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Mary A. Keith

Published: October 2, 2007

I just heard of something called a solar cooker. Does this really work? Or is it just a story?

There are several designs for ovens that really do cook food safely. Most use a set of mirrors or reflectors to direct sunlight into an insulated box to heat and cook food in a black pot. Food can cook quickly or very slowly, depending on the height of the sun, cloud cover and wind. You can buy an oven for as low as $20 or as much as several hundred dollars, or make your own.

How long should I process pumpkin butter to can it? Do I have to use a pressure canner, or can I use boiling water?

The only safe thing to use for long-term storage is the freezer. Research has found that there is too much variation in thickness and in acidity to be able to process it safely. Even plain pureed pumpkin should not be canned. Only cubes can be canned safely, and it must be in a pressure canner.

When a recipe specifies "whole" milk, can I use canned milk?

You could, but whole milk just means regular homogenized milk, not a low-fat milk. Diluting canned milk with an equal amount of water makes whole milk. Don't use the fat free evaporated milk, just the regular.

I left part of a bag of prepackaged salad mix on the counter for almost 4 hours. Is it safe to use?

Four hours is the limit for room temperature handling of potentially hazardous foods. Lettuce has not yet be officially classified as PHF, but we know there have been more than enough problems. If it's not looking brown around the edges, not wilted or limp, then wash it well in running water and spin it dry. Don't try to hold it for another day.

I made an olive salad with a different brand of pickled vegetables and it is just too sour to enjoy. Is there anything I can do to reduce the sourness?

I'd start by simply rinsing it under running water, then tasting it. If it's still too sour, you can try neutralizing the acidity with baking soda, but I don't know if it will be able to penetrate into the vegetables without changing the color and texture too. I'd suggest starting with just a little bit of the salad and a pinch of soda dissolved in a little water. Mix that — it will foam! — then taste it. If it's okay, repeat with the rest of the salad.

How should I use lemon grass? I bought some, but it seems awfully coarse and chewy in this soup. I don't want to use it again this way.

Lemon grass stalks are typically removed before serving. Cut off the green part, then crush or mash the white part of the stalk and add to the soup, curry, or other dish. Remove the stalk just before serving.

Is it OK to cook a standing rib roast at 325º F? I thought I remember something about that being too cool to be safe.

That temperature is OK. It is the lowest recommended oven temperature, especially for poultry that still has the skin on, but is fine for beef and pork. The final temperature of the meat is more important. It should be 145 degrees inside.

Mary A. Keith, a nutrition and health agent at Hillsborough County Extension, can be reached at (813) 744-5519 or mkeith@ufl.edu.

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