We still have a couple of seats left if you would like to attend at 1:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. Call 439-3178 Monday morning for details.

Success in Growing Sweet Corn and Melons

It won't be long until it's time to plan for 2009 gardens! Seed catalogs will begin arriving right after the first of the year. If you are interested in the latest varieties of sweet corn and melons, information on garden site location and preparation, and the best cultural practices for maximum production, you will want to attend a program on Tuesday, December 9^th.

Jeff Kindhart, Senior Horticulture Research Specialist at Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, will be the presenter. The time is 6:30 p.m. in the Extension building on Route 14 west of Benton. There is no fee, and any interested person is encouraged to attend. Please call 439-3178 by December 2^nd to let us know you plan to join us. Also please let us know if you need any reasonable accommodation to participate.

Thawing Turkey Safely

Frozen turkey must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), while frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, if the bird is allowed to thaw at a temperature above 40 F, any harmful bacteria that may have been present before freezing can start to grow again unless proper methods are used to prevent food borne illness.

There are three safe ways to thaw food: In the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave oven.

To thaw in the refrigerator, place turkey on a tray and allow approximately 24 hours of thawing time for each 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. Refrigerator temperature should be 40 F or below. If you have a 12 to 16 pound whole turkey, it will take about 3 to 4 days to thaw in the refrigerator. A 20 to 24 pound bird will take 5 to 6 days. According to USDA, when thawing turkey in the refrigerator, turkey should be kept in its original wrapper and placed on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. Thawed turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for one to two days.

For cold water thawing, allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Be sure the turkey is in leak-proof packaging or plastic bag. Submerge the turkey in cold tap water and change water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. For a 12 to 16 pound turkey allow about 6 to 8 hours. For 20 to 24 pounds about 10 to 12 hours will be needed. Note turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately after it is thawed.

For microwave thawing, follow the microwave oven manufacturer's instructions when defrosting a turkey, and check for the size of turkey that will fit in your microwave oven. Remove all outside wrapping before microwave thawing. Place on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak. Cook immediately after thawing in the microwave oven.

Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed, according to USDA.

Jananne Finck, University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator, states that if turkey is purchased pre-stuffed and frozen, it should NOT BE THAWED before cooking. Cook from the frozen state. Follow package directions for proper handling and cooking.

For more information on meat, poultry and egg products contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-674-6854 or FSIS website: www.fsis.usda.gov.

University of Illinois Extension features turkey information (in English and Spanish), including recipes at: www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey.