What The Government Shutdown Means For Food

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It’s no secret that the government shutdown has shaken things up quite a bit over the last week or more, and many might be surprised to hear that the implications of this shutdown stretch all the way into your kitchen. You guessed it – we’re talking about trouble for the food industry.

A recent Salmonella outbreak in chicken has sickened more than 300 people across at least 18 states and, unfortunately, a “skeletal staff”at the CDC is making it slow and arduous to identify the cause and severity of the outbreak. Without the staff necessary to run appropriate tests, our ability to prepare for and warn consumers about major health threats is reduced drastically.

Imported Seafood

With 45% of the FDA’s workers furloughed, the majority of inspections on imported foods including seafood, produce and packaged foods have been suspended. While the FDA normally inspects only about 1-2% of our country’s current import shipments, which is estimated at 12 million per year, with the government shutdown this goes down to nearly 0% and imports won’t be turned away because they won’t be looked at. If you’re interested in what some of those rejected imports are all about click here to see one described as “FILTHY.”

So what can you do to protect your family from unsafe foods?

One great way to protect yourself is to avoid “The Ten Riskiest Foods” regulated by the FDA which includes favorites like cheese, tomatoes and some seafood items. Roughly 90% of all shrimp consumed in America is imported from other countries, most of which being Southeast Asian countries that rely heavily on antibiotics and have a less than perfect track record with the FDA. Opt for domestic seafood like those delivered by Passanante’s Home Food Services which are wild caught from the Atlantic or Pacific and exclusive to the U.S. or Canada.

At Passanante’s we are more committed than ever to the quality and safety of our foods. If we wouldn’t put it on our own dinner table, we wouldn’t consider delivering it to your door. If you would like to schedule a time to talk with one of our sales reps about our home food delivery service feel free to give us a call at 1-800-772-7786.

Help Us Help Others This October!

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Pink Balloons

Happy October and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate this incredible cause than to donate, but we need your help.

We ordered a ton of PINK Passanante’s Home Food Service cooler bags, and for every sample we deliver to your friends and family we will donate $2 to the American Cancer Society. Direct your friends HERE and they can request a free sample in just a few clicks.

Pink Cooler Bags | Passanante's Home Food Service

Still can’t think of someone who will love our food delivery service as much as you? We’ve also decided to donate $1 for every new Facebook fan we get for the entire month of October!

What an awesome opportunity for a friend of yours to get a free sample of our food, join our awesome Facebook community for delicious recipes and food news, AND help the American Cancer Society!

So what are you waiting for? Refer a couple of friends and be a part of something great this October. We are so excited to support this important cause and we hope you are too.

PS. Be on the lookout on our Facebook page for a bunch of great recipes containing foods known to help prevent cancer.

Foods Migraine Sufferers Should Avoid

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Migraine Triggers

If you suffer from frequent migraines, the culprit for your discomfort may be chilling in your refrigerator as we speak. There are dozens of causes of migraines and no two headaches are the exact same, although medical research has found that there are a few foods migraine sufferers may try avoiding with hopes of alleviating their symptoms. Check out today’s blog for a few of the top food-related causes for migraine headaches from your friends at Passanante’s Home Food Services. We strive to provide the highest quality foods to our customers and would love the opportunity to plan your next delivery around your personal and health related goals. Give us a call at 1-800-772-7786 to schedule an appointment today.

Tyramine

Foods that contain tyramine, a substance which forms as food ages, are some of the most common causes for migraine headaches. Aged cheeses including bleu cheese, brie, cheddar, feta, gorgonzola, mozzarella, muenster, parmesan, stilton and swiss have high levels of tyramine. In addition to processed cheeses, tyramine is also found in meats that have been aged, cured, canned or processed including hard sausages, canned soups, onions, olives, pickles, raisins, avocados, nuts, and certain beans.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG is a popular flavor enhancer that has been linked to a variety of health risks including headaches, migraines, muscle spasms, nausea, rashes, anaphylaxis, seizures, depression and even heart irregularities. Commonly found in soup broths, Asian cuisine, packaged sausage like Jimmy Dean maple flavor sausage, Doritos, Cheetos and other cheese flavored chips, certain brands of lunch meats and other processed foods, MSG is worth avoiding.

Aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and drinks that has been linked to migraines. Sold under the brands Equal and NutraSweet, aspartame is a very common additive as it is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Look out for aspartame in diet sodas, yogurt, gum, drink sweeteners, cooking sauces, flavored water, drink powders, cereal and products which advertised being sugar-free.

3 New Game Day Party Pleasers!

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Well, football season is in full swing and you know what that means — weekend watch parties with friends, family, and foes! We’re always looking for more delicious recipes to add to our game day playbook and we love when Passanante’s Home Food Service customers share their best kept secrets with us! Throughout the 2013 football season we’ll be adding tons of great new appetizer and dinner recipes to our blog and our Facebook page so check in with us regularly and don’t miss out on your next new favorite food!

Football Season Menu

Playbook Pot Stickers

  • 1 cup pork tenderloin, cooked and finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup bok choy or cabbage, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 36 wonton wrappers
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Mix the bok choy (or cabbage), celery, and green onion. Combine soy sauce, sherry, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Stir in the cornstarch and pour the mixture over pork – toss to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Cut the wonton wrappers into 4-inch circles with a cookie cutter. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the round. Bring the sides up and seal the edges with water (keep the rest of the rounds covered with a dry cloth while you prepare them one by one.) Transfer the pot stickers to a baking sheet and cover with a dry cloth.

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Carefully place half of the pot stickers in the skillet; do not let them touch each other. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until the bottoms are browned.

Gently add 1/2 cup water to the skillet and reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 3-5 minutes  or until the water evaporates. Transfer pot stickers to a baking sheet and allow them to sit in the oven on 250 to keep warm. Repeat with the other half of your pot stickers and serve with soy sauce!

Beer Cheese Dip

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 package ranch dip mix
  • 1/2-3/4 your favorite beer
  • 4 chopped green onions
  • pretzels and assorted veggies

In a medium bowl combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and dip mix. Gradually stir in beer until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. Add green onions and stir. Garnish with extra green onions and cheddar cheese. Makes 3 cups.

Hail Mary Hot Crab, Parmesan and Artichoke Dip

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large green pepper, chopped
  • 2 (14 ounce cans) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped finely
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 pound crab meat, drained
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
  • pita chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small skillet over medium heat, stir vegetable oil and green pepper until soft. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, scallions, Parmesan, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and celery salt. Gently stir in crab meat. Transfer the mixture to buttered baking dish and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the mixture is bubbly. Serve with pita chips.

Recipe: Gourmet Pork Chops

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A friend of ours had the pleasure of enjoying this next recipe while on a small-town vacation in Texas. These “Gourmet Pork Chops” are fancy enough for any dinner party and apparently pretty hard to forget.  We know a lot of effort goes into preparing a gourmet meal at home, which is why we only provide the best hormone-free meats available — nothing can ruin a great recipe faster than a bad cut of meat. All of the pork Passanante’s Home Food Service delivers is locally raised, corn and grain fed, and consistent in color and taste so you can be sure your recipe will turn out just the way it’s meant to!

Pork Chops

What you’ll need for “Gourmet Pork Chops”:

  • 8 – 1/2 inch thick pork cutlets
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup Madeira wine
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 cup plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 large lime, peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

What to do:

  1. Soak the raisins in the Madeira wine for 30 minutes.
  2. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the vegetable oil.
  3. Remove the fat from the pork cutlets and pound them slightly flat. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper before placing them in a pan over medium heat. When both sides are browned, cook for another 10 minutes. Move to another frying pan and keep warm.
  4. Discard all fat from the first frying pan and add the onion. Stir and brown slightly.
  5. Add tomatoes, lime juice, chicken stock, and lime. With a spatula, scrape and stir to dissolve the solids in the pan.
  6. Add raisins and Madeira, and the lime rind.
  7. Reduce the liquids in the pan to about 1 cup.
  8. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of butter.
  9. Pour the sauce over the cutlets.
  10. Serve very hot, garnished with fresh coriander or parsley.

Love pork chops as much as us? Check out a few more incredibly share-worthy pork chop recipes from our blog!

Pork Chop Casserole
OMGoodness Honey Tabasco Pork Chops & Creamy Butter Beans
Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Compote

Happy Eating!