Dinner Tonight

Dinner Tonight

Healthy Cooking for a Healthy Texas

Finger Food Etiquette

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BBQ’s, picnics, and outdoor adventures, oh my! Summer tends to keep you busy outside, hence all the delicious meals as well.  Learn the basics of finger food etiquette so you’ll be ready for all the finger-lickin’ food. Or maybe you’re headed to holiday parties for work, family, and friends! No matter the situation you might be faced with a finger food style meal, be sure to follow these tips to keep yourself and everyone else safe!

Eating foods with your fingers can be quite fun, but also tricky.  Here’s the low-down of what you need to know before picking away:

  • Always wash your hands before and after enjoying your delicious foods.
  • Always have a napkin nearby. Sometimes, utensils are not offered, so it’s nifty to use a napkin instead.
  • Some foods don’t require a utensil.  Popular items include deviled eggs, roll-ups, vegetables with dip, olives, pickles, crackers, etc. For appetizer buffets that have serving platters, its best to use the serving utensils rather than your hands to pick up food.
  • Lastly, if appetizers are served on toothpicks or skewers, pick them up by the stick.

Read our handy guide to double-dipping etiquette.

Find a list of delightful snacks and appetizers for your next party here!

See our tips on keeping your party food safe for your guests here!

Salmonella

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Salmonella is a food borne bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Often times, it is found in poultry products including eggs. Here are some Food Safety Tips to avoid food borne illness, particularly salmonella, with eggs.

Food Safety and Eggs

Eggs can be tricky – do I buy farm fresh? do I refrigerate? pasteurized? Don’t worry Texas A&M AgriLife Extensions Dinner Tonight and Path to the Plate programs are here to help.

From purchasing to storing, eggs can be confusing. With a little bit of information, we will help you decide on how to make the best choice that fits your family.

Eggs are nutrient dense, but they also provide opportunity for food borne illnesses, such as salmonella. Be sure to take apply some of these tips to avoid food poisoning:

  • Discard Cracked Eggs | Cracked eggs are more susceptible to attracting bacteria and allowing bacteria to grow. Avoid purchasing a carton of eggs that already has a cracked egg or discard it.
  • Refrigerate at 40*F or Below | Store your eggs in the original carton at 40*F or below. Use them within 3 weeks of purchasing to ensure they are at their best quality. If you decide to freeze your eggs, use this infographic to help you on storage timeframes.
  • Cook Eggs to 160*F | Cooked egg whites and yolk should be firm.
  • Recipes with Raw Eggs Should be Kept at 40*F or Below | Dressings, hollandaise sauces, and other recipes with raw eggs in them should never reach room temperature. It’s important to keep these recipes at 40*F or cooler to avoid bacteria growth.

To learn more about food safety and eggs here’s “What You Need to Know About Egg Safety.”

Path to the Plate does a great job on explaining labels and terms:

“100% or All-Natural” – This means nothing was added to the egg (coloring, flavoring) and it does NOT indicate how the chicken was raised.

“USDA Organic” – Certified organic eggs are from uncaged hens that have free range of their houses and access to outdoor spaces. They are also fed an organic diet.

“Vitamin Enhanced” – Hens are given a special diet that helps them produce eggs with a higher vitamin content (e.g. Vitamin E).

“Omega-3 Enriched” – Hens are fed a diet that includes flaxseed, algae or fish oils to increase the Omega-3 fatty acid content of the eggs.

“No Antibiotics” – Hens are raised without any antibiotics of any type.

“No added Hormones” – NO eggs have added hormones (regardless of what the package says) because the use of hormones is NOT allowed in hog or poultry production. If you see “No added hormones” on a package, it must be followed by the statement: “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones”.

“Free-range” – Hens are cage free with continuous access to the outdoors during their laying cycle.

“Cage-free” – Hens are raised in an enclosed structure with unlimited access to food and water. They are NOT required to have access to the outdoors.

To learn more about Food Labels among other products, go to Path to the Plate’s Food Labels.

 

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-egg-safety

https://pathtotheplate.tamu.edu/topics/food-labels/

https://pathtotheplate.tamu.edu/4-tips-for-egg-storage-2/

Strawberry Banana Shortcake

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Summertime was made for fun in the sun and the occasional sweet after an evening meal. You don’t have to discourage desserts at the dinner table when it comes to this low-fat dessert: Strawberry Banana Shortcake.

The Angel Food Cake recipe comes from our friends over at the USDA, check out the original recipe here, dress it up a little bit with our toppings!


Strawberry Banana Shortcake
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Ingredients
Angel Food Cake
Strawberry Banana Topping
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Instructions
Angel Food Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they are foamy (not stiff).
  2. Add the cream of tartar, and beat until stiff.
  3. Gradually beat in ½ C of sugar at a time until smoothly combined.
  4. Mix in vanilla.
  5. Mix in Salt.
  6. Gently fold in the flour.
  7. Pour the angel food cake mixture into an angel food tubular pan.*
  8. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.
Strawberry Banana Topping
  1. Add 1 lb. sliced strawberries and 3 sliced bananas to a bowl. Mix with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
  2. Add to the top of cooled angel food cake. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
  3. Tips: *For easy cake pan removal, try using parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.
Recipe Notes

Water

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Take a look at some of the amazing vital functions of H20.

A human body is made up of approximately 60% water and is responsible for numerous vital functions in the body.

  • regulate your body temperature
  • helps your body digest food and absorb nutrients
  • helps flush out waste
  • moistens oxygen for breathing
  • lubricates your joints
  • water makes up 75% of your brain, 75% of your muscles, 22% of your bones, and 83% of your blood

 

To prevent dehydration you need to drink an adequate amount of water per day.

The recommended amount of water per day is EIGHT, 8 ounce glasses which is 2 liters, or half a gallon.  If you are not drinking enough water, your body will begin to give you some warning signs. Some of the most common signs of dehydration are feeling tired, overheated, chronic joint pain, and headaches.  Take a look at other signs and keep hydrated, especially during the summer heat.

  • Feel Hungry? Drink Water! It’s easy to confuse being thirsty with being hungry.
  • Children gain heat faster than adults when the outside temperature is higher than their body temperature.
  • Your body is telling you it’s thirsty when you are dehydrated.
  • Check the color of your urine. The ideal color is a very pale yellow. The more transparent, the more hydrated you are.
  • Drink plenty of water before and during physical activity. Sweat = water loss
  • Research suggests drinking water can contribute to a healthy weight loss plan.

Check out our Watermelon & Lime or Cucumber & Lime Aguas Frescas. An exciting way to make water delicious. Find a complete list of our drinks and hydrating recipes to beat the heat this summer!

Aguas Frescas Watermelon and Lime

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Did you know that watermelon is made of 96% water and a great way to hydrate these hot summer days?  The Watermelon and Lime Aguas Frescas recipe is full of natural sweetness and will be a great way to keep hydrated.  Make for your next barbeque or just keep in the fridge for the family to enjoy.


Aguas Frescas Watermelon and Lime
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  1. Combine watermelon, 1 cup of water, and mint leaves into a blender untill liquefied.
  2. Pour the watermelon mixture into a 2 quart pitcher, add 2 cups of water and ice, stir together.
  3. Garnish the drink with thinly sliced lime rings and enjoy.
  4. Serve or store in refrigerator up to 2 days.
  5. Tip: Use a strainer when pouring the liquefied watermelon into the 2 quart pitcher for a thinner consistency.
Recipe Notes

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