How to Understand Food Experation Dates at the Store

http://www.hulu.com/watch/71574/howcast-how-to-understand-food-expiration-dates-at-the-grocery-store



I've seen multiple stories like this lately. It had a few good tips and things I didn't know. Very much worth Checking out!

Beef Recalls

Was watching CNN, and saw this, they say it's real hard to tell which beef it actually is, since it's been repackaged. But if you bought ground beef around 4/21 you might want to becareful when you cook it. (guides for cooking and news story about it below)

PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit
www.fsis.usda.gov

Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160° F.

Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli

The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iMC6NXcYwx69vXhgNTnA9JVceahQD993PTQ03

JBS Swift Beef Co. expands beef recall
1 day ago

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — JBS Swift Beef Co. of Greeley, Colo., is voluntarily expanding its beef recall to include about 380,000 pounds of products because of possible E. coli contamination.
A recall earlier this week involved about 41,000 pounds of products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Sunday that all the beef products were produced April 21 and are in boxes bearing "EST. 969," a package date of "042109" and a time stamp ranging from "0618" to "1130."
The USDA says an investigation by its Food Safety and Inspection Service of 24 illnesses in multiple states prompted the company to re-examine its food safety system. The department says 18 of the illnesses appear to have the same cause, and the company is conducting the recall "out of an abundance of caution."

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_022_2009_Release/index.asp

Illinois Firm Recalls Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-022-2009 HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Bryn Burkard

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2009 - Valley Meats LLC, a Coal Valley, Ill., establishment is recalling approximately 95,898 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/images_recalls/022_2009.pdf

Additionally, each product bears the establishment number "EST. 5712" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The (2-1), (3-1), (4-1), (5-1) and (6-1) markings refer to the number of portions per one-pound.

These ground beef products were produced on March 10, 2009, and were distributed to various consignees nationwide.

The problem was discovered through an epidemiological investigation of illnesses. On May 13, 2009, FSIS was informed by the Ohio Department of Health of a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Illnesses have been reported in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

Media and consumers questions regarding the recall should be directed to the company spokesperson at (309) 799-7341.

Free Cooking Booklet For Using Stocks.

Cooking with A stock (Brooth) can add so much flavor to a meal. I stumbled accross this link and am looking forward to checking it out!

Free "Cooking with Stock, 6th Edition" Its a full color booklet with over 50 recipes.
http://www.kitchenbasics.net/recipebooklet.htm

Bulgogi

Yesterday, we had one of my Childhood Favorites.

1/4 cup Japanese or Korean dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
3 medium garlic cloves, crushed, peeled, and grated
3 scallions, root and dark green ends trimmed, and 6-inch stalks minced
2 pounds marbled sirloin or rib steak, sliced paper thin against the grain (Other cuts of thinly slice Beef will do well, you don't want something super tough too)

Whisk together the soy sauce and sugar in a bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the vegetable and sesame oils, sesame seeds, garlic, and scallions until well combined. Add the beef, tossing it with your hands to make sure it is evenly coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it, allowing the meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

YOu can stick on Skewers or grill flat. Serve with Rice.

Dominicks / Safeway - Digital Coupons.

Dominicks (Safeway) has started a new partnership with a company called Cellfire digital coupons. The coupons can be used at more than 1,500 Safeway stores nationwide, including Dominick's.

The full story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue-dominicks-cellfire-jun23,0,5682503.story

OMG it's hot in Chicago!

I know, I know. I've been saying I wish it'd warm up for months now. This summer had gotten of to a very cool start, but the last week or so we've gone from Cool to sweltering hot.

Things to consider in the hot summer Days.

When Cooking if you have a door to your Kitchen, keep the door closed. Prepare all the items you will need for cooking before you turn on the stove or oven. Group things together in your fridge, so you don't have to open the door as much to get items. Try doing heat intensive tasks early in the day or late at night when it's cooler. Also limit the time ovens and other high-heat appliances are open You may even want to save baking and other major culinary undertakings for cooler times, such as mornings and evenings. Don't open the doors on them unless you have to. Cook multiple things at once.

Crock Pots, Toaster Ovens, and Bread Machines can be your best friends in the summer as well as changing your menu to a more summer menu. Lots of salads and other items that can be served cold/room temperature are great.

http://www.alice.com/

TechCrunch (who also has a twitter account for those that follow @techcrunch ) had a wonderful link today!

