Post by Shawnee on Apr 4, 2009 14:06:44 GMT -5
Aran Spiosrai (Irish Spice Bread)
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
10 ounces Flour
2 teasthingys Baking powder
1/2 teasthingy Baking soda
1 teasthingy Mixed spice *
1/2 teasthingy Ginger -- ground
4 ounces Sugar, brown -- light
2 ounces Citron, candied -- chopped
6 ounces Raisins -- plain or golden
4 ounces Butter
6 ounces Golden syrup **
1 large Egg -- beaten
4 tablesthingys Milk
* Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
** Lyons' Golden Syrup, carried in some fancy groceries. If you can't find it, use Karo light corn syrup.
Sift the flour with the soda and baking powder, and the mixed spice and ginger: then add the brown sugar, chopped peel and raisins:
mix. Make a well in the center. Melt the butter with the syrup over low heat, then pour into the well in the mixture. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix very well. Pour into a greased 2-lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 F for 40-50 minutes, or until it tests done. This bread will keep moist for several days, and actually improves somewhat during this period.
======================
AUNT MARY'S IRISH BREAD
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Ethnic
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 c Flour*
1 c Sugar
1 t Salt
2 ts Heaping baking powder
1 t Carraway seeds
1 Egg
Buttermilk
2 tb Butter**
1 1/2 c Raisins -- 2 fists
1/2 c Currants
1 c Mixed fruit -- (1/2 lb)
1/4 ts Baking soda
If you can't trust a Mary Catherine Gallagher for
Irish Soda Bread, who can you trust. This is an old
family recipe from my wife's Aunt.
*(Fill the sifter are her words) **(a good chunk--her
words) Preheat oven to 400*F Soak raisins and currants
in hot water. Put sugar in a mixing bowl and cut
butter into it. Cut until it looks like white
cornmeal. Put in the caraway seeds Put flour, salt,
baking powder and baking soda into the sifter and sift
into the sugar and butter mix.
If you use the mixed fruit, cut any large pieces and
mix into the flour mixture. Drain the raisins and
currants and dry well.
Mix into the dry ingredients. In a cup measurer, beat
the egg with a fork and fill the cup with buttermilk.
Mix lightly.
Make a hole in dry ingredients and pour in milk and
egg. Mix well until everything is wet and starts to
pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add more liquid
if needed.
Knead slightly to form into a round loaf.
Place loaf in a HOT iron frying pan which has been
greased and floured. Cut a large cross nearly through
the loaf. Bake at 400*F for 10 minutes and lower
temperature to 250*F for another 60 minutes.
Remove from oven and while still hot brush with a
mixture of 5 TBS sugar and 1/4 cup evaporated milk
(mixed well). Turn out onto a rack when cool.
======================================================
Barm Brack (Traditional Irish Bread)
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Desserts
Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/2 cups Mixed dry fruit--currants>>>
Dark & golden raisins.
1 cup Boiling black tea
1 each Egg
1 teasthingy Mixed spice (see note*)
4 teasthingys Marmalade
1 cup (heaping)superfine sugar
2 1/2 cups Self-rising flour
Place dried fruit in a bowl, cover with the hot tea and let soak overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingreds. and mix well. Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour batten into greased 7" square pan and bake in the center of oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Let cool in the pan on awire rack. Slice and serve buttered with tea.
NOTE* (Mixed spices: equal parts of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and mace.
1. In Northern Ireland and in the Republic, BRACK is the Celtic word for salt and is used to mean "bread". Barm brack is leavened bread, the word BARM meaning yeast.
2. The term "barmbrack" for an Irish fruit loaf or cake does not derive from barm or leaven. It is a corruption of the Irish word "aran breac" (Speckled Bread).
===============================================
Brown Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Quick Bread Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups Whole wheat flour
2 teasthingys Brown sugar
2 teasthingys Baking powder
1 teasthingy Baking soda
1 teasthingy Cream of tartar
1/2 teasthingy Salt
1 cup White raisins
1 3/4 cups Milk
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the whole what flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder,
baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir in the raisins. Add milk; stir till dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn into a greased
9 x 1-1/2-inch round baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or till brown.
Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly. Wrap and store overnight.
Makes 1 loaf.
====================================================
Classic Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Fruits
Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups Flour
4 teasthingys Baking Powder
1 cup Sugar
1/2 teasthingy Salt
1 teasthingy Caraway Seeds
1 1/2 cups Raisins
2 Eggs -- beaten
1 cup Butter or Margarine -- melted
1 cup Milk
Preheat oven to 350oF. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Place raisins and caraway seeds in a large bowl. Sift together flour, baking soda, sugar and salt. Pour sifted mixture over raisins. Add butter, eggs and milk to the bowl;
mix well. Mold dough into a loaf shape on a floured board. Place dough in greased pan and bake for one hour, or until bread tests done.
- - - - - - - - -
============================================
Irish Barmbrack
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breadmaker Yeast
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 tablesthingys Currants 1/4 c
6 tablesthingys Seedless raisins 1/4 c
6 ounces Milk 1/2 c
2 ounces Water 1 oz
3 1/2 tablesthingys Applesause (butter) 2 1/2 T
3 cups Bread flour 2 c.
