Cooking Tips

With Memorial Day around the corner you know what that means, Summer! Well, we call it summer even though the first day of summer is not until June 21st. The kids will be out of school soon and that all means that sometimes our cooking habits take on a major change. There will be picnics, block parties, vacations, camping trips and trips to the beach or lake. So here are some Summer Cooking Tips to remember before you head out or even if you’re just staying home for your barbeque.
Take advantage of Farmers Markets
Shopping at Farmers Markets can be so much fun. Depending on the time of day your local farmers market is, it is most likely that you will be eating fresh fruits or vegetables just picked that very day. Can’t get much better than that. There are so many fun and maybe new fruits or vegetables to try. You could easily come home with ingredients for a fresh and quick dinner. Talk to the farmers you buy your produce from, most are happy to give you tips for how to prepare your fresh purchase.

Use your Grill
Once at home preparing your items can be so simple. #1, Let your spouse fire up that grill. Make sure you have long handled utensils made for grilling and also good heavy mitts for removing foil pouches. Using the tin foil makes clean up quick and easy. Cooking your vegetables in the tin foil with a little oil and seasoning is delicous! Fish also cooks very well in tin foil, just add some oil, seasoning and veggies and you have a meal that you didn’t have to heat up the kitchen for.
Think ahead for time saving meal planning. Since your already heating the grill why not cook up some extra chicken for tomorrows meal.

Food Preparation
Making sure your food is served at the correct temperature is very important. No one wants anyone getting sick from food not prepared properly. To be safe, invest in an instant meat thermometer for checking the internal temperature of your meats. Poultry items should reach an internal temperature of at least 165º F, some say as high as 180º F though. That hamburger your grilling should be at least 160º.
Refrigeration is also very important when transporting your food to your picnic location. Having 3 different coolers with lots of ice is probably best. 1st cooler for your meats only and keep your meats in the cooler until ready to put on the grill. Use the 2nd cooler to keep beverages in and the 3rd cooler for other foods and condiments. Do not take items out until you are ready to serve them. A simple guideline for exposing your perishable items to the heat is 2 hours or 1 hour if the outside temperature is above 90º.
Also when transporting your coolers try to keep them in the air-conditioned car not in the hot trunk.

So, now you have some quick and easy tips for your summer cooking. Bon Appétit!