Graduation party food safety
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- Published on Thursday, 13 June 2013 14:03
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We are entering the season of graduation parties, family reunions, and community gatherings. These events include good people, good times, and good food!
If you are hosting or helping with a large quantity food event, be sure to keep food safety in mind. The combination of larger quantities of food, more helpers in the kitchen, and summer temperatures could result in unwanted foodborne illness for your guests. Infants and young children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems attending your gathering are at higher risk. Foodborne illness often presents itself with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.
Pickled asparagus
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- Published on Wednesday, 29 May 2013 16:10
- Hits: 72
Pickling is not just for cucumbers anymore! One of the first crops of the season is asparagus and it is a good candidate for pickling. Use the freshest asparagus for best color. Choose spears with straight, green (possibly tinged with purple) and tightly closed tips. Thinner spears are preferred for pickling. The quality deteriorates very rapidly after it has been harvested, so keep it cool.
Pickled Asparagus Recipe
For six wide-mouth pint jars:
10 pounds asparagus
Wild edible plants at Lake Maria S.P.
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- Published on Saturday, 11 May 2013 14:00
- Hits: 88
Wild edible plants will be the focus of a program at Lake Maria State Park beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18, at the park’s nature center. Registration is required by calling the park at (763) 878-2325.
Dr. Steve Saupe, professor and botanist at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict, will be the featured speaker, covering such topics as identification and collection of wild edible plants, preparation of edible plants for consumption and preservation and restoration of habitat. His presentation will be followed by a short hike.
I Dairy^ou to Cook!
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- Published on Friday, 03 May 2013 10:48
- Hits: 256
First Ever ‘I Dairy^ou to Cook!’ Recipe Contest Seeks Entries
Celebrate June Dairy Month by entering the ‘I Dairy^ou to Cook!’ recipe contest. Enter an original recipe that includes your favorite dairy products including, milk, cheese, yogurt and/or ice cream. The three categories include main dish, snack/appetizer, and dessert. Contestants can enter in a maximum of two categories and must include the recipe and a photo with each entry. Short video entries are also allowed, but not required. The entry form is online at the event organizer’s blog – Put A Fork In It, www.a4kinit.blogspot.com. Photos and videos should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Picking vegetable varieties for preserving
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- Published on Sunday, 28 April 2013 14:09
- Hits: 89
We welcome seed catalogues as they begin to arrive in our mailbox. We know they bring with them the promise of spring. If you are a vegetable gardener, you enjoy looking at the new vegetable varieties and check to see that your favorite variety of beets, green beans and other vegetables continue to be available.
If you are a home food preserver who plans to freeze, can, pickle or dry your garden produce, it is important to select vegetable varieties that have been developed for preserving. Planning to make dill pickles this summer? Be sure to select a “pickling” cucumber variety rather than a slicing cucumber to plant in your garden.