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Winner will receive  The Five Love Languages.   Healthy Home Blog’s Valentine’s Day Giveaway runs from 2-4-12 until midnight CST 2-25-12, and it’s open to all U.S. residents.  Healthy Home will pay shipping charges.

Number of winners will be determined by number of comments left on this post:  1-50 comments = 1 winner / 51-100 comments = 2 winners / 101-150 comments = 3 winners

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* Note: I was not compensated in any way for this. I am providing the books and shipping charges for this giveaway.

For anyone interested, Gary Chapman has also written the “5 Love Languages of Children.”

We’re sending jewelry to my mother-in-law because that’s something she really likes a lot, not that she doesn’t like receiving flowers too.   Some people like to give and/or receive candy and some like stuffed animals, age making no difference.  The old saying still holds true, “it’s the thought that counts.”  Knowing that someone cares means so much!

A lot of areas have several health clubs.  For example, if someone lived in Richmond, Virginia, the richmond health club would be available.  So if someone gives the excuse that the weather is bad or their allergies bother them when they go for a run outside, suggest a health club where they could exercise in a nice, safe, climate-controlled environment.

Some people have even more gifts to think about such as having godparent gifts delivered, anniversary gifts, etc.   Fortunately, we don’t have any of those to think about this month.  We have enough as it is.   It’s fun buying gifts for others, don’t get me wrong.  It’s just nice to not have too many to shop for during a work week.  I guess that’s what makes shopping online so nice!

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If you are hosting a Super Bowl party this year, take the offensive and follow these tips to keep your guests safe from foodborne illness:

Proper Food Handling

One of the biggest food safety mistakes people make at parties is letting perishable food items sit out for too long.

§        Any foods – hot or cold – that have been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours can easily allow bacteria to multiply and cause illness.

§        Once served, hot foods need to be held at 140°F or warmer. Use chafing dishes, slow cookers or warming trays to keep foods warm.

§        Cold foods need to be held at 40°F or colder. Keep cold dishes in the refrigerator until just before serving and nest dishes in bowls of ice to help keep the food cold.

§        Arrange and serve food on several small platters rather than on one large platter, and replace empty platters rather than adding fresh food to a dirty platter.

§        Keep track of how long foods have been sitting out — if it’s perishable and has been sitting out for more than two hours, play it safe and throw it out.

Use a Thermometer

§        Because internal temperature, not meat color, indicates doneness, it’s important to use a food thermometer to verify foods are cooked thoroughly.

§        Perishable foods such as meat and poultry need to be cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria.

o       Steaks should be cooked to at least 145°F with a 3-minute rest time

o       Hamburgers need to be cooked to 160°F.

o       Whole or ground poultry should be cooked to a minimum of 165°F.

o       Hot dishes that are prepared in advance can be stored in the refrigerator until game time. When your guests arrive, simply reheat the food to an internal temperature of 165°F.

Keep the Kitchen Clean

A recent NSF germ study revealed that many kitchens harbor more bacteria than the bathroom.

§        The item most frequently used to clean dishes and countertops – a sponge or dish rag – was actually the germiest place found in most homes. Because these items can pick up bacteria during the cleaning process, they need to be properly sanitized between uses and replaced frequently.

§        To avoid cross contamination, clean and sanitize all food preparation surfaces before and after handing foods.

§        Kitchen sinks, which were found to have the second highest concentration of germs in the NSF study, are often overlooked when cleaning the kitchen and need to be cleaned with a disinfecting cleaner 1 – 2 times per week.

§        Keep raw meat and poultry separate from cooked or ready-to-eat foods.

§        Always wash any platters, cutting boards or utensils that have touched uncooked meat or poultry with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly before using with any other food.

Clean Hands

Dirty hands are one of the biggest culprits for spreading bacteria, and finger foods at parties are especially vulnerable.

§        Don’t prepare or handle food without first washing your own hands and encourage your party guests to do the same.

§        If you have younger party guests, introduce them to the Scrub Club (scrubclub.org), where the Soaper Heroes can help them learn how to properly wash their hands.

§        Proper handwashing includes washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, then rinsing thoroughly and drying with a clean towel (or under an air dryer).

Don’t let unsafe food spoil your game day. Practice safe food handling and make food safety part of your Super Bowl fun.

Note:  I did not receive monetary compensation for this post.  I posted this to help my readers and myself to remember these safety tips.

When our son was just 15 months old, he had out-patient surgery.  Later that day when we got home, he was playing and climbing on things as if nothing had happened.  I was a nervous wreck, though, because we were supposed to make sure he was careful since he had gotten stitches.  Oh, the joys of being a parent! 

When eating these cookies later, we were surprised how yummy they were and wished we had bought more.  We were headed to Springfield, Missouri, and figured we might could buy more there but were disappointed to find out the cookies are sold only in the St. Louis area.  Sometime after we got back home, I researched Dad’s Original Scotch Oatmeal Cookies and found out their interesting history. I searched and searched for the recipe but didn’t find one that sounded suitable until one day I found this Whole Grain Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe (minus the walnuts) that sounds like it’s very close to Dad’s cookies.

My dear husband suggested ordering some of the cookies from Dad’s website recently, but I would rather wait since I’m trying to lose weight.   If I need to bake a batch of cookies to take somewhere, though, I just might try the recipe I found online!

Photo courtesy of our son!