3/4 cup Sugar 1/2 c
1 1/2 teasthingys Salt 1 t
3/4 teasthingy Allspice 1/2 t
3/4 teasthingy Dried lemon peel 1/2 t
1 1/2 teasthingys Yeast 1 t
This bread doesn't rise much. It's a dense, sweet and quite tasty. Place in pan according to custom.
==================================================
Another Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Seafood
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 cups Flour
1 teasthingy Baking soda
3/4 cup Sugar
1 pound Raisins
3 teasthingys Baking powder
1 1/2 teasthingys Salt
1 each Caraway seeds to taste
(usually 1/8 cup
1 quart Buttermilk
Mix all the dry ingredients in a LARGE bowl. Mix in caraway and rasins. Mix in buttermilk. It helps to use your hands to mix this because the dough is stickey DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER. I did this a couple of times and the bread came out very flat. Divide batter into two buttered cake pans. Flour a knife and cut a cross into the tops of each. Bake at 350 for about an hour. The top should not be allowed to get to brown.
Source: It was my Grandmother's recipe from county Mayo in Ireland.
=========================================================
Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 Cups All-purpose flour
1/4 Cup Granulated sugar
1 Teasthingy Salt -- or less
2 Tablesthingys Caraway seeds
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Teasthingy Baking powder
1/4 Cup Raisins
1 1/3 Cups Buttermilk
OR Sour milk
1 Egg -- unbeaten
1 Teasthingy Baking soda
1 Egg yolk
Make in 2 qt. round casserole (or 1 1/2 qt.) Preheat oven to 375. Grease casserole. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into mixing bowl; stir in caraway seed. With fingers, cut in butter until coarse like corn meal. Stir in raisins. Combine buttermilk, egg, baking soda and stir into flour mixture, until just moistened. Turn dough onto slightly floured surface; knead lightly until smooth, shape into ball. Place in casserole. With sharp knife make a 4 inch cross 1/4 inch deep in center. Brush with egg yolk beaten with fork. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until done.
==========================================================
Irish Wheaten Bread (Cooking Light)
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups All-purpose flour
2 cups Whole-wheat flour
2 tablesthingys Sugar
1 teasthingy Salt
1 teasthingy Baking soda
3 tablesthingys Chilled stick margarine
cut into small pieces
1 1/3 cups Low-fat buttermilk
2 Egg whites
Vegetable cooking spray
"The secret to this tender bread is in your hands: don't overwork the dough--just lightly knead it."
The caption under the accompanying photo says
"Irish Wheaten Bread splits around the middle as it bakes, sort of like a large biscuit."
Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor and pulse until well-blended.
With the processor on, drop margarine through food chute, and process for 10 seconds.
Combine buttermilk and egg whites; stir well. With the processor on, pour the
mixture through food chute, and process for 20 seconds or until dough leaves
sides of bowl and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface
and lightly knead about 10 times.
Pat the dough into an 8-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray,
and cut a 1/4-inch-deep X in top of the dough. Bake at 375 deg. F
for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan and let coo
l completely on a wire rack. Cut bread into wedges.
CALORIES 184 (17% from fat); PROTEIN 6.3g; FAT 3.5g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.3g, poly 1.1g);
CARB 32.7g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 1mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 337mg; CALC 46mg
====================================================
Irish Whole-Grain Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 C Whole-wheat flour
preferably stone ground
1 C All-purpose flour -- plus
extra for working dough
1 1/2 Ts Baking soda
1 1/2 Ts Salt
1 C Old-fashioned oats
2 C Buttermilk
2 Tb Dark molasses OR
Black treacle
Thoroughly combine whole-wheat, and all-purpose flours, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Stir in oats and make well in center. Combine buttermilk and molasses in separate bowl. Pour mixture into flour well and gradually work into flour with fingers or sthingy. Knead dough lightly 3 or 4 times on floured surface and divide in half. Shape into 2 round loaves, each about 5 inches in diameter. With sharp knife, score loaves with cross slash, cutting about 1 inch deep. Place loaves on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes,
then reduce hat and bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until loaves are brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool at least 5 minutes on cooling rack. Loaves can be baked several hours ahead and reheated in low oven. Cut into thick or thin wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 2 loaves, 8 servings each. Presented by: Kathleen Desmond Stang, L.A. Times. This version, flavored with old-fashioned rolled oats and dark molasses, is similar to the soda bread served at Ballymaloe House in County Cork, Ireland. Bake the bread early in the day and reheat it just before the guests arrive.
===============================================
Raisin Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 1/4 cups All-purpose flour (up to 4 -- 1/2 cups)
4 teasthingys Baking powder
1/2 teasthingy Baking soda
1 teasthingy Salt
3 tablesthingys Granulated sugar
1 tablesthingy Caraway seeds
1 cup Dark seedless raisins
2 cups Buttermilk
Butter
Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch black cast-iron skillet or cake pan and dust with flour.
In a large bowl, mix 4 cups of the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and caraway seeds. Add the raisins, mixing them in with your fingers to make sure they are separated. Add the buttermilk to the bowl and mix with a fork until the mixture forms a dough.
