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links for 2008-03-14

Continue Readinglinks for 2008-03-14

FDA limits Chinese food additive imports

The FDA release from the FDA site.
USA Today explains:

The Food and Drug Administration is enforcing a new import alert that greatly expands its curtailment of some food ingredients imported from China, authorizing border inspectors to detain ingredients used in everything from noodles to breakfast bars.
The new restriction is likely to cause delays in the delivery of raw ingredients for the production of many commonly used products.
The move reflects the FDA’s growing unease with what the alert announcement called China’s “manufacturing control issues” and that country’s inability to ascertain what controls are in place to prevent food contamination. For example, the agency says that, after weeks of investigation, it still does not know what regions of China are affected or what firms there are major manufacturers of vegetable proteins.
Inspectors are now allowed to detain vegetable-protein imports from China because they may contain the chemical melamine. Melamine, used in the manufacture of plastics, was found in the wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate that has led to the recall of 5,300 pet food products.
Melamine’s effects on humans, if ingested, is unclear. In fact, the chemical has not been found in earlier tests to be highly toxic, a fact that has scientists looking for second chemical agent that could be increasing its toxicity.
The agency for the first time also said it has received reports, which it has yet to confirm, that approximately 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs died after eating contaminated food. The only number of pet deaths that the FDA has confirmed thus far is 14.
An import alert of this breadth is rare. Before this new FDA action, only products from two Chinese companies that exported the melamine-tainted wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate had been detained.
Now for the products to reach U.S. foodmakers, the importers will have to prove to the FDA that they are safe. The ingredients restricted include wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn by-products, soy protein, soy gluten, mung-bean protein and amino acids.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Wheat Intolerance

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  • Post category:Health

A friend pointed out to me that she has Rheumatoid Arthritis (which I’ve written about recently), and that under the care of her doctor, she has eliminated wheat from her diet to control her RA symptoms – because they’re triggered by a wheat intolerance. So I’ve been doing a lot of searches on the subject, which will be showing up in my regular links lists tonight.

I really need to talk to my doctor about wheat intolerance and the link to RA, because there’s a lot of information there about symptoms that sounds strikingly familiar. But from everything I’m reading, simply cutting wheat out of my diet without getting tested for wheat intolerance first wouldn’t be a good thing at all, because I would need to carefully supplement my nutrition at the same time, or I’d have other problems, so it’s not something I should just jump in and do.

But this gives me some hope that maybe if this is the source of the inflammation and is aggravating my joints and lungs, I could manage my health issues without long-term medication and maintenance, which would be awesome. Not that going on a wheat-free diet sounds easy if that’s the ultimate solution, but the medication route certainly has it’s bad points.

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MJ’s ‘Up North’ Chili

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  • Post category:Entrees

From the the kitchen of: MJ at Friday Fishwrap.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Total pots to clean: 1 stock pot, bowl, cutting board and knife.

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground sirloin (or beef chuck, trimmed, if you prefer)
  • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small can of green chili’s
  • 6 tablespoons chili powder
  • 4 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 4 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 – 8 dashes cayenne pepper, more if desired
  • 2 (12 ounce) cans beer
  • 1 cup strong black coffee
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with puree
  • 1 large tomato – coarsely chopped
  • 3 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • Sour cream, for garnish
  • Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
  • Red onions, chopped, for garnish
  • Limes, wedged, for garnish
  • Oyster crackers or sliced baguette, for garnish

In a 5 quart pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the meat, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove the meat. Add the garlic and onion, cook until soft. Return the meat to the pot. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, 1 can of beer (use rule #486; one for the pot, one for me…), green chili’s, crushed tomatoes and coffee. Simmer uncovered at a low temperature for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir occassionally. Don’t let it dry out, add beer as necessary (see rule #486). Add chopped tomato, kidney beans and second can of beer. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, squeeze of lime, or chopped red onions. Or all of the above.

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Tuscan-Style Baked Pork Chops

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  • 4 or 5 thick center-cut pork chops
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup white wine

I adapted this recipe from one in the Weight Watchers cookbook – theirs was for a pork roast with this marinade, which I picked because Stephanie and I love rosemary dishes. I chose to bake the pork chops according to the instructions from a different recipe, but with this marinade instead. I suspect I might also use this marinade for a chicken recipe soon, because we loved it.
Cut excess fat from pork chops. Stir together the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, salt and ground pepper, baste over pork chops in a baking dish, then pour the wine into the bottom of the dish around the chops. Let the chops marinade in the refrigerator for several hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve with a side dish, vegetables and the rest of the bottle of wine.

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Dan’s Turnovers

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These were one of the main dishes served at our friend’s wedding reception, and we enjoyed them, so we asked for the recipes.
6 filling types, recipes for 16 turnovers each.

Dough:

1 lb (3.25 C) flour
1/4 lb (one stick) butter
1/4 lb (1/2 C) vegetable shortening (contains soy)
1 t salt
3/4 C ice water
The dough is mixed as a short crust (butter and vegetable shortening at room temperature before being cut into the flour to consistency of course meal, then add ice water). The fillings were fully cooked before putting in the turnovers.

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Chicken Over Caesar Salad

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  • Post category:Entrees
  • Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • red wine vinegar
  • Herbs de Provence
  • Dole Caesar Salad Kit
  • Walnuts

Sprinkle two boneless, skinless chicken breasts with Herbs de Provence seasoning on both sides. Pour a little red wine vinegar over each. Bake at 350 until done, turning at about 25 minutes. Slice. Divide one Dole Caesar salad kit into two bowls and add dressing, Parmesan, and croutons. Place one chicken breast on top of each. Serve.

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Chicken Piccata

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  • 4 (6 to 7 ounces each) chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

Working with one chicken breast at a time, place each between two pieces of plastic wrap with the smooth side down (where the skin used to be). Working from the center to the edges, gently pound each chicken breast with a meat mallet to 1/4-inch thick. You want the smooth side to remain intact while the ragged side receives the impact of the mallet. And since chicken has little connective tissue, it’s important to use gentle strokes when pounding—the meat can tear easily.
In a shallow pie plate, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Roll chicken in flour mixture to coat all sides.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, heat butter and vegetable oil. Add chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side or until fully cooked and tender. Pour lemon juice and white wine over chicken. Add capers and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and transfer chicken onto a serving platter.
Reduce liquid left in frying pan by boiling an additional 2 to 3 minutes; pour over the chicken and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.

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Lemon Rosemary Chicken for Slow Cooking

Stolen from About.com:

  • 1/2 c. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon. dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon. salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon. pepper
  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs.boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pre-prep:
In a large food storage bag, place lemon juice, oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add chicken. Close bag and marinate in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Place chicken in the slow cooker and pour marinade over. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours, or until tender, basting occasionally with the marinade, if possible. You may add frozen broccoli and carrots about 1 to 1 1/2 hours before done.

Serves 4 to 6.

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