It's a site that is currently in Beta, but will hopefully be open to the public soon. It's a site that allows you to buy items like toilet paper, and laundry soap, and other things without having to go to the store. Delivery is free. They carry green products, and there isn't the retail markup! TechCrunch did a comparison of a bottle of Tide liquid laundry detergent on Alice.com and Drugstore.com. On Alice.com, the price was $7.71 with discounts, nearly $6 cheaper than the price on Drugstore.com, which was $13.99. (I looked up which bottle it was on drugstore.com and will be comparing with the in store prices at Walgreens tomorrow and will post an edit to this post.)

They will also allow you to get free samples of some products.

EDIT: (6/23/09) The site is now open from Beta. Anyone Can sign up. I wasn't as impressed with the prices as I had thought I would be. The same bottle of Laundry soap is currently on sale at Walgreens for $7.99. I think where this site will be useful is on helping to cut down on "Impulse Buys" and being able to just get what you need. Alternatively I was at CostCo this week, and they had Generic Powdered Laundry Soap, that was 200 loads, for around 11 dollars.

Homemade Skin Toner

Homemade Skin Toner

7 uncoated aspirin tablets
2 T. witch hazel (Great Cleaner)
1 T. aloe vera gel (great for cuts, burns and rashes as well)
10 drops tea tree oil (optional, but recommended)

any 2-3 oz. bottle (like the size you'd take on an airplane)


Combine ingredients. Fill the rest of the bottle with hot water. Let sit 24 hours. Pour through a paper towel to remove sediment (if you care to ... really doesn't matter). Keeps for up to 14 days (no preservatives, ya know).



WHY THIS WORKS

Salicylic Acid, the chemical exfoliant found in many acne treatments, facial masks, toners and wart/corn removers, is also a great headache medicine. However, it’s a little rough on the tummy so it’s ‘buffered’ with another molecule and we call it aspirin.

So, yes, the same stuff that fixes your face, cures your aches…and is derived from plants like willow. Which is why our ancestors from Indians to Hippocrates chewed on willow bark for a pain reliever.

NOTE: If you are allergic to aspirin (i.e. break out, itch, can't breath, or any other adverse reaction) …DO NOT USE.

Quick Fix for Ironing.

Take a large spray bottle, put 1 capful of liquid fabric softner and fill with water. shake well to mix place your clothing on a hanger, spray the front and back of item and give it a good shake. Let it hang for a few minutes or overnight.

Or While taking a steaming hot shower, leave the item of clothing in the bathroom with you and steam out the wrinkles.

BPA & Recycling Plastic

There has been a lot made of BPA lately. One of the mailing lists I am on, the question was raised if it was safe to heat foods in plastic bags, or did they contain BPA. So I went in search of the answer.

BPA is Bisphenol A. It's an additive to some plastics, and according to Wikipedia, It is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is a difunctional building block of several important plastics and plastic additives. With an annual production of 2–3 million metric tonnes, it is an important monomer in the production of polycarbonate.

Suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s, concerns about the use of bisphenol A in consumer products were regularly reported in the news media in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, and some retailers removed products made from it off their shelves. (More can be found on this at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A)

So right now you are probably freaked out going "I'm never going to use anything plastic again!!!" Well don't freak out yet. All Plastics have a recycle number on them. BPA is only in #3 & #7


Plastic Identification Code
Type of plastic polymer Properties
Common Packaging Applications

#1 -- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE)
Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture.
Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars

#2 -- High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas.
Milk, juice and water bottles; trash and retail bags.

#3 -- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) (Contains BPA)
Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness.
Juice bottles; cling films; PVC piping

#4 -- Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture.
Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.

#5 -- Polypropylene (PP)
Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture.
Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups and plates.

#6 -- Polystyrene (PS)
Versatility, clarity, easily formed
Egg cartons; packing peanuts; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers;

#7 -- Other (often polycarbonate or ABS) (Containts BPA)
Dependent on polymers or combination of polymers
Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles; electronic casing.

