FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF NOV. 30, 1998
I understand that using raw eggs is considered dangerous. How can I make eggnog this holiday season?
Because raw and undercooked eggs can be sources of Salmonella poisoning, you’ll want to cook the eggs that you use in eggnog. Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety coordinator, suggests this recipe from the American Egg Board:
To make 12 half-cup servings, beat together six eggs, 1/4 cup sugar and an optional 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Stir in two cups of milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat. Stir in two more cups of milk and one teaspoon vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.
Should I brush the snow off my trees and shrubs or just let time take care of it?
Snow-loading is a significant threat to trees and shrubs, especially if that snow is wet or icy, says Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension associate in forestry. If branches are being weighed down, it’s time to do something about it.
Because you won’t be able to remove snow from higher branches, it’s always a good idea to keep tall trees pruned of dead or broken branches. "If a big branch comes down, it usually takes others down with it," Carree says. "It pays to do yearly maintenance. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Snow can be so damaging to column-shaped plants like arborvitae or Lombardy poplars that homeowners should consider wrapping them with burlap secured with spiraled twine, she says.
I’d like my kids to eat more vegetables, but they just won’t do it without dip. What’s a tasty, nutritious, low-cost dip that will have them grazing the vegetable crisper, not the cookie jar?
Take your favorite dip recipe--which probably includes high-fat items like sour cream, mayonnaise and oil–and substitute nonfat plain yogurt, low-fat ricotta cheese and soft, silken tofu. Or, says University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist Martha Raidl, blend any of these lower fat products with a puree of fresh vegetables or fruits.
We fight static electricity all winter long. How humid should our house be?
If you’ve got static, your house is too dry. Interior humidity should range between 40 and 60 percent, says Tom Karsky, University of Idaho extension safety specialist. Too high and you’ve got condensed windows and bathroom molds. Too low and you’ve got static in your clothes and carpets, dry and irritated skin and cracked mucus membranes. While most fungi thrive in dampness, some bacteria and viruses actually prefer low humidity, Karsky says.
To remedy dry air, put a pan of water on your wood-burning stove–make sure it can’t tip over onto kids or pets–or boil water on your range top. If you use a humidifier, be sure to keep its filters clean; molds and bacteria can use filters as launching pads for recirculation.