Sprinkle about 1/4 cup more of the flour on a board or counter. Turn out the dough and knead for about 5 minutes, working in the flour from the board and forming the dough into a smooth round loaf about 8 inches in diameter. (If the humidity is high and the dough is very sticky, you may need to add another 1/4 cup of flour to the board.)
Press the dough evenly into the prepared skillet or pan and cut a cross 1/2 inch deep across the top. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom. Remove the loaf to a wire rack and rub the top with butter. Sprinkle with sugar. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
This Irish bread tastes even better the second day and is particularly good for breakfast.
Makes one large loaf.
====================================================
Saint Patrick's Day Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups Unbleached flour
1 teasthingy Salt
1 tablesthingy Baking powder
1 teasthingy Baking soda
1/4 cup Sugar
1/8 teasthingy Cardamom
1/4 cup Butter
1 Egg -- at room temperature
1 3/4 cups Buttermilk -- at room
1 1/2 cups Currants
Cut this crusty bread in wedges to serve. Add two teasthingys grate lemon peel to complement the flavor of the currants.
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or work it in with your finger. Mix the egg and buttermilk together and then add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until well blended. Add the currants and stir the mixture well. Turn out on a floured surface and knead gently for 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth.
Divide the dough into two pieces, shaping each into a round loaf.
Place each in a greased 8 inch cake or pie pan,pressing it down until the dough fills the pan.
Use a sharp knife to cut a 1/2 inch deep cross on top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for about 40 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when you thump it. Turn out on a wire rack to cool. Do not cut for about 4 hours. Makes 2 loaves.
================================================================================================================
Food Safety for Your Family
June 21, 2006 02:55:02 AM PST
Yahoo! Health: Children's Health News
You probably have lots of concerns about the foods you give to your child. Is it a nutritious meal? Will your child eat it? Is there too much fat? But one thing that may not cross your mind as you're slicing and dicing in the kitchen is food safety.
Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparations are necessary to prevent your family from becoming sick from food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria (which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Food safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, how to store them, how to cook them, and how to clean up afterward.
So what can you do to make sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare are safe? Keep reading to find out.
Buying Food
The grocery store is your first stop on the way to food safety. To ensure freshness, refrigerated items (such as meat, dairy, eggs, and fish) should be put in your cart last. If your drive home is longer than 1 hour, you might consider putting these items in a cooler to keep them fresh.
When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, be sure to check the expiration date on the label. Even if the expiration date is still acceptable, don't buy fish or meats that have any unusual odors or look strange.
It's also important to check inside egg cartons - make sure the eggs, which should be grade A or AA, are clean and free from cracks.
Don't buy:
* fruit with broken skin (bacteria can enter through the opening in the skin and contaminate the fruit)
* unpasteurized ciders or juices (they can contain harmful bacteria)
* prestuffed turkeys or chickens
Refrigerating and Freezing
Before you put the groceries away, check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Your refrigerator should be set for 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), and your freezer should be set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermostat, it's a good idea to invest in a thermometer for the fridge and freezer.
Of course, refrigerated and frozen items should be put away first. Here are some quick tips to remember for foods that need to be kept cool:
* Keep eggs in the original carton on a shelf in your refrigerator (most refrigerator doors don't keep eggs cold enough).
* Put meat, poultry, and fish in separate plastic bags so that their juices don't get on your other foods.
* Freeze - or cook - raw meat, poultry, or fish within 2 days.
* Store raw ground meats in the freezer for a maximum of 4 months.
* Freeze cooked meats for a maximum of 3 months.
* Remove stuffing from poultry after cooking and store it separately in the refrigerator.
Preparing and Cooking
It's a good idea to follow these handling and cooking guidelines to help prevent food-borne illnesses in your family.
Raw Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Products
* Wash your hands with hot water and soap before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products.
* Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods in the refrigerator and on countertops.
* Use separate utensils for cooking and serving raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or wash the utensils in hot, soapy water before using them to serve).
* Never put cooked food on a dish that was holding raw meat, poultry, or fish.
* Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
* Cook thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately.
* Throw away any leftover uncooked meat, poultry, or fish marinades.
* Do not allow raw eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection.
* Thoroughly cook eggs.
* Never serve foods that contain raw eggs, such as uncooked cookie dough, eggnog, mousse, and homemade ice cream. If you want to use these recipes, substitute pasteurized eggs (found in the grocery store's dairy case) for raw eggs.
* Cook meat until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
* Cook crumbled ground beef or poultry until it's no longer pink.
Use a meat thermometer to tell whether meats are cooked thoroughly. (Place the thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat and away from bones or fat.) Most thermometers indicate at which temperature the type of meat is safely cooked, or you can refer to these recommendations:
* poultry: 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (82 to 85 degrees Celsius)
* pork: 137 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius)
* ground beef patties and loaves: 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)
* ground poultry patties and loaves: 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
* leftovers: at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
You probably have lots of concerns about the foods you give to your child. Is it a nutritious meal? Will your child eat it? Is there too much fat? But one thing that may not cross your mind as you're slicing and dicing in the kitchen is food safety.
Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparations are necessary to prevent your family from becoming sick from food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria (which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Food safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, how to store them, how to cook them, and how to clean up afterward.
