening the lower crust during freezing.
  • It is easier to freeze pies before wrapping, whether baked or unbaked. Wrap them after they are frozen solid.
  • Do not cut vents in the top crust of an unbaked pie before freezing.
  • Cut vent holes in the upper crust just before baking.

Baking Frozen Pie

  • Bake frozen pies in the lower third of a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 425°F and then reduce the heat to 350°F and raise the pie to the center of the oven to finish baking.
  • Some people prefer baking at 450°F for 15 to 20 minutes and then reducing heat to 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the top crust is brown.
  • Placing the pie on a cookie sheet or pie drip pan helps catch juices that might overflow.
  • A baked pie that has been frozen can be served without reheating; thaw it in its wrapping in the refrigerator.
Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University