OSU Extension – March News

FOOD SAFETY

OSU Extension Warm Springs Family and Community Health program share’s this food safety tip with you.  You may have purchased foods that come in a vacuum sealed package, or maybe you have a vacuum sealer that you use at home. When it comes to vacuum packaged foods, there are some safety things to keep in mind.

When foods are vacuum sealed, oxygen is removed from the package. This can help in keeping foods high quality during storage, but it does not eliminate the possibility for all bacterial growth. Some illness-causing bacteria like low oxygen environments and reproduce even quicker. They don’t always produce noticeable changes in food, like foul odor or sliminess, that warn the food has spoiled.

To keep vacuum packaged foods safe it is important to have extremely clean hands and clean and sanitized equipment and work surfaces while preparing and packaging. Perishable foods need to be either refrigerated at 38-40 degrees, or frozen. Thawing vacuum packaged foods needs to be done under refrigeration. It is a good idea to open the package prior to thawing to allow oxygen back in.

PORK

Meat based proteins can be expensive to purchase. Trying a variety of meats help in getting important nutrients in and reducing grocery costs. One low-cost meat that is easy to find locally and is rich in Thiamine which helps our bodies convert food into energy is PORK.

Pork is available in multiple cuts and ground. The leanest cuts are tenderloins, roasts, and rib chops.

When cooking pork make sure it reaches 145 degrees and 160 degrees for ground. When to temperature, let the pork sit for 3 minutes before cutting.   For more information on Pork, visit https://foodhero.org/magazines/pork.  Each month you can also find information on the OSU Extension Facebook page and at Warm Springs Market plus listen for our messages on KWSO.

POZOLE

Prepping meals ahead of time can save you time and money. Cooking roasts or tenderloins and separating into multiple meals is a great way to use up large amounts of meat while eating a variety of meals and flavors.

Try our Food Hero Pozole with Chicken, Pork, or Turkey. This recipe uses a variety of spices, with options to customize the flavor and spiciness. Top with a variety of ingredients, like cabbage, radishes, lime, cilantro or avocado. Using pre-cooked meat, this Pozole recipe is quick to pull together. Make ahead and freeze, without toppings, for a stress-free meal later.  Check out the recipe card HERE Pozole_103124

 PIZZA LEATHER

You’ve probably heard of fruit leather, but what about pizza leather? Pizza leather is easy to make and tastes great!

All you need is a can of stewed tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce, oregano, basil, and garlic salt.

• Drain the juice from the tomatoes and blend the tomatoes and tomato sauce together.
• Pour the puree onto a plastic wrapped drying tray. Sprinkle with the oregano, basil, and garlic salt.
• Dry in a dehydrator for 4 to 6 hours, until dry and no longer tacky.
• Enjoy as a snack with cheese or you can rehydrate it and add it to spaghetti sauce or soups.