So what can you do to make sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare are safe? Keep reading to find out.
Buying Food
The grocery store is your first stop on the way to food safety. To ensure freshness, refrigerated items (such as meat, dairy, eggs, and fish) should be put in your cart last. If your drive home is longer than 1 hour, you might consider putting these items in a cooler to keep them fresh.
When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, be sure to check the expiration date on the label. Even if the expiration date is still acceptable, don't buy fish or meats that have any unusual odors or look strange.
It's also important to check inside egg cartons - make sure the eggs, which should be grade A or AA, are clean and free from cracks.
Don't buy:
* fruit with broken skin (bacteria can enter through the opening in the skin and contaminate the fruit)
* unpasteurized ciders or juices (they can contain harmful bacteria)
* prestuffed turkeys or chickens
Refrigerating and Freezing
Before you put the groceries away, check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Your refrigerator should be set for 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), and your freezer should be set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermostat, it's a good idea to invest in a thermometer for the fridge and freezer.
Of course, refrigerated and frozen items should be put away first. Here are some quick tips to remember for foods that need to be kept cool:
* Keep eggs in the original carton on a shelf in your refrigerator (most refrigerator doors don't keep eggs cold enough).
* Put meat, poultry, and fish in separate plastic bags so that their juices don't get on your other foods.
* Freeze - or cook - raw meat, poultry, or fish within 2 days.
* Store raw ground meats in the freezer for a maximum of 4 months.
* Freeze cooked meats for a maximum of 3 months.
* Remove stuffing from poultry after cooking and store it separately in the refrigerator.
Preparing and Cooking
It's a good idea to follow these handling and cooking guidelines to help prevent food-borne illnesses in your family.
Raw Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Products
* Wash your hands with hot water and soap before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products.
* Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods in the refrigerator and on countertops.
* Use separate utensils for cooking and serving raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or wash the utensils in hot, soapy water before using them to serve).
* Never put cooked food on a dish that was holding raw meat, poultry, or fish.
* Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
* Cook thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately.
* Throw away any leftover uncooked meat, poultry, or fish marinades.
* Do not allow raw eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection.
* Thoroughly cook eggs.
* Never serve foods that contain raw eggs, such as uncooked cookie dough, eggnog, mousse, and homemade ice cream. If you want to use these recipes, substitute pasteurized eggs (found in the grocery store's dairy case) for raw eggs.
* Cook meat until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
* Cook crumbled ground beef or poultry until it's no longer pink.
Use a meat thermometer to tell whether meats are cooked thoroughly. (Place the thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat and away from bones or fat.) Most thermometers indicate at which temperature the type of meat is safely cooked, or you can refer to these recommendations:
* poultry: 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (82 to 85 degrees Celsius)
* pork: 137 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius)
* ground beef patties and loaves: 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)
* ground poultry patties and loaves: 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
* leftovers: at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
When cooking, broiling, or grilling meats on the stove, turn them over at least once. In the microwave, cover all meats and do the following:
* Turn patties over and rotate the dish halfway through cooking.
* Rotate meatloaf dishes halfway through cooking (and let sit for up to 7 minutes after cooking before eating - consult your owner's manual).
* Stir ground meats once or twice.
Fruits and Vegetables
* Scrub all fruits and vegetables with plain water (even if you plan on peeling them) to remove any pesticide residue or dirt.
* Wash melons, such as cantaloupes and watermelons, before eating to avoid carrying bacteria from the rind to the knife to the inside of the fruit.
* Remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, such as spinach or lettuce.
Cleaning Up
Clean food is just one part of the food safety equation. You also need to be sure that your kitchen surfaces and your hands are clean to prevent the spread of bacteria.
* Refrigerate any leftovers as soon as possible after cooking. If left to sit at room temperature, bacteria in the food will multiply quickly.
* Consume leftovers within 3 to 5 days or throw them out.
* Wash cutting boards - which can become a breeding ground for bacteria if they aren't cleaned carefully - separately from other dishes and utensils in hot, soapy water; then disinfect them with a homemade cleaning solution (1 teasthingy of chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water). (Designate one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and fish.) After washing and disinfecting the cutting board, rinse it thoroughly with plain water to remove any bleach residue and leave it to air dry.
* Don't use old cutting boards with cracks or deep gouges because bacteria may hide in the crevices of the board.
* Wash your hands if they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, or fish.
* Never use a dish towel to wipe meat juices from your hands - the bacteria can contaminate the towel and can then spread to another person's hands. If a dish towel does come in contact with the juices of raw meat, poultry, or fish, launder the towel in hot water as soon as possible.
* After preparing food, wipe your kitchen counters and other exposed surfaces with a commercial kitchen cleaning product or a homemade cleaning solution.
* Rinse your dishrag. Because sponges stay wet longer and their porous quality attracts bacteria, experts recommend using a thinner dishrag that can dry between uses, instead of a sponge.
* Wash paper towels and dishrags in hot soapy water if they come in contact with raw foods.
* Periodically sanitize your kitchen sink, drain, and garbage disposal by pouring in a commercial kitchen cleaning agent or a homemade cleaning solution.
