COUNTY LIFE
Food handling safety tips for the holidays
Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukah all fall within three days of each other this year. As friends and families gather together this season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service has four food safety tips to ensure a healthy and safe holiday.
Even on Holidays, Always Follow the Four Steps to Food Safety
Clean hands before food preparation by following these simple steps: wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse with clean warm water and dry hands with a clean towel. Always serve food on clean plates and avoid reusing plates that previously held raw meat and poultry.
Separate raw and cooked foods to avoid cross contamination, which is transferring bacteria from raw food onto ready-to-eat food. For example, when preparing a roast and raw veggies for a dip platter, keep the raw meat from coming into contact with the vegetables, or food that does not require further cooking such as sliced, cooked meat and cheese.
Cook using a food thermometer to make sure food reaches a safe minimum internal temperature. Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality reasons, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. When transporting hot, cooked food from one location to another, keep it hot by carrying it in an insulated container. For more information about food thermometers, visit FoodSafety.gov
Chill leftovers within two hours of cooking. Keep track of how long items have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything out longer than two hours. Never leave perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs and casseroles in the “Danger Zone” over two hours. The danger zone is between 40 and 140 °F where bacteria multiply rapidly. After two hours, enough bacteria may have grown to make partygoers sick. Exceptions to the danger zone include ready-to-eat items like cookies, crackers, bread and whole fruit.
Consumers can learn more about key food safety practices at Foodsafety.gov and follow @USDAFoodSafety on Twitter. Consumers with questions about food safety can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or chat live with a food safety specialist in English or Spanish at AskKaren.gov, available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
COUNTY LIFE
Comic Book Day mini-convention planned
Enjoy a free comic book day mini-convention 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 4 at the Bowie Public Library in conjunction with Freakz & Geeks of Bowie.
There will be arts and crafts, comics, a costume contest, special guests, BTXFG exclusive swag give-aways, a video game high-score tournament, vendors and more.
Whether you’re a cosplayer ready to break out your costume, a gaming fanatic looking to throw down, or simply looking for a day of family-friendly fun and entertainment, there’s something for everyone at the Mini Con.
Don’t miss out – come join the festivities and support your local Freaky Geeky community.
COUNTY LIFE
Gold-Burg Bears earn spot at regionals with one-act play
Gold-Burg High School’s one-act play, “Interview,” advanced out of area competition Friday earning a place on the stage for regionals along with Slidell and Avery. Saint Jo received the alternate play.
The Bears will travel to Plano on April 26 for regional 1A University Interscholastic League competition, the last stop before state. Director Linda Fitzner said she will provide additional details on times and locations as soon as they are released to her.
Corbin Gilbert received All-Star cast, Arin Turner and Levi Hellinger, received honorable mention All-Star cast and Lexie Eat received the outstanding sound award. Fitzner said she is so “Proud of our Bears.”
Read the full story that includes results for Saint Jo and Bowie in the mid-week Bowie News.
Pictured above: Gold-Burg High School’s cast and crew of its one-act play at area. (Courtesy photo)
COUNTY LIFE
First ever ‘Rhymin’ at the Justin coming April 26
Officials with the Nocona Chamber of Commerce, Nocona VFW and LG Lemons Art Gallery are happy to announce the first ever poetry, prose, and tall tales event called “Rhymin’ at the Justin.”
The presentations are scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 26 at the H.J. Justin Community Room at 100 Clay in downtown Nocona. Area writers such as David Smith from Waxahachie and others from as far away as Cache and Duncan, OK, Decatur, and Wichita Falls who have a passion for “wordsmithing” will read or recite some of their original material.
The event is free to the public. Table seating will be available for all and you may bring your own dinner and drinks, if you wish. No glass bottles, please. Call or text Larry G Lemons at 940-366-5782, if you need more information.
This new event joins the popular musical jam welcoming area musicians the last Saturday of each month.
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