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling

A useful Site: Urban Homemaker

This is a site that I thought might be useful for people interested in making their own bread. I was asking around about the price of Yeast. Most Typical grocery stores and the small 4-5oz jars anywhere from 5-8 dollars. The packets are even more costly for how much you get. This site has Yeast and some other items that can be used for bread making, including Vital Gluten, which I will talk about later.

http://www.urbanhomemaker.com

Vital Wheat Gluten adds Protein, Increases Volume, Higher Rising baked goods, Improved Shape, Enhanced Flavor, Additional protein, and can Extended Freshness. It is also Dairy Free, Sodium Free, Cholesterol Free, Fat Free Food and is Vegetarian. It is also all natural.

Mailing List

I've also recently started a Mailing List, and welcome people to come join it. It's called Frugal in Chicago, and is hosted on Yahoo Groups.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FrugalInChicago
Feel free to Join. I'm not fully limiting it to Chicago, but it's going to be based off trying to be frugal & green in a large city type area.

Suggestions for Helping your Refridgerator & Freezer Run better

One of the topics that I have come across today is how to help your refrigerator and Freezer(s) run better.

Did you know a Single Refrigerator/Freezer can consume 1/6th of the energy of a typical household? That's more then any other household appliance! (Reference link posted at the end of this blog)

Tips for using your Refrigerator more Efficiently:

Clean & Take care of your Fridge inside & out! Make sure air can circulate around the condenser coils. Leave a space between the wall or cabinets. Keep your refrigerator's coils clean. Brushing or vacuuming the coils can improve efficiency by as much as 30 percent. Regularly defrost manual-defrost models. Frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running. Check door seals to make sure they are airtight. To test them, close the door on a dollar bill and try to pull it out. If the dollar slides out easily, kiss that dollar away because you're wasting energy and money by letting cold air leak out!

Check the temperature - a fridge that is 10 degrees colder than necessary can use 25 percent more energy. Refrigerators should be kept between 35 and 38 degrees - freezers at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

A full refrigerator retains cold better than an empty one. If your refrigerator is nearly empty, store water-filled containers inside. Breads and other items you might normally leave out of the fridge also work well. The mass of cold items will enable the refrigerator to recover more quickly after the door has been opened. On the other hand, don't overfill it, since that will interfere with the circulation of cold air inside.

Open the door as little as possible. Get in and out quickly. Label leftovers so you can quickly see what they are. Organize your Fridge/Freezer!

Cool Hot foods before refrigerating or freezing.


http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/refrigerators.html

Storing School Work!

Have Files you want to keep that you can divide by year? Have kids, and you want to save their art projects and school tests, and report cards and other such things?

Well get a couple of the Flat Rate Express/Priority Boxes from the Post Office. One for Each Year/kid. Fill with the paper, and label.

Also for kids, you could have the kids decorate them each year.

How to save money on Milk

This isn't my own idea, but I thought I would post it here, since it is very useful.

Taken from Miserly Moms, buy whole milk and cutting it with water. (1/2 gallon of water + 1/2 gallon of milk will give you a taste like 1% milk. 1/4 gallon Water + 1/2 gallon of milk would be closer to 2%)

Quote: Henry Ford

"Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages." -- Henry Ford

Seventh Generation Cleaning Products

I remember when these came out. I was a young teenager, and I was soo not into being green or frugal. I wanted to have the stuff most families had. Anyways, I was browsing my local Walgreens about a year back and saw their products in the store and was shocked in a very good way!

I started this blog, and I've added Google AdSense in an attempt to make a little money to help my family. To my surprise, one of the ads was for Coupons for Seventh Generation! Woo!

Quote: Isak Dinesen

"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever." ~Isak Dinesen

Recipe: Thrifty Beef & Potato Tacos

1lb ground beef

2 small to 1 large potato diced (small)

Taco Seasoning

Diced Tomatoes

Shredded Lettuce

Cheese

Refried Beans

brown the ground beef, and add in the the diced potatoes in the skillet, add about a cup of water to cover beef & water, add taco seasonings to taste and bring to a boil. Let simmer till the water has reduced and potatoes are tender. (add more water if the potatoes aren't cooked well enough)

Warm your favorite Tortillas, and beans, and serve.

Taco Seasoning

Combine the following:

1 tablespoon of minced dried onions

2 teaspoons of chili powder.

1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika

Stir to blend.

Makes the equivalent of a 1 1/4-ounce package of taco seasoning mix.

Also works well for burritos.