Blogs

I got to spend some time a few weeks ago picking blueberries! Put on my hat and UV shirt, brought a bottle of water, and got to pickin'. Thanks goodness for taller blueberry bushes so I could take a break from crouching down. Now the question is: what to do with all the fresh blueberries?...

A food thermometer is the best way to tell what internal temperature a food has reached. Different foods have different internal temperatures, so be aware. 145°F Beef, pork, lamb, veal (with a 3-minute rest) and fish 160°F Hamburgers and other ground meat 165°F Poultry and...

Summer is officially here! If you haven’t already gotten your grill out, you should consider doing so. Grilling is a great way to keep the kitchen cool and enjoy many of your favorite summer foods. Whether you are grilling meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, it is important to food safety at...

School is out for the year and kids everywhere are excited to start their summers! Whatever the kids are doing, let them practice making meals and snacks for themselves this summer. This gives them autonomy with their food choices, lets them develop self-sufficiency, and may encourage...

January is National Slow Cooker month! How fitting! There is nothing like coming in from the cold to the cozy smell of comfort food cooking unattended on your counter. I have found, over the years, that there is a sweet spot in the timing of slow cookery. If your days necessitate leaving the house...

There are three things I appreciate about cabbage. One, a single cabbage gives a lot of cut or shredded pieces. Two, it has great shelf life. If I only need part of a cabbage for a recipe, the remaining cabbage seems to last for weeks in my fridge. (Yes, there are varieties of...

It’s apple season! The leaves are changing colors, and your local orchards are filled with apples. Drying apples for chips, freezing apples, and canning apple pie filling are all great ways to enjoy fall flavors all year round! Extension offices have received numerous calls asking for safe canning...

Short answer….no.  Although some manufacturers indicate that their product can safely pressure “can” foods, the USDA has not endorsed this method. From the USDA: “We do not know if proper thermal process development work has been done in order to justify the canning advice that is distributed...

It’s almost tomato time! As I look at my raised garden bed, I am patiently waiting on my cherry, Rutgers, and Early Girl tomato plants to ripen. I plan to can pint jars of tomatoes that are perfect for making spaghetti sauce and chili, dehydrate tomatoes when I don’t have enough ready to can, roast...

Freezing has many benefits. It maintains the fresh flavor, natural color, and nutritional value better than canning or dehydrating. Plus, it is easy, convenient and requires less time compared to other food preservation methods. Making it an excellent way to preserve the summer harvest. To...