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Play It Safe: 5 Steps for Handling Eggs

May 14, 2014 by

You parents have probably warned you about food-borne illness since you were just a child, but how much do you really know about handling raw eggs? These simple steps will teach you how to safely prepare and serve eggs.

  1. Purchase eggs in good quality. Only buy eggs from a refrigerated case, and open the carton to make sure that none of the eggs are cracked. Refrigerate them as soon as you get home.
  2. Know their expiration date. As a general rule, eggs are only good for about three weeks. After that, you should throw them out and buy a new carton.
  3. Cook thoroughly. When cooking eggs, make sure that there are no runny parts before serving. Things like casseroles and baked goods should be cooked to at least 160° Fahrenheit to ensure that the eggs inside are safe to eat.
  4. Serve properly. All foods containing eggs should be eaten immediately after cooking. To serve a large party buffet-style, keep hot dishes hot by using a slow cooker or heated serving pan.
  5. Store safely. If you must refrigerate a dish with eggs, be sure to use it within three to four days and reheat to at least 160° before serving.

Playing It Safe with Eggs [FDA]
Eggs & Food Safety [Incredible!]
Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs [CDC]

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Imponderable of the Day: Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes?

April 17, 2014 by

When you bite into your favorite kind of doughnut, you're probably not thinking of much—besides how delicious it is! But have you ever stopped to think beyond the frosting and sprinkles to wonder why this baked treat always has a hole in the middle?

To better understand the modern-day version of the doughnut, we must look to the past. Many historians attribute the doughnut to Hanson Gregory, a Dutch sea captain who's said to have invented the doughnut in 1847. Legend has it that Gregory, facing rough seas, impaled his cake onto the wheel of his ship for safekeeping. From this simple action, the doughnut's now-ubiquitous hole was borne.

From a more practical standpoint, the hole of a doughnut is said to promote more even cooking. Stuffing a doughnut with fruit or nuts is also known to prevent dough-y middles.

Hungry History: Donuts [A&E]
Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes? [TIFO]
Why Do Donuts Have Holes In The Middle? [Knows Why?]
The Story of the Doughnut [Social Studies for Kids]

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4 Simple Living Room Organization Tips

March 20, 2014 by

Just as the name suggests, the living room is where your friends and family do most of their living. Living, however, can be pretty messy, and it can take quite a toll on even the best-laid decor plans. Here are four simple tips for organizing your living room while still keeping it comfortable.

  1. Add a wastebasket. Most homes don’t have a place in the living room for garbage, which is strange because a lot of garbage accumulates there. Add an attractive trash can in an unused corner to eliminate clutter on the tables and floor.
  2. Keep tabletop decor minimal. While coffee tables with stacks of candles, magazines, and knick-knacks may look great in magazines, it can be difficult to maintain that purposeful clutter in real life. Add one simple statement piece to your living room surfaces to give them a personal touch while still leaving room for eating, doing work, and other activities.
  3. Corral kids toys into one corner. Rather than letting the kids take over the whole room, dedicate one corner of the room to toy storage and play. Invest in a large crate or set of drawers for easy cleanup as well.
  4. Clean up your cords. A tangled clump of cords behind the television or computer looks messy and can become dangerous. Instead, purchase a few adhesive cord organizers or a whole television unit with built-in cord storage.

Tips for Maintaining an Organized Living Room [HGTV]
Room-by-Room Organization Tips [BHG]

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A Brief Guide to the Dairy Food Group

March 6, 2014 by

Certain types of milks and cheeses are fattening and not particularly good for you, but dairy as a whole is a beneficial food group that’s important for your overall health.

If you’re confused about the amount of dairy you should consume, these helpful tips from the USDA will help you become a food pyramid pro:

Not all milk products are considered dairy foods.
While foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are a part of the dairy food group, foods like cream cheese, cream and butter are not. That's because these foods contain little to no calcium and, in turn, virtually no health benefits.

As you age, you need about the same amount of dairy.
A very young child needs only about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of foods from the dairy group per day, while all other children, teens and adults need approximately 3 cups.

Dairy products have a number of health benefits.
Regularly consuming dairy products improves bone health, prevents osteoporosis, builds bone mass in children, and even reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Only low-fat and fat-free dairy products are considered beneficial.
Dairy products with high saturated fat content and cholesterol can raise the “bad” cholesterol levels in your body and put you at risk for heart disease.

What Foods Are Included in the Dairy Group? [USDA]

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Interesting Blogs from the Library of Congress

February 20, 2014 by

The Library of Congress has created a number of blogs on a variety of different subjects, all utilizing the famous library’s amazing collection of historical resources and documents. Whether you’re interested in music or education, you're likely to find something thought-provoking.

In the Muse
The Library of Congress’s performing arts blog In the Muse highlights the Music Division’s music, dance and theater collections and the genres and works within them. It also describes the Library’s concert series and other events in the wonderful Coolidge Auditorium.

Teaching with the Library of Congress
If you’re a teacher, this helpful blog discusses the most effective ways of using the Library of Congress’s primary sources in the classroom, no matter the age of your students. It provides lesson plans, teacher resources and open discussions about classroom strategies among likeminded educators.

Picture This
Like the name implies, Picture This is an enjoyable blog dedicated to the prints and photos in the Library of Congress. You’ll find high-quality images of each photo, as well as in-depth analyses of where the item came from, who created it, and much more.

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Happy Presidents’ Day

February 17, 2014 by

Remembering the courage and vision of past and present leaders, we honor and share the spirit of Presidents' Day together as a nation.

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2014 by

Wishing everyone a day filled with fun and happy memories!

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Three Recipes for a Healthier You

January 22, 2014 by

Whether you have just a few minutes or a whole hour to spend, cooking at home can be just as delicious as eating out. Health.gov offers a list of more than 100 different recipes for heart-healthy dishes for every meal of the day, all with less sodium, saturated fat and calories than many foods.

Here are a few favorite recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner:

Applesauce Pancakes
Just because you’re trying to eat well doesn’t mean you have to give up pancakes. Including a whole serving of fruit and using low-fat ingredients, this healthy recipe for applesauce pancakes may just delight the whole family.

Tuna Salad
Traditional tuna salads are high in saturated fat, but this one uses only tuna and a few flavorful ingredients to create an equally delicious, stripped down version. Full of celery, onions and low-fat mayonnaise, this may just become your new favorite sandwich spread.

Chicken Marsala
The Italian food dish gets a healthy makeover in this delicious and nutritious dinner recipe. Using the savory flavors of chicken stock, Marsala wine and fresh lemons, this dish offers flavor without empty calories!

Find more healthy recipes by visiting Health.gov.

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Three Fashionable Style Apps

December 18, 2013 by

Do you spend at least an hour getting dressed every morning? Are you constantly taking outfit photos to share your fabulous ensembles with your friends on social media? If you’ve got a passion for fashion, you’re sure to love these stylish apps.

Cloth
Share your outfits with likeminded fashion mavens with this social app. Cloth allows users to upload outfit photos, like other users’ outfits, share your looks to your favorite social media sites, and organize your wardrobe based on events, locations and even the weather outside.

Stylebook
If you want to create a versatile wardrobe and make the most out of the pieces you already own, Stylebook is the perfect tool. This helpful app allows you to mix and match pieces in a collage for future outfits, remember great outfits that you’ve already worn, and even find the perfect pair of shoes or handbag by browsing items you’ll love from shops online.

Design Library
Design Library is the perfect app for any aspiring fashion designer or textile lover who wants to learn more about where popular fabrics came from. Created by the physical Design Libraries New York City and London, this app features video tours of the museums, high-quality images of textile collections and inspirational designs from countries all over the world.

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Learn to Cook Right from Your Phone with These 3 Apps

November 20, 2013 by

When you’re making something in the kitchen you need your recipe to be easily accessible, and there’s nothing more convenient than your smartphone. These helpful cooking apps will give you recipes, cooking techniques, and other necessary information right from your mobile device:

How to Cook Everything: Cooking Basics
This app, developed by New York Times cooking columnist Mark Bittman, includes an assortment of recipes and high-quality photos, video and audio to make your time in the kitchen easier and more hands-on. The recipes are simple and straightforward, and if you come across a technique that you don’t understand it even includes links to video tutorials to help you learn as you go.

Epicurious
The popular cooking website now has a helpful app for iPhone, iPad, Android, Nook, Windows and Kindle. The Epicurious app provides users with numerous recipes, and it has a printing feature that allows you to print your favorite recipes from anywhere. The shopping list feature even creates lists of ingredients that you can easily access at the grocery store.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Selected Recipes
The famous Julia Child book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is now available from your mobile device with this innovative app.  With real photos straight from the book, Child’s most beloved quotes, and even video tutorials for mastering some of her more complex dishes, this app is ideal for anyone who wants to learn the art of French cooking.
 

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