By taking some simple precautions, you can reduce the chance of food-borne illnesses in your family.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: July 2004
Originally reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
10 ounces Flour
2 teasthingys Baking powder
1/2 teasthingy Baking soda
1 teasthingy Mixed spice *
1/2 teasthingy Ginger -- ground
4 ounces Sugar, brown -- light
2 ounces Citron, candied -- chopped
6 ounces Raisins -- plain or golden
4 ounces Butter
6 ounces Golden syrup **
1 large Egg -- beaten
4 tablesthingys Milk
* Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
** Lyons' Golden Syrup, carried in some fancy groceries. If you can't find it, use Karo light corn syrup.
Sift the flour with the soda and baking powder, and the mixed spice and ginger: then add the brown sugar, chopped peel and raisins:
mix. Make a well in the center. Melt the butter with the syrup over low heat, then pour into the well in the mixture. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix very well. Pour into a greased 2-lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 F for 40-50 minutes, or until it tests done. This bread will keep moist for several days, and actually improves somewhat during this period.
======================
AUNT MARY'S IRISH BREAD
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Ethnic
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 c Flour*
1 c Sugar
1 t Salt
2 ts Heaping baking powder
1 t Carraway seeds
1 Egg
Buttermilk
2 tb Butter**
1 1/2 c Raisins -- 2 fists
1/2 c Currants
1 c Mixed fruit -- (1/2 lb)
1/4 ts Baking soda
If you can't trust a Mary Catherine Gallagher for
Irish Soda Bread, who can you trust. This is an old
family recipe from my wife's Aunt.
*(Fill the sifter are her words) **(a good chunk--her
words) Preheat oven to 400*F Soak raisins and currants
in hot water. Put sugar in a mixing bowl and cut
butter into it. Cut until it looks like white
cornmeal. Put in the caraway seeds Put flour, salt,
baking powder and baking soda into the sifter and sift
into the sugar and butter mix.
If you use the mixed fruit, cut any large pieces and
mix into the flour mixture. Drain the raisins and
currants and dry well.
Mix into the dry ingredients. In a cup measurer, beat
the egg with a fork and fill the cup with buttermilk.
Mix lightly.
Make a hole in dry ingredients and pour in milk and
egg. Mix well until everything is wet and starts to
pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add more liquid
if needed.
Knead slightly to form into a round loaf.
Place loaf in a HOT iron frying pan which has been
greased and floured. Cut a large cross nearly through
the loaf. Bake at 400*F for 10 minutes and lower
temperature to 250*F for another 60 minutes.
Remove from oven and while still hot brush with a
mixture of 5 TBS sugar and 1/4 cup evaporated milk
(mixed well). Turn out onto a rack when cool.
======================================================
Barm Brack (Traditional Irish Bread)
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Desserts
Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/2 cups Mixed dry fruit--currants>>>
Dark & golden raisins.
1 cup Boiling black tea
1 each Egg
1 teasthingy Mixed spice (see note*)
4 teasthingys Marmalade
1 cup (heaping)superfine sugar
2 1/2 cups Self-rising flour
Place dried fruit in a bowl, cover with the hot tea and let soak overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingreds. and mix well. Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour batten into greased 7" square pan and bake in the center of oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Let cool in the pan on awire rack. Slice and serve buttered with tea.
NOTE* (Mixed spices: equal parts of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and mace.
1. In Northern Ireland and in the Republic, BRACK is the Celtic word for salt and is used to mean "bread". Barm brack is leavened bread, the word BARM meaning yeast.
2. The term "barmbrack" for an Irish fruit loaf or cake does not derive from barm or leaven. It is a corruption of the Irish word "aran breac" (Speckled Bread).
===============================================
Brown Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Quick Bread Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups Whole wheat flour
2 teasthingys Brown sugar
2 teasthingys Baking powder
1 teasthingy Baking soda
1 teasthingy Cream of tartar
1/2 teasthingy Salt
1 cup White raisins
1 3/4 cups Milk
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the whole what flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder,
baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir in the raisins. Add milk; stir till dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn into a greased
9 x 1-1/2-inch round baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or till brown.
Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly. Wrap and store overnight.
Makes 1 loaf.
====================================================
Classic Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Fruits
Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups Flour
4 teasthingys Baking Powder
1 cup Sugar
1/2 teasthingy Salt
1 teasthingy Caraway Seeds
1 1/2 cups Raisins
2 Eggs -- beaten
1 cup Butter or Margarine -- melted
1 cup Milk
Preheat oven to 350oF. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Place raisins and caraway seeds in a large bowl. Sift together flour, baking soda, sugar and salt. Pour sifted mixture over raisins. Add butter, eggs and milk to the bowl;
mix well. Mold dough into a loaf shape on a floured board. Place dough in greased pan and bake for one hour, or until bread tests done.
- - - - - - - - -
============================================
Irish Barmbrack
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breadmaker Yeast
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 tablesthingys Currants 1/4 c
6 tablesthingys Seedless raisins 1/4 c
6 ounces Milk 1/2 c
2 ounces Water 1 oz
3 1/2 tablesthingys Applesause (butter) 2 1/2 T
3 cups Bread flour 2 c.
