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August 1st International Friendship Day
August 12th JCPS Students First Day of School
August 19th World Humanitarian Day
August 29th National Sports Day
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Summer is here and with it picnic season, a time to enjoy favorite summer dishes in the great outdoors. When you're relaxing with family and friends, it's easy to get caught up in the fun and accidentally cross-contaminate food, or forget to pack enough ice to keep your cooler cool. Unfortunately, one small error can sicken your whole crew, making you one unpopular host! One in six Americans gets sick every year from foodborne pathogens. Reduce your odds of foodborne illness by avoiding these seven common picnic food slip-ups.
A large percentage of foodborne illnesses could be eliminated if people would wash their hands more often when preparing food. Wash your hands before cooking, after handling raw meat and before eating or serving food. Bring hand sanitizer if there is no running water at your picnic site, and rub it all over your hands, including between fingers and around nails.
Picnic Error: You Didn't Start with a Clean Slate
Your hands aren't the only things you should keep clean. If you're not careful, juices from raw meat and poultry can drip into your cooler, creating a breeding ground for bacteria growth. Before you pack for your picnic, sanitize your cooler and wash reusable bags you'll use to transport food. Pack your food in clean, tightly sealed containers. If you won't have access to running water at your picnic site, wash fruits and veggies at home first. Wash produce even if you plan on peeling it; bacteria can transfer from the knife or peeler to the edible portion.
Picnic Error: You Cross-Contaminated
If you won't be able to wash plates, tongs and serving utensils at the picnic site, bring two sets: one for handling raw meats and one for serving cooked meat. Accidentally serving cooked hamburgers on the same plate you used for the raw patties can lead to foodborne illness. Make sure you keep ready-to-eat food such as buns, fruits, vegetables and side dishes away from contaminated serving utensils, too.
Also, don't reuse marinade used on raw meat or poultry unless it’s been boiled before going onto ready to eat food. Lastly, pack your cooler with care. As much as possible, separate cooked foods from raw foods and meat, poultry and seafood from fruits and vegetables.
Picnic Error: Your Cooler Lost its Cool
Even an insulated cooler can't keep food cool enough on its own. Pack your cooler about three quarters of the way full of food, reserving one quarter of the space for ice packs. If possible, chill or freeze foods before packing them in your cooler. Pack cold and hot food separately.
Always pack a thermometer and keep an eye on it throughout the day, ensuring it doesn't go above 40°F. Consider packing beverages in a separate cooler. You can keep the cooler with the perishable food closed while the beverage cooler is frequently opened and shut.
Picnic Error: You Repurposed Ice
If you're bringing ice to use in beverages, pack it in a separate sealed bag. Don't put loose ice used to keep food cold in beverages. This ice could have picked up odorless, invisible bacteria from the surfaces of food containers or other items in the cooler.
Picnic Error: You Didn't Bring a Food Thermometer
Meat needs to be cooked to certain temperatures to control harmful bacteria. Hamburgers should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F. Chicken breasts and legs must be cooked to at least 165°F. There are right and wrong ways to take the temperature of meat. For example, you'll get a false reading if the food thermometer touches a bone when you're testing a chicken breast. Hamburgers should always be tested in the thickest section. Here are some other important tips for properly using a food thermometer.
Picnic Error: You Let Food Sit Out
Keep perishable picnic food out of the danger zone — a temperature range between 40°F and 140°F. When food is in the danger zone, bacteria can double in number every 20 minutes. Unfortunately, you cannot see, smell or taste if a food has harmful bacteria or toxins growing in it. Pack food in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice or ice packs to keep temperature below 40°F. Transport the cooler in the back seat of your air-conditioned car instead of in your hot trunk.
Remove from the cooler only the amount of raw meat that will on the grill. Don't let food sit out more than two hours. If the temperature outside is 90°F or above, food should only sit out for an hour at most. It's easy to lose track of time when you're relaxing outside. Bring a timer or set an alarm on your cell phone to remind you when it's time to put food away. Remember — it's not just meat that can make you sick. All perishable food should be monitored closely, especially egg, potato and tuna salads made with mayonnaise, and anything dairy-based.
So, before you pack the picnic basket, remember these simple tips to ensure that unwanted bacteria won't have a place at your table.
2020 eatright.org. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
NOPE, NU-UH, NON, NADA, NUNCA, NE, NEIN.
THERE ARE NO EMPLOYEE WORK ANNIVERSARIES
FOR THIS MONTH.
Chicken Chilaquiles & Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw
Chicken Chilaquiles
4 cups (meat from 1 whole) rotisserie chicken, skinless and food processed/chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup diced jalapeno peppers
4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1½ cup 1% milk
½ cup chopped cilantro
(3) - 7 oz. cans tomatillos (Salsa Verde)
(2) - 4 oz. cans green chilies, chopped & drained
(18) - 6” corn tortillas
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare an 11x7 baking dish with cooking spray. Combine processed chicken, green onions, half of the Monterey cheese, Parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Blend milk, cilantro, tomatillos and green chilies in a separate bowl. Heat 6 tortillas for 45 seconds in microwave, line the bottom of the baking dish with them. Spoon 1/3 of the tomatillo mixture onto the base layer of tortillas. Heat up 6 more tortillas and add another layer into the baking dish. Smooth half of the meat mixture onto these, then follow with tomatillo mixture. Heat up and add another layer of tortillas, then a layer of meat, and last of tomatillo mixture. Top with remaining half of Monterey cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.
Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw
12 oz. packaged coleslaw
½ cup chopped green onion
5-6 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp . sugar
Combine green onion, cilantro and coleslaw in large bowl. Mix lime juice, olive oil and sugar; drizzle over coleslaw and toss well to coat. Serve chilled.
Thank you, Angela Webster for sharing one of your favorite recipes. This looks like an appetizing and satisfying dinner. Buen apetito!
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August's featured employee pet is
Remington Ray. This adorable little
guy is the newest addition to Andrea
Derouen's family. He's a 6 month old
Miniature Schnauzer who is cuteness
personified.
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Remi Ray loves belly rubs and cuddles.
With a face like this, I have no doubt he
is one spoiled fur baby.
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"Happiness is a warm puppy." - Charles M. Schultz
 AUGUST BABIES ARE EXTRA SPECIAL
ANGELA WEBSTER AUGUST 2ND
TONY HYATT AUGUST 12TH
EDWIN ERNEST AUGUST 22ND
STUART BENSON AUGUST 24TH
ERICA TURNER AUGUST 24TH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE FROM THE HEAT
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I pray for peace in the streets of every city in our country. Peace for all the countries marching in solidarity for the equality of all people. I pray for justice for all those who have lost their lives needlessly and unjustly. I pray that all people, regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic status be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. I pray for change so that healing can begin in this country and around the world.
Amen.
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