This article was originally written by Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, Rachel Ezzell, for our FCS Newsletter. Want to receive our monthly newsletter directly to your email inbox? Sign up to receive the newsletter in your email each month! If not, content can be found here within our Duplin County website.

I’m more passionate about food safety than the average person- we got a new car and our second day of owning it we were already using the outlet to plug in a slow cooker to keep food a safe temperature during transport. While food safety is important year round, summer always feels like a great time for a refresh as people are gathering for cookouts & BBQs.

Wash your Hands

Handwashing is a simple and effective way to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria that cause food borne illness. Wash your hands before handling any food and after touching raw meats, poultry, and fish. The Safe Plate’s team has more information on Handwashing Best Practices.

Thawing

Consider one of these four ways to safely thaw frozen foods:

• Thaw frozen products in the refrigerator overnight (my personal preferred method)
• Cover food in package in sink or container with cool water, changing every 30 minutes
• Microwave- cooking food immediately after
• Cooking- part of the cooking process. Allow at least 50% longer time to cook through

Cook Food to Safe Temperatures

• Use a food thermometer! Checking the internal temperature is the only way to ensure your food is fully cooked.
• Safe internal cooking temperatures:
  • Poultry (ground or whole) = 165°F
  • Ground or tenderized meat = 155°F
  • Beef, pork, veal, lamb, or fish (whole cuts) = 145°F
  • Commercially processed, fully cooked foods like hot dogs = 135°F

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Serves: ~4

Serving Size: ~1 cup

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 10-15 minutes

Recipe & Image from Plants for Human Health Institute

Instructions

1. Place strawberries, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and basil in a large bowl and mix.
2. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to the bowl and gently toss.
3. Right before serving, drizzle balsamic glaze over top of the salad. Enjoy immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberries quartered or halved
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup mini mozzarella balls or cubed fresh mozzarella
• ⅓ cup basil chopped
• 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp salt to taste

Notes:

• A more traditional caprese salad is composed of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, seasoned with olive oil and salt. It’s also often drizzled with a balsamic glaze. This dish takes a twist on the summer classic by incorporating strawberries. The sweetness of the strawberries pairs well with tangy flavor of the balsamic glaze.
• Mozzarella pearls would work well in this dish.
• Make sure to wash all produce throughly before preparing.
• This recipe is best eaten the day its prepared, but it can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• This recipe can be prepped ahead of time. Chop tomatoes and strawberries and place in separate containers. Add in the mozzarella, basil, balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper just before you are ready to serve.