3/4 cup Sugar 1/2 c
1 1/2 teasthingys Salt 1 t
3/4 teasthingy Allspice 1/2 t
3/4 teasthingy Dried lemon peel 1/2 t
1 1/2 teasthingys Yeast 1 t
This bread doesn't rise much. It's a dense, sweet and quite tasty. Place in pan according to custom.
==================================================
Another Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Seafood
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 cups Flour
1 teasthingy Baking soda
3/4 cup Sugar
1 pound Raisins
3 teasthingys Baking powder
1 1/2 teasthingys Salt
1 each Caraway seeds to taste
(usually 1/8 cup
1 quart Buttermilk
Mix all the dry ingredients in a LARGE bowl. Mix in caraway and rasins. Mix in buttermilk. It helps to use your hands to mix this because the dough is stickey DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER. I did this a couple of times and the bread came out very flat. Divide batter into two buttered cake pans. Flour a knife and cut a cross into the tops of each. Bake at 350 for about an hour. The top should not be allowed to get to brown.
Source: It was my Grandmother's recipe from county Mayo in Ireland.
=========================================================
Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 Cups All-purpose flour
1/4 Cup Granulated sugar
1 Teasthingy Salt -- or less
2 Tablesthingys Caraway seeds
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Teasthingy Baking powder
1/4 Cup Raisins
1 1/3 Cups Buttermilk
OR Sour milk
1 Egg -- unbeaten
1 Teasthingy Baking soda
1 Egg yolk
Make in 2 qt. round casserole (or 1 1/2 qt.) Preheat oven to 375. Grease casserole. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into mixing bowl; stir in caraway seed. With fingers, cut in butter until coarse like corn meal. Stir in raisins. Combine buttermilk, egg, baking soda and stir into flour mixture, until just moistened. Turn dough onto slightly floured surface; knead lightly until smooth, shape into ball. Place in casserole. With sharp knife make a 4 inch cross 1/4 inch deep in center. Brush with egg yolk beaten with fork. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until done.
==========================================================
Irish Wheaten Bread (Cooking Light)
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups All-purpose flour
2 cups Whole-wheat flour
2 tablesthingys Sugar
1 teasthingy Salt
1 teasthingy Baking soda
3 tablesthingys Chilled stick margarine
cut into small pieces
1 1/3 cups Low-fat buttermilk
2 Egg whites
Vegetable cooking spray
"The secret to this tender bread is in your hands: don't overwork the dough--just lightly knead it."
The caption under the accompanying photo says
"Irish Wheaten Bread splits around the middle as it bakes, sort of like a large biscuit."
Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor and pulse until well-blended.
With the processor on, drop margarine through food chute, and process for 10 seconds.
Combine buttermilk and egg whites; stir well. With the processor on, pour the
mixture through food chute, and process for 20 seconds or until dough leaves
sides of bowl and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface
and lightly knead about 10 times.
Pat the dough into an 8-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray,
and cut a 1/4-inch-deep X in top of the dough. Bake at 375 deg. F
for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan and let coo
l completely on a wire rack. Cut bread into wedges.
CALORIES 184 (17% from fat); PROTEIN 6.3g; FAT 3.5g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.3g, poly 1.1g);
CARB 32.7g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 1mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 337mg; CALC 46mg
====================================================
Irish Whole-Grain Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 C Whole-wheat flour
preferably stone ground
1 C All-purpose flour -- plus
extra for working dough
1 1/2 Ts Baking soda
1 1/2 Ts Salt
1 C Old-fashioned oats
2 C Buttermilk
2 Tb Dark molasses OR
Black treacle
Thoroughly combine whole-wheat, and all-purpose flours, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Stir in oats and make well in center. Combine buttermilk and molasses in separate bowl. Pour mixture into flour well and gradually work into flour with fingers or sthingy. Knead dough lightly 3 or 4 times on floured surface and divide in half. Shape into 2 round loaves, each about 5 inches in diameter. With sharp knife, score loaves with cross slash, cutting about 1 inch deep. Place loaves on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes,
then reduce hat and bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until loaves are brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool at least 5 minutes on cooling rack. Loaves can be baked several hours ahead and reheated in low oven. Cut into thick or thin wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 2 loaves, 8 servings each. Presented by: Kathleen Desmond Stang, L.A. Times. This version, flavored with old-fashioned rolled oats and dark molasses, is similar to the soda bread served at Ballymaloe House in County Cork, Ireland. Bake the bread early in the day and reheat it just before the guests arrive.
===============================================
Raisin Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 1/4 cups All-purpose flour (up to 4 -- 1/2 cups)
4 teasthingys Baking powder
1/2 teasthingy Baking soda
1 teasthingy Salt
3 tablesthingys Granulated sugar
1 tablesthingy Caraway seeds
1 cup Dark seedless raisins
2 cups Buttermilk
Butter
Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch black cast-iron skillet or cake pan and dust with flour.
In a large bowl, mix 4 cups of the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and caraway seeds. Add the raisins, mixing them in with your fingers to make sure they are separated. Add the buttermilk to the bowl and mix with a fork until the mixture forms a dough.
