Turkey Tactics for the Holidays

Each year the holiday season seems to arrives sooner than in the past. It seems like it was only yesterday that we were celebrating The 4th of July, and now holiday decorations are going up in malls and shopping plazas. With Thanksgiving less than a week away, now is the time to put plans into action for roasting the perfect turkey for your family feast. There are many things to consider when it comes to selecting, thawing, roasting and saving leftover holiday turkey. The majority of grocery stores in our region offer either fresh or frozen turkeys. Frozen turkeys can be selected months in advance. They can be kept frozen indefinitely. But it is recommended that you cook it within one year for best quality. There are three ways to thaw your turkey safely. You can thaw it in the refrigerator, in cold running water, or in the microwave oven. Thawing the turkey in the refrigerator is probably the most efficient way for most home cooks. This thawing method does take some planning. The average time for thawing a whole turkey is 3 to 5 days, depending on the size of the bird. Follow these two simple steps for thawing a turkey in the refrigerator. First, keep the turkey in the original wrapper. Next, place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. Once thawed, a turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. A fresh turkey works well when you don’t have several days to thaw a whole turkey in the refrigerator. Purchase it 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it. Store your fresh turkey in the refrigerator in a pan to catch any juices that may leak from the packaging. Fresh or frozen, always allow 1 pound of turkey per person. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend buying fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, harmful bacteria can grow in the stuffing. Frozen pre-stuffed turkeys, on the other hand, can be safe if the turkey has a USDA or State mark of inspection on the packaging. Frozen, pre-stuffed turkeys should not be thawed before cooking. These turkeys have to be cooked from the frozen state. You should closely follow the package directions for handling and cooking. To roast your holiday bird, you need a few basic pieces of equipment, some simple ingredients and an oven set at 325°F. A shallow roasting pan with a rack works well for turkeys. Don’t be tempted to stuff the turkey. Cook the stuffing outside of the turkey in a casserole dish. This works better because it allows the turkey to cook evenly and it is safer. Remember to remove the giblets from the turkey cavities before you roast the turkey. There are several ways to season the turkey. Most seasonings will have little effect on the safety of the turkey. Generally, simply rubbing the skin with olive or vegetable oil and sprinkling the turkey with salt and pepper works well. Tuck the wing tips under the shoulders of the bird for more even cooking. Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the turkey during the first 1 to 1 ½ hours. You can cover with the lid of the roaster or place a heavy-duty aluminum foil tent over the turkey. This allows for even cooking and browning. Checking the temperature of the turkey is a key step to making sure it is safe to serve. The USDA recommends roasting the turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F. Even if your turkey has a “pop-up” temperature indicator, it is still recommended that you check the temperature in the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer. You can also use an oven-proof food thermometer. Place the oven-proof thermometer in the turkey at the start of the cooking cycle. For a whole turkey, place the thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh. Once the thigh has reached 165°F, check the wing and the thickest part of the breast to ensure the entire turkey has reached the 165°F mark. For best quality, let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to set. The turkey will carve more easily. Once the meal is over, do not allow the turkey to remain at room temperature for longer than two hours. Divide leftovers into smaller portions and refrigerate. It is better to refrigerate leftover turkey in shallow containers because they allow the meat to cool down to a safe temperature faster. Leftover turkey must be used within 3 to 4 days. Plan to use or freeze leftover gravy within 1 to 2 days.

Financial Planning for Young Couples

At this time of year, many young couples are busy planning for spring weddings. Their thoughts are focused on menus, dresses, honeymoons and all of the many things that go along with a wedding. Unfortunately, conversations between couples rarely hit on one of the most important issues they will encounter in their new life together – money management. Many marital conflicts revolve around spending, saving and making money.

Decisions such as opening credit card accounts, having joint or individual banking accounts, deciding on large purchases, purchasing insurance and who will manage the money are among the many things that need to be discussed. Because of the potential conflict involved with money management, it is important that couples communicate openly on the subject. We usually come to a relationship with our expectations based on past experiences and what we observed in our own family situations. Obviously our vision and our partner’s vision of money management can differ greatly. Through open, honest communication, couples can share their feelings and talk about what is important to them - whether that is a house, exotic vacations, additional education, etc. Couples also need to determine who will pay the bills and whether accounts will be shared. If you resent having to ask your partner for money, this feeling needs to be shared during this discussion.

One good starting point is to identify financial goals and how the couple might reach those aspirations. This discussion will lead to the development of a spending plan. The first step in making a spending plan is to write down how much income you have and what expenditures you expect. Both partners need to be involved in planning how income will be spent. Talk about ways to spend and stretch the budget. If there is not enough money for everything, then it will be necessary to generate more income or reduce some expenses to make the budget work. Many couple get themselves into financial “hot water” by filling the gaps in their spending plans by using credit cards.

