Protecting Your Family from Food-borne Illnesses
Bacteria that cause foodborne illness thrive at temperatures of 40 -140° F. There are three general rules to follow to help keep your food safe:
• Keep Foods Clean - Handle foods with clean hands. Keep the refrigerator interior clean to prevent contamination.
• Keep Foods Hot - Once food is cooked, it must be kept hot (above 140° F) until serving. Bacterial growth increases greatly when cooked foods remain at room temperature for longer than two hours. Avoid cooling leftovers on the counter before refrigerating.
• Keep Foods Cold - Refrigerator and freezer temperatures do not kill bacteria but, will slow its growth. The colder food is kept, the slower the bacteria grows.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Laundry tip of the week.
Closet crunching!
Take a look at your closet. The laundry process starts in the aisles of your favorite clothing store, and it doesn't end when you put your clothes away hot from the dryer - closets and bureau drawers are a big part of the life cycle of your wardrobe. A few organizational tweaks here and there can help you shave even more time off of your fabric care routine.
Think twice before buying a garment - don't buy anything just because it is on sale, or take your sister's hand-me-downs, even though you have nothing to match a lime-green jumpsuit. In the end, you'll be glad you have the extra space in your closet, and you won't spend time wondering whatever possessed you to buy so many things you'll never wear.
You can really cut down on the amount of time you spend every morning searching for that perfect outfit - if you know exactly where to find it. Divide your closet into sections, and you'll be able to look directly into the blouse section or the dress section to create a killer combo. You can even divide those sections up by color or by occasion - get creative, and keep your needs in mind as you do it.
If you have a closet full of suits or dresses you wear only on occasion, you may want to invest in some plastic shoulder covers to protect them. They help keep your garments dust-free.
Take a look at your closet. The laundry process starts in the aisles of your favorite clothing store, and it doesn't end when you put your clothes away hot from the dryer - closets and bureau drawers are a big part of the life cycle of your wardrobe. A few organizational tweaks here and there can help you shave even more time off of your fabric care routine.
Think twice before buying a garment - don't buy anything just because it is on sale, or take your sister's hand-me-downs, even though you have nothing to match a lime-green jumpsuit. In the end, you'll be glad you have the extra space in your closet, and you won't spend time wondering whatever possessed you to buy so many things you'll never wear.
You can really cut down on the amount of time you spend every morning searching for that perfect outfit - if you know exactly where to find it. Divide your closet into sections, and you'll be able to look directly into the blouse section or the dress section to create a killer combo. You can even divide those sections up by color or by occasion - get creative, and keep your needs in mind as you do it.
If you have a closet full of suits or dresses you wear only on occasion, you may want to invest in some plastic shoulder covers to protect them. They help keep your garments dust-free.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sleep Tips
• Avoid bright light around the house before bed.
Using dimmer switches in living rooms and bathrooms for a few hours before bed can be helpful. Dim light helps the brain produce melatonin. (Dimmer switches can be set to maximum brightness for morning routines.)
Using dimmer switches in living rooms and bathrooms for a few hours before bed can be helpful. Dim light helps the brain produce melatonin. (Dimmer switches can be set to maximum brightness for morning routines.)
Monday, October 17, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Inside McLellans this week.
Check out our Facebook Page, and click "Like". We feature a post every day from Monday to Friday including Sleep Tips, Kitchen Tips, and Laundry Tips. We also have contests, and sale information.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Maytag Kitchen tip of the week.
Why is Cookware Important?
Proper cookware will reduce cooking times, use less energy and cook food more evenly.
When choosing cookware, consider five factors: material, flatness, size, gauge and balance.
Today we will focus on Correct Pan Size.
Pans are measured according to the amount they hold to the rim. Skillet size is according to the top diameter measurement. The important size, however, is the bottom diameter.
The bottom diameter should be the same size as the element or slightly larger (up to one inch larger for glass ceramic cooktops and two inches larger for coil cooktops). An undersized pan will waste energy and allow food to burn onto element. An oversized pan will trap heat.
On a conventional coil unit, trapped heat can cause stainless steel to discolour, porcelain to craze, drip bowls to discolour and may shorten the life of the element.
On ceramic glass cooktops trapped heat may cause the thermal limiter to cycle the element. Thus, cooking times will be extended.
Proper cookware will reduce cooking times, use less energy and cook food more evenly.
When choosing cookware, consider five factors: material, flatness, size, gauge and balance.
Today we will focus on Correct Pan Size.
Pans are measured according to the amount they hold to the rim. Skillet size is according to the top diameter measurement. The important size, however, is the bottom diameter.
The bottom diameter should be the same size as the element or slightly larger (up to one inch larger for glass ceramic cooktops and two inches larger for coil cooktops). An undersized pan will waste energy and allow food to burn onto element. An oversized pan will trap heat.
On a conventional coil unit, trapped heat can cause stainless steel to discolour, porcelain to craze, drip bowls to discolour and may shorten the life of the element.
On ceramic glass cooktops trapped heat may cause the thermal limiter to cycle the element. Thus, cooking times will be extended.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Maytag laundry tip of the week.
What causes those fuzzy balls on some clothing?
Many synthetic clothes shed small fibers that ball up and cling to the clothes. Remove these "pills," if you like, with a fuzz-removing device that you can get from your local clothing materials supplier. Overloading your washer can make this condition worse.
Many synthetic clothes shed small fibers that ball up and cling to the clothes. Remove these "pills," if you like, with a fuzz-removing device that you can get from your local clothing materials supplier. Overloading your washer can make this condition worse.
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