Sprinkle about 1/4 cup more of the flour on a board or counter. Turn out the dough and knead for about 5 minutes, working in the flour from the board and forming the dough into a smooth round loaf about 8 inches in diameter. (If the humidity is high and the dough is very sticky, you may need to add another 1/4 cup of flour to the board.)
Press the dough evenly into the prepared skillet or pan and cut a cross 1/2 inch deep across the top. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom. Remove the loaf to a wire rack and rub the top with butter. Sprinkle with sugar. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
This Irish bread tastes even better the second day and is particularly good for breakfast.
Makes one large loaf.
====================================================
Saint Patrick's Day Irish Soda Bread
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups Unbleached flour
1 teasthingy Salt
1 tablesthingy Baking powder
1 teasthingy Baking soda
1/4 cup Sugar
1/8 teasthingy Cardamom
1/4 cup Butter
1 Egg -- at room temperature
1 3/4 cups Buttermilk -- at room
1 1/2 cups Currants
Cut this crusty bread in wedges to serve. Add two teasthingys grate lemon peel to complement the flavor of the currants.
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or work it in with your finger. Mix the egg and buttermilk together and then add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until well blended. Add the currants and stir the mixture well. Turn out on a floured surface and knead gently for 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth.
Divide the dough into two pieces, shaping each into a round loaf.
Place each in a greased 8 inch cake or pie pan,pressing it down until the dough fills the pan.
Use a sharp knife to cut a 1/2 inch deep cross on top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for about 40 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when you thump it. Turn out on a wire rack to cool. Do not cut for about 4 hours. Makes 2 loaves.
================================================================================================================
Food Safety for Your Family
June 21, 2006 02:55:02 AM PST
Yahoo! Health: Children's Health News
You probably have lots of concerns about the foods you give to your child. Is it a nutritious meal? Will your child eat it? Is there too much fat? But one thing that may not cross your mind as you're slicing and dicing in the kitchen is food safety.
Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparations are necessary to prevent your family from becoming sick from food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria (which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Food safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, how to store them, how to cook them, and how to clean up afterward.
So what can you do to make sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare are safe? Keep reading to find out.
Buying Food
The grocery store is your first stop on the way to food safety. To ensure freshness, refrigerated items (such as meat, dairy, eggs, and fish) should be put in your cart last. If your drive home is longer than 1 hour, you might consider putting these items in a cooler to keep them fresh.
When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, be sure to check the expiration date on the label. Even if the expiration date is still acceptable, don't buy fish or meats that have any unusual odors or look strange.
It's also important to check inside egg cartons - make sure the eggs, which should be grade A or AA, are clean and free from cracks.
Don't buy:
* fruit with broken skin (bacteria can enter through the opening in the skin and contaminate the fruit)
* unpasteurized ciders or juices (they can contain harmful bacteria)
* prestuffed turkeys or chickens
Refrigerating and Freezing
Before you put the groceries away, check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Your refrigerator should be set for 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), and your freezer should be set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermostat, it's a good idea to invest in a thermometer for the fridge and freezer.
Of course, refrigerated and frozen items should be put away first. Here are some quick tips to remember for foods that need to be kept cool:
* Keep eggs in the original carton on a shelf in your refrigerator (most refrigerator doors don't keep eggs cold enough).
* Put meat, poultry, and fish in separate plastic bags so that their juices don't get on your other foods.
* Freeze - or cook - raw meat, poultry, or fish within 2 days.
* Store raw ground meats in the freezer for a maximum of 4 months.
* Freeze cooked meats for a maximum of 3 months.
* Remove stuffing from poultry after cooking and store it separately in the refrigerator.
Preparing and Cooking
It's a good idea to follow these handling and cooking guidelines to help prevent food-borne illnesses in your family.
Raw Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Products
* Wash your hands with hot water and soap before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products.
* Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods in the refrigerator and on countertops.
* Use separate utensils for cooking and serving raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or wash the utensils in hot, soapy water before using them to serve).
* Never put cooked food on a dish that was holding raw meat, poultry, or fish.
* Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
* Cook thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately.
* Throw away any leftover uncooked meat, poultry, or fish marinades.
* Do not allow raw eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection.
* Thoroughly cook eggs.
* Never serve foods that contain raw eggs, such as uncooked cookie dough, eggnog, mousse, and homemade ice cream. If you want to use these recipes, substitute pasteurized eggs (found in the grocery store's dairy case) for raw eggs.
* Cook meat until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
* Cook crumbled ground beef or poultry until it's no longer pink.
Use a meat thermometer to tell whether meats are cooked thoroughly. (Place the thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat and away from bones or fat.) Most thermometers indicate at which temperature the type of meat is safely cooked, or you can refer to these recommendations:
* poultry: 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (82 to 85 degrees Celsius)
* pork: 137 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius)
* ground beef patties and loaves: 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)
* ground poultry patties and loaves: 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
* leftovers: at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
You probably have lots of concerns about the foods you give to your child. Is it a nutritious meal? Will your child eat it? Is there too much fat? But one thing that may not cross your mind as you're slicing and dicing in the kitchen is food safety.
Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparations are necessary to prevent your family from becoming sick from food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria (which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Food safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, how to store them, how to cook them, and how to clean up afterward.
So what can you do to make sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare are safe? Keep reading to find out.