Finally, couples need to take time to regularly evaluate their spending plan. Determine what is working and what is not. Try not to criticize or blame your partner, but instead focus on alternatives and how to make the spending plan work.

So as you finish your wedding plans, please take time to talk about the resources that will be used to support you after the big event. Be prepared to find differences in what each of you feels is important in financial management and continue to keep those lines of communication open.

Healthy Birthday Celebrations

Birthday parties are a great way for children to celebrate life with family, friends and school classmates. When most of us think of birthday party foods, cake, ice cream, and punch come to mind. How can parents and teachers help plan and host parties that celebrate healthy living? Teachers and parents should remember to keep the celebration focused on the child or children celebrating the special day. Birthday parties offer an opportunity for parents and teachers to make nutrition fun and exciting. Parents and teachers should use parties as a chance to serve foods that are nutritious and tasty and that are also colorful and eye appealing. Try these suggestions for healthy birthday parties · Host a make your own fruit and yogurt parfait bar. Offer fresh fruit, granola and yogurt. Students can build their own yogurt parfait creations. · Focus the food selections on a specific culture. Find and prepare healthy recipes from different cultures. · Ask the children to help plan parties and to suggest healthy snack ideas. You may be surprised at the good healthy choices they offer. · Make sure that the refreshments are not the major feature of the party. The refreshments should only complement the other party activities. · Host a birthday dance party. Bowling, bouncing, and skating parties are also fun and will give kids a chance to burn off extra calories if you serve cake and ice cream. · Use a fresh vegetable platter or fruit salad as a colorful, appetizing, and tasty centerpiece. · Have the children help make kabobs by placing bite-sized pieces of fruits or vegetables onto skewers. · Use salsa or hummus (a bean spread) as dips for cut vegetables and whole-grain crackers. Birthday and classroom parties are special for children. When planning parties for children remember to focus on a variety of activities, games and crafts that children enjoy. Make sure to include lots of healthy choices when making food selections. Even though there is nothing wrong with an occasional cake and ice cream treat, unhealthy food choices should not be the norm at these events. Remember, parties that feature healthy foods provide children opportunities to practice making wise food choices. Share your ideas for healthy birthday parties. I would love to share your comments. What do you do to make family and/or school birthday celebrations fun, healthy and exciting?

Is it Still Good to Eat?

Many people call asking about specific foods and whether they are still safe to consume. One way to judge is by checking the food product dating. Understanding the types of dates can help you make a decision. The following terms may appear on products you buy: “Sell by” date – indicates how long the store should display the product. Buy foods before this date has passed. The food may still be good to eat at home. Milk, for example, will usually still be good for at least a week beyond that date if properly refrigerated. “Best if used by” – this indicates when the quality and freshness is best. Foods are safe to purchase and consume after this date. “Use by” date – the manufacturer recommends consuming by this date for best quality. It is not a food safety date, but would be best used by this date. “Expiration date”-- If you haven't used the product by this date, toss it out. “Coded dates” – these packing numbers are used by stores to allow them to rotate stock and respond to recalls. Each manufacturer determines their own system of coding. Some use letters of the alphabet to indicate months, some use the Julian calendar for days of the year. Unless you know the coding system, trying to figure out when a product was packaged can be like trying to solve a Chinese puzzle. Products that are past their expiration date may still be safe to eat. A local food bank calls the companies and asks them how far past the expiration date their food is safe to eat. Brand-name manufacturers often have a toll-free number on the package, which makes it convenient and cost-free to call and ask how to decode the packing number or how long it is safe to eat. For in-depth information on figuring out code dating and how to contact manufacturer’s, go to http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftjan05.htm A general guideline for canned goods is: Low-acid canned goods like canned meats, poultry, stew, soups (except tomato) and most vegetables are best used within 2-5 years. High-acid canned goods like fruit, tomato products, sauerkraut or pickled products are suggested to be used within 12-18 months. Never use baby food or formula that is past the expiration date. Babies and infants are especially vulnerable to food-borne illness because their immune systems are not fully developed. Keep in mind that foods can go bad before their expiration date if not stored properly and protected from contamination. Also, some specially packaged foods like vacuum-sealed products have one date listed for “use by” that may be weeks or months in the future, but, once opened, are suggested to be consumed within a few days to a week. Shelf-stable packaged goods that contain foods with natural or added oils can become rancid, especially if stored in above-average temperatures for a period of time. Check crackers, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and snack foods that contain fat periodically by smelling the contents. If rancid, they will have an off-odor and usually a bitter taste. Discard these products. To minimize spoilage or loss of quality of food products before they are eaten, follow these guidelines: Always store new product behind older goods so foods are rotated and used before they deteriorate. Use a marker to date products that have no other dating information on them. Only buy economy sizes of products you can use up while still of good quality.