Chef lala’s recipes

Playing it Safe with Meat

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Whether you are looking forward to a juicy grilled chicken breast, a burger or filet mignon, you should always play it safe by following a few simple rules for purchasing, storing and preparing meat. When in doubt, throw it out so you don’t get sick, especially if you are serving it to children, the elderly or anyone whose immune system is weakened and are even more susceptible to bacteria found in meat.

Be sure to refrigerate fresh meat within 2 hours of buying it as it will spoil if left at room temperature and never thaw frozen meat at room temperature or it will spoil. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight for boneless or 2 days for bone-in or submerge frozen meat sealed in air-tight packaging in cold water for an hour.
Cook meat soon after you buy it. Whole pieces of beef, lamb or veal will stay fresh in a refrigerator for three to five days, but ground meat lasts two days.
Whole pieces of meat, like beef, veal, lamb steaks or chops, should be cooked to at least 145 degrees F (medium rare) in order to kill surface bacteria. Cook to 160 degrees F (medium) or 170 degrees F (well done) and chicken to 165 degrees to cook thoroughly and be safest.
Ground meat should be cooked to a minimum of 160 degrees and chicken to 165 F because when ground, surface bacteria can be spread throughout the meat so it is not safe to serve hamburgers or meat loaf underdone, especially when serving to children, the elderly and anyone whose immune system may be compromised.
Use a meat thermometer to be certain the meat has reached a safe temperature. Don’t rely on the color as meat can change color before it has reached a safe temperature. Be sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
Keep cooked meat at 140 degrees F when serving and refrigerate leftovers within two hours. Meat left out longer is likely to have harmful bacteria and should not be consumed.
Throw out refrigerated leftovers after four days.

Tags: bacteria, burger, Celebrity Chef, Chef LaLa, Chef LaLa Food Network, cook, cooking for children, defrost, degrees, filet mignon, grilling, ground meat, leftovers, meat, meat thermometer, preparing, purchasing, refrigerate, safety, temperature, tv chef, Chicken

Posted in Poultry, Beef, Lamb, Meat Dishes, Chicken, Pork, Cooking Techniques, Kids Zone, Daddy's Zone, Mommy's Zone, check this out • 1 Comment »

Summer Food Safety

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, increases in the summer months when the weather is warmer, because people have more picnics, barbecues and camping trips where there isn’t adequate refrigeration. Additionally, warmer weather and humidity enable bacteria to grow faster. Following a few simple rules should help you protect your family…

Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often. Unwashed hands are a prime cause of foodborne illness. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets. Be sure to keep cutting surfaces and utencils clean too. When eating away from home, find a source of clean water or bring water for preparation and cleaning. Pack clean, wet, disposable washcloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.
Separate: Don’t Cross-Contaminate. Cross-contamination during preparation, grilling, and serving food is a prime cause of foodborne illness. When packing the cooler, wrap raw meats securely and store separately to avoid raw meat juices from coming in contact with ready-to-eat food. When using the grill be sure to keep meats chilled until they go on the grill and wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards that held the raw meat or poultry before using again for cooked food.
Cook: Cook to Proper Temperatures. Food is properly cooked when heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use a meat thermometer to be sure that meat and poultry cooked on a grill is cooked thoroughly as it often browns very fast on the outside. Cook hamburger and other ground meats (veal, lamb, and pork) to an internal temperature of 160 °F, and ground poultry to 165 °F. Cook steaks and roasts that have been tenderized, boned, rolled, etc., to an internal temperature of 160 °F for medium and 170 °F for well-done. Whole steaks and roasts may be cooked to 145 °F for medium rare. Whole poultry should be cooked to 180 °F in the thigh; breast meat to 170 °F. Cook meat and poultry completely at the picnic site. Partial cooking of food ahead of time allows bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot destroy them.
Chill: Refrigerate Promptly. Holding food at an unsafe temperature is a prime cause of foodborne illness. Keep cold food cold! Cold refrigerated perishable food like lunch meats, cooked meats, chicken, and potato or pasta salads should be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water. Consider packing canned beverages in one cooler and perishable food in another cooler because the beverage cooler will probably be opened frequently. Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car, and place in the shade or shelter, out of the sun, whenever possible. Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing the ice as soon as it starts melting. If a cooler chest is not an option, consider taking fruits, vegetables, hard cheeses, canned or dried meats, dried cereal, bread, peanut butter, crackers, and a bottle of refreshing beverage. If you don’t plan to eat take-out food within 2 hours of purchase, plan ahead and chill the food in your refrigerator before packing for your outing.

Food left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours may not be safe to eat. At 90 °F or above, food should not be left out over 1 hour. Play it safe; put leftover perishables back on ice once you finish eating so they do not spoil or become unsafe to eat. If you have any doubts, throw it out.

Tags: 4th of July, barbeque, camping, Chef LaLa, Chef LaLa Food Network, food, food poisoning, food safety, food thermometer, foodborne illness, humidity, network, outdoor celebrations, picnics, refrigeration, safe, summer, tv, warm weather, Entertaining, FAMILY

Posted in FOOD - Stuff, HEALTH, LIFESTYLE, Poultry, Beef, Entertaining, Holidays, Salads, FAMILY, Parties, Cooking Techniques, Kids Zone, Daddy's Zone, Mommy's Zone, Outdoor Life, check this out • 5 Comments »

Chicken Soup

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds chicken breast, bone in, skinless
7 cups water
3 ounces brown onion, peeled, medium dice
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2 stalks celery, large dice
½ teaspoon fresh oregano
3 each carrot, peeled, large dice
8 ounces potato, peeled, large dice

METHOD

* In a stock pot, add chicken, water, onion, chicken bouillon, celery and
oregano.
* Cover, cook over medium heat for one hour.
* Remove chicken from stock pot, allow to cool for 5 minutes.
* Remove chicken meat from bones tearing into ¼ inch strips.
* Add chicken pieces back into stock pot.
* Add potatoes and carrots, cook for 15 minutes.
* Serve in a large soup bowl.

Makes 14 cups
Servings 7

Note: This soup also tastes great the next day, when reheated.

Nutritional Guide
Per serving

Calories 181
Fat (g) 1.6
Saturated .4
Unsaturated 1.2
Protein (g) 29.2
Carbohydrates (g) 11
Fiber (g) 1.9
Cholesterol (mg) 70
Sodium (mg) 154

Recipe from the book “Latin Lover Lite” by Chef LaLa available at amazon.com and retailers near you.

Tags: chicken soup, comfort food, healthy, soup, Chicken

Posted in HEALTH, Recipes By Type, Low Calorie Recipes, Poultry, Heart health, Ingredients and Flavors, Main Course, Chicken, Healthy Recipes, Low Carb Recipes, Simple recipes, Soups and Stews, Cooking Techniques • 2 Comments »