Buying Food
The grocery store is your first stop on the way to food safety. To ensure freshness, refrigerated items (such as meat, dairy, eggs, and fish) should be put in your cart last. If your drive home is longer than 1 hour, you might consider putting these items in a cooler to keep them fresh.
When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, be sure to check the expiration date on the label. Even if the expiration date is still acceptable, don't buy fish or meats that have any unusual odors or look strange.
It's also important to check inside egg cartons - make sure the eggs, which should be grade A or AA, are clean and free from cracks.
Don't buy:
* fruit with broken skin (bacteria can enter through the opening in the skin and contaminate the fruit)
* unpasteurized ciders or juices (they can contain harmful bacteria)
* prestuffed turkeys or chickens
Refrigerating and Freezing
Before you put the groceries away, check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Your refrigerator should be set for 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), and your freezer should be set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermostat, it's a good idea to invest in a thermometer for the fridge and freezer.
Of course, refrigerated and frozen items should be put away first. Here are some quick tips to remember for foods that need to be kept cool:
* Keep eggs in the original carton on a shelf in your refrigerator (most refrigerator doors don't keep eggs cold enough).
* Put meat, poultry, and fish in separate plastic bags so that their juices don't get on your other foods.
* Freeze - or cook - raw meat, poultry, or fish within 2 days.
* Store raw ground meats in the freezer for a maximum of 4 months.
* Freeze cooked meats for a maximum of 3 months.
* Remove stuffing from poultry after cooking and store it separately in the refrigerator.
Preparing and Cooking
It's a good idea to follow these handling and cooking guidelines to help prevent food-borne illnesses in your family.
Raw Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Products
* Wash your hands with hot water and soap before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products.
* Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods in the refrigerator and on countertops.
* Use separate utensils for cooking and serving raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or wash the utensils in hot, soapy water before using them to serve).
* Never put cooked food on a dish that was holding raw meat, poultry, or fish.
* Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
* Cook thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately.
* Throw away any leftover uncooked meat, poultry, or fish marinades.
* Do not allow raw eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection.
* Thoroughly cook eggs.
* Never serve foods that contain raw eggs, such as uncooked cookie dough, eggnog, mousse, and homemade ice cream. If you want to use these recipes, substitute pasteurized eggs (found in the grocery store's dairy case) for raw eggs.
* Cook meat until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
* Cook crumbled ground beef or poultry until it's no longer pink.
Use a meat thermometer to tell whether meats are cooked thoroughly. (Place the thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat and away from bones or fat.) Most thermometers indicate at which temperature the type of meat is safely cooked, or you can refer to these recommendations:
* poultry: 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (82 to 85 degrees Celsius)
* pork: 137 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius)
* ground beef patties and loaves: 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)
* ground poultry patties and loaves: 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
* leftovers: at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius)
When cooking, broiling, or grilling meats on the stove, turn them over at least once. In the microwave, cover all meats and do the following:
* Turn patties over and rotate the dish halfway through cooking.
* Rotate meatloaf dishes halfway through cooking (and let sit for up to 7 minutes after cooking before eating - consult your owner's manual).
* Stir ground meats once or twice.
Fruits and Vegetables
* Scrub all fruits and vegetables with plain water (even if you plan on peeling them) to remove any pesticide residue or dirt.
* Wash melons, such as cantaloupes and watermelons, before eating to avoid carrying bacteria from the rind to the knife to the inside of the fruit.
* Remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, such as spinach or lettuce.
Cleaning Up
Clean food is just one part of the food safety equation. You also need to be sure that your kitchen surfaces and your hands are clean to prevent the spread of bacteria.
* Refrigerate any leftovers as soon as possible after cooking. If left to sit at room temperature, bacteria in the food will multiply quickly.
* Consume leftovers within 3 to 5 days or throw them out.
* Wash cutting boards - which can become a breeding ground for bacteria if they aren't cleaned carefully - separately from other dishes and utensils in hot, soapy water; then disinfect them with a homemade cleaning solution (1 teasthingy of chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water). (Designate one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and fish.) After washing and disinfecting the cutting board, rinse it thoroughly with plain water to remove any bleach residue and leave it to air dry.
* Don't use old cutting boards with cracks or deep gouges because bacteria may hide in the crevices of the board.
* Wash your hands if they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, or fish.
* Never use a dish towel to wipe meat juices from your hands - the bacteria can contaminate the towel and can then spread to another person's hands. If a dish towel does come in contact with the juices of raw meat, poultry, or fish, launder the towel in hot water as soon as possible.
* After preparing food, wipe your kitchen counters and other exposed surfaces with a commercial kitchen cleaning product or a homemade cleaning solution.
* Rinse your dishrag. Because sponges stay wet longer and their porous quality attracts bacteria, experts recommend using a thinner dishrag that can dry between uses, instead of a sponge.
* Wash paper towels and dishrags in hot soapy water if they come in contact with raw foods.
* Periodically sanitize your kitchen sink, drain, and garbage disposal by pouring in a commercial kitchen cleaning agent or a homemade cleaning solution.
By taking some simple precautions, you can reduce the chance of food-borne illnesses in your family.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: July 2004
Originally reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD