Family Living I I
Focus I I
I /I
by // I
Tioga County j N m
Extension Agent II n
Carrying Food?
Think Food Safety
It’s a little early to think about
picnics and cookouts, but those
kinds of family activities will be
happening sooner than we think!
One way to assure that the outdoor
fun won’t be spoiled with spoiled
food is to assure* that you have
done everything possible to keep
food safe during preparation and
transport.
One way to do this is to assure
that you have the proper utensils.
This leads to the concept of a port
able kitchen, which contains com
monly used kitchen items that can
be easily transported and used for
camping and at other times when
food preparation and transporta
tion must be done in less than ide
al situations.
Here is a list of items that can
be included in your portable kitch
en: apron, baking sheet (10 by 14
inches), biscuit cutter, bottle open
er, bread knife, can opener, chef
knife in sheath, colander, cooling
Where's your mustache? “
rack, cutting board, dial timer,
dish detergent (in packets), dish
towel and dish cloth, dishpans,
dishwashing scrub pad, dry in
gredient scoop, egg timer, foil or
plastic wrap, funnel (small), grat
er, hair cover, jar opener, kitchen
scissors, ladle, loaf pan, masher,
measuring cups (dry), measuring
spoons, mixing bowl or small
stockpot, muffin tin, paper towels,
paring knife in sheath, pastry
blender, pic server, place setting
(knife, fork, and spoon), pot hold
ers, potato peeler, rolling pin, rub
ber bands, rubber scrapers, slotted
spoon, soap and washcloth (or
moist towelettes), spatula, strainer
or sieve (small), tongs, trash bags,
vegetable brush, wax paper, wire
whisk (or rotary beater), and
wooden spoons. If you have extra
space, you might add: citrus ream
er, liquid measuring cup, pie pan,
saucepan, skillet, and a 9x13 or
BxB-inch pan.
Jan Scholl, associate professor
in agriculture and extension edu
MILK
cation, has developed a wonderful
pamphlet on efficiently packing
and carrying the items in a port
able kitchen. Essentially, small
items are packed inside the larger
containers so they are not jostled
in transport. For safety and to pre
vent dulling, shield all sharp ob
jects such as knives. To secure the
various parts, wrap a large thick
rubber band, available in packing
supply stores, in several directions
around the entire kitchen. It can be
placed inside another container
like a box or suitcase, or even a
cloth tote bag. Secured with the
large rubber bands, it can even be
carried “as is” without being plac
ed in any other carrier. A copy of
the pamphlet “Portable Kitchen”
is available at your local extension
office.
Carry food and other supplies in
a separate container. Wrap them
carefully and insulate them to pre
vent food spoilage and sanitation
problems by ensuring that hot
foods remain hot and cold foods
remain cold. Just following this
basic rule will keep picnickers and
outdoor chefs a lot less likely to
get the food poisoning “bug.”
After unpacking the kitchen,
pour hot water and detergent into
one of the dishpans and hot rinse
water into the other. Clean the
counter or other work surface be
fore you start, too. Filling both
dishpans in advance also helps
you to wash and rinse the utensils
as you work. If you plan to use the
bowl to transport food after you
have prepared it, carry a bowl cov
er of some sort to keep insects
away from the food and your car
clean. For many other tips on as
sembling and using your portable
kitchen, get a copy of the pamph
let it will make your summer a
lot nicer and safer if you must pre
pare or transport food!
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 24, 1999-B9
Cook’s Question
(Continued from Page B 8)
ANSWER Diane McDonald, Langhome, wanted a
recipe for potato soup. Thanks to Sue McKinsey, Windsor, for
sending a recipe.
Potato Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
8-10 potatoes, peeled, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 stick butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Water
1 to I'A -quarts milk
8-10 hard boiled eggs, chopped
Leftover mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes
Cook onions and celery in butter until soft. Add potatoes
and just enough water to cover. Cook until potatoes are soft
and start to thicken cooking water. Add enough milk for how
ever many servings needed. Add eggs. Cook until hot but do
not boil. To thicken, stir in leftover mashed potatoes until
smooth or stir in instant potato flakes until smooth and of the
desired consistency.
ANSWER Laura Snyder, Akron, Ohio, wanted recipes
for hot rice. Thanks to Sue McKinsey, Windsor, for sending
this recipe.
Rice Pilaf With Peas
8 slices bacon
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups regular long-grain rice
2 10-ounce packages frozen peas
1 small can mushrooms, chopped
2 cups water
13 3 /4-ounce can chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
'/* teaspoon pepper
In 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.
Remove bacon to paper towels; when cook enough to handle,
crumble and set aside. Pour off ail but V* cup bacon drippings
from skillet. Add chopped onion to skillet and cook until ten
der, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir rice, frozen
peas, water, chicken broth, salt and pepper and mushrooms
into mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and
simmer, about 20 minutes. In serving, toss rice mixture
together with the reserved bacon. Transfer mixture to warm
serving dish and place into oven to keep warm until ready to
serve.