I recall being at the home of a close relative a few years ago. The person shall remain anonymous to preserve peace in the family. You probably know how that goes.

When I went to get a drink of water, I noted ground beef thawing in the sink. Of course, I couldn’t let the opportunity for food safety education pass. Actually, we share a lifetime of mostly good-natured needling of each other, so I got to play the role of obnoxious food safety specialist.

“Did someone forget to put the meat in the refrigerator?” I asked with just a bit of sarcasm.

“It’s only been out a few hours,” was the reply, with a bit of disdain.

“Are we having bacterial toxin for dinner?” I needled.

“You’re not invited for dinner,” was the reply. That quieted me down.

I took the matter into my own hands by putting the meat in a pan and placing it in the refrigerator. Fortunately, no quarrel or combat ensued.

To read the rest of the article click here.