Substituting All-Purpose Flour for Cake Flour

Substituting All-Purpose Flour for Cake Flour

A question I get frequently is “Can I substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour?” The answer is yes. The general rule of substitution is one cup of all- purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons is equal to one cup of cake flour.

Whenever possible, use the flour called for in the recipe. All-purpose flour has about 11 percent protein content while cake four has six to eight percent. Some recipes need that low protein content to remain tender and light such as an angel food cake and others are flexible enough for the substitution.

Conference to Explore Successful Aging

Current Concepts in Nutrition and Aging Scheduled for Sept. 13

Madison, Wis.—Professionals from a variety of fields who work with older adults will gather at the Pyle Center in Madison on Sept. 13 to learn about the factors that contribute to successful aging.

“Current Concepts in Nutrition and Aging” will provide information and skills for dietitians, nutrition program directors, nutrition educators, social workers, physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other professionals who work with older adults.

John E. Morley, MB, BCh, an expert in gerontology and an internationally known speaker, will give keynote presentations on “Aging Successfully” and “Sarcopenia.” Other sessions will cover a variety of topics, including the DASH diet, celiac disease and gluten free diets, the impact of aging Baby Boomers, and diabetes in the elderly.

The conference is sponsored by Cooperative Extension Family Living Programs; the Wisconsin Department of Health Bureau of Aging & Disability Resources; and the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources.

The cost is $120 for registrations postmarked by Aug. 30; the cost will be $145 after Aug. 30.

Complete information is available online at:
http://blogs.ces.uwex.edu/flpconferences/current-concepts-in-nutrition-and-aging/

Keeping Canned Tomatoes Safe and Tasty

Keeping Canned Tomatoes Safe and Tasty

Tomato plants are beginning to yield, and with the new crop comes a new activity: home canning. But whether you’re canning whole tomatoes, homemade ketchup, pasta sauce or anything in between, adding acid to canned tomato products is a must.

Tomatoes can be preserved by canning, drying, freezing or pickling. And when foods are home-canned, the safety depends primarily on the amount of acid in the product.” Though tomatoes are usually considered a high-acid food, food safety researchers now know that the pH (acid) levels of tomatoes and other fruits can vary greatly because of many factors, including climate, soil, cultivar variety and ripeness. Because of this variation in acid levels, the United States Department of Agriculture recommends adding acid to all home-canned tomato products.

Improperly canned foods are dangerous to consume. Foods canned with too little acid may allow the bacteria that cause botulism to grow in the jars, producing a deadly neurotoxin.

Adding acid to home-canned tomatoes is one way to help prevent botulism. The rule is ½ teaspoon of citric acid or two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice for every quart of tomatoes. The acid can be mixed into the tomatoes or added to the jar directly before filling with product. Using vinegar is also an option (five percent acetic acid at four tablespoons per quart), but because vinegar will affect the flavor, it may not be the best choice for things like plain canned tomatoes or tomato juice. And be sure to use bottled lemon juice, not fresh-squeezed, for the assurance that your home-canned tomatoes will be safe and tasty.

There are a few other important safety tips to keep in mind when home-canning tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables. When choosing tomatoes to can, do not use tomatoes that are overripe or have bruises, cracks or insect damage. Tomatoes growing on dead or frost-killed vines are also unsafe, because these fruits will have lower acidity.

Use current, research-tested recipes for all home canning. Just because a recipe is in print, doesn’t mean it’s safe for you and your family. Canning recommendations have changed dramatically over the last 15 years, so if you are using recipes that date before 1994, it’s a good idea to set those aside and find an up-to-date recipe that has been tested for safety.” It is also important to make sure all canning equipment, such as boiling water or pressure canners, are in good working order.

More information on adding acid to canned tomatoes is available here: http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/preservation/UWEX_addacidtomatoes.pdf.

Pickling Pointers

Pickling Pointers

Pickling cucumbers are now ready for harvest and pickling. Here are some tips for preserving pickles that taste great.
• Select fresh, firm, high quality vegetables and fruits for pickling.
• Use varieties of cucumbers designed for pickling. Wax –coated cucumbers bought from the supermarket are not suitable for pickling because of varietal qualities, and because the picling solution cannot penetrate the wax coating.
• Softened water is recommended for making pickles and relishes.
• Use a commercial vinegar that is standardized at a five percent acetic acid content.
• Purchase canning and pickling salt – which is pure granulated salt. This salt does not contain anti-caking agents or iodine.
• Never alter the salt concentrations in fermented pickles. Proper fermentation depends on correct proportions of salt and other ingredients.
• Most pickle recipes call for whole spices for fresher and more concentrated flavor than ground spices.
• A recommended method for making crisp pickles is to soak cucumbers in ice water for four to five hours before pickling. Some pickle recipes call for putting cucumbers on ice for a few hours before adding a brine and processing.

Selling Home-Canned Foods: Do It Safe, Do It Legal

Selling Home-Canned Foods:  Do It Safe, Do It Legal

To process most foods in Wisconsin for sale, you must be licensed. 

Please click the link for information:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6wJ2HRAs7NGeVYzOWJpZWNyNEU

Dairy Intake has Little if Any Effect on Diabetes Risk

Dairy Intake has Little If Any Effect on Diabetes Risk

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, a moderate body of evidence shows that adequate intake of milk and milk products is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in adults. A major study of diet and disease in eight European countries has important information on the possible relationship between dairy product intakes and diabetes. The European study was conducted from 1991 to 2007. The study’s major conclusion was that total dairy product intake was not found to be associated with diabetes either positively or negatively. However, a possible relationship was found for fermented dairy products – people who ate the most fermented dairy products such as cheese and yogurt had slightly lower rates of diabetes.

The study did not include butter but it did include a range of dairy products with no, low, and full fat content. The study was not large enough to show whether low-fat dairy had an advantage over full-fat products. Also, this study did not examine the associations between milk/dairy and overall health or other specific diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

Susan Nitzke: UW-Extension Nutrition Specialist and UW-Madison Professor Emeritus

Enjoying Bounty From the Garden

Enjoying Bounty from the Garden

While it has been a somewhat difficult growing season due to the weather, fresh produce is available. When preserving fresh produce to enjoy months from now, keep this information in mind.
 • Only preserve the best quality produce. Canning and freezing do not improve the quality.

• Process or freeze fresh produce as quickly as possible after harvested.

• Keep surfaces clean by washing hands, knives, cutting boards and counter tops.

• Make certain to use the correct instructions. Canning instructions are updated every five years. Over time, information on processing as well as times have changed. Contact your county extension office for the most current information.

• Label products with date of when product was processed, and contents in container. If produce is being frozen, list the amount measured into the container.

New Food Safety Information for Parents and Caregivers of Young Childeren

Fight BAC!  Goes to Child Care

There's a new arrival at Fight BAC!  It's a bouncing baby...brochure! 
Please click the link: http://fightbac.org/storage/documents/Crib_Sheet_FINAL.pdf  to view tips for parents, grandparents, and babysitters on proper diaper changing, bottle preparation and storage, and basic hygiene to reduce the risk of food poisoning in households with small children.

Babies and toddlers are at especially high risk for serious food poisoning.  Since little ones rely on others to handle their food and beverage preparation and hygiene, it is very important for their adult caretakers to be aware of the risks of illness and of the steps they need to take at home to reduce this risk.