The holidays are right around the corner — and while you may not be prepping for a large gathering with your extended family, you’re probably still finding ways to make things festive. That very well might include making a big meal on Christmas Day or ordering from a local restaurant on December 24. While supporting small businesses is a great way to go, many people will prefer to do the cooking themselves during this time of year. But no matter what, you need to practice stellar food safety. Here are just a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind while you stay at home.

Wash Your Hands and Surfaces Frequently

One of the mantras of the pandemic is “wash your hands.” But just because you’re home doesn’t mean you can forget to use soap and water. Since the four primary sources of contamination are bacterial, chemical, physical, and cross-contamination, you need to wash your hands frequently — especially before and after handling raw meat. You should also clean surfaces like countertops, cutting boards, and knives after handling to prevent cross-contamination.

Keep It Pet-Friendly

Your dog’s sense of smell is about 10,000 times stronger than yours, so it’s no surprise that your pup might beg at the table for some scraps. If you do plan to give your dog a bit of a treat, however, it’s important to know what they can safely consume. Be sure to remove bones from meat and to make certain it’s cooked properly before giving your dog a taste. Don’t let your dog eat bread dough or anything that contains raw eggs and steer clear of grapes, nuts, pork products, nutmeg, onions, and garlic. If you’re looking for pup-friendly foods, items like sweet potatoes, raw green beans, carrots, pumpkin puree, and apples are all great options that your dog can snack on.

Defrost, Cook, and Refrigerate With Care

Defrosting, cooking, and refrigerating are important steps for preserving food safety. Although anywhere from 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease every year in the U.S., around 128,000 are hospitalized for foodborne illnesses on an annual basis. That means you need to exercise caution when bringing food to a safe temperature. Food needs to be cooked to proper temperatures in order to reduce safety risks. Make sure to use a food thermometer to test that meats are cooked through properly before serving. There are a few different ways to safely thaw frozen food, including in the refrigerator or microwave. Never thaw food on the counter or in hot water. Hot foods should be kept at temperatures of at least 135 degrees Fahrenheit, while cold foods need to be kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Any food that’s kept at room temperature for more than two hours should be discarded. If in doubt, throw it out.

While there are a number of factors that can improve food safety, these basic tips can ensure your family has a happy (and delicious) holiday at home.

This year has definitely been a year that we all will remember! Even though the times have been a little crazy with all that we have been given, we still must continue sharing those special times with our family and friends like enjoying a good meal on Thanksgiving which many of us look forward to each year. If you have a Raley’s near, you can relax because you can get the PERFECT holiday feast without all the work.

If you don’t feel like cooking this year, Raley’s has complete holidays meals that have been created by their Executive Chef that you can heat-and-eat that allows you to prepare a feast for your family without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. These meals can be pre-ordered, picked up and heated which can definitely SAVE you time, all at a fair price. …

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Over 80% of the products that we purchase — including the food we eat — are delivered by truck. Theoretically, that means we have access to virtually any type of food product at any given time. But one of the best things about eating what’s in season s the chance to celebrate the flavors of the harvest (all while supporting growers in your area, if you choose to shop locally).

Chances are that you’re probably still spending quite a bit of time at home. And if you’re like many Americans, you may be cooking more frequently now than you did prior to the pandemic. It isn’t always easy to get your kids excited about home-cooked meals, but the following three recipe ideas will make good use of fresh, seasonal ingredients while appealing to your kids’ palates this fall.

Squash, Cider, and Cheddar Soup

There’s nothing like homemade soup on a chilly autumn day — and this recipe features two fall favorites: butternut squash and apple cider. Combined with cheddar cheese goodness and garlicky croutons, this soup will be one the whole family will love. Although the original recipe calls for pumpkin or apple ale, we’ve left that out for this kid-friendly dish.

Start by preheating your oven to 350 and cut the top off two heads of garlic. Drizzle one teaspoon of olive oil over the garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then, wrap your garlic in foil and roast in your oven for around 40 minutes. After it’s cooled, you can squeeze the garlic out of the heads and set them aside.

Now, take a large pot and heat it on medium. To the pot, add one tablespoon of softened butter, five cups of diced butternut squash, 1 cup of diced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, and two teaspoons of salt. Saute your ingredients for about seven to eight minutes or until they become slightly soft. Next, add two cups of chicken stock and two cups of apple cider. Simmer the mixture for 10 to 12 more minutes and transfer into a blender. Puree the mixture until smooth and return the soup to the pot. Then, add one cup of shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and turn the heat down to low.

Lastly, it’s time to make your croutons. Heat a medium-sized, non-stick pan on medium and spread butter onto four slices of ciabatta bread. Add cheese to make a grilled cheese sandwich and cook until golden brown. Finally, cut the sandwiches into small squares and serve on top of your soup.

Maple Glazed Salmon

Although there were 11.6 million youth fishing participants in 2017, not every kid likes the taste of fish. Salmon is typically a fan favorite, however, since it’s quite sweet and not all that “fishy” in flavor. This recipe features a few fall staples, including maple syrup, pecans, and even pumpkin pie spice, with citrus and rosemary for balance.

Start by toasting one-eighth cup of pecans over medium-high heat, making sure to stir until lightly browned. Remove them from the heat, allow to cool, and chop. Next, mix a half-cup real maple syrup, two teaspoons orange zest, one teaspoon chopped rosemary (fresh, if possible), one-quarter teaspoon salt, and one-quarter teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into a bowl. Pour this mixture over one pound of fresh, wild-caught salmon in a shallow baking dish and marinate for one to four hours in the fridge. Rotate your salmon about halfway through the marinating time. When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and place your salmon skin-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Top the salmon with slices from one orange and bake for eight to 12 minutes or until the center is cooked (cooking time will depend on the fish’s thickness). Top your fish with the chopped pecans and salt, if needed, before serving. Take the opportunity to make some seasonal veggies (like brussels sprouts or zucchini) to serve on the side!

Caramel Apple Crisp Bites

Sweet stuff is easy to come by during this time of year. And for the 4 million Americans who wear braces, chewy candy is a no-no. But you can get that luscious caramel flavor without dental fear with these adorable little desserts! Plus, this recipe will give you a great opportunity to use all those apples your family picked this season.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a pan with non-stick butter spray. Then, melt 12 tablespoons of butter and slowly mix it into a medium-sized bowl that contains two cups of graham cracker crumbs and one-half cup powdered sugar. You’ll then want to evenly distribute your mixture into a mini-muffin cup pan. You should have enough for 24 cup molds, which will act like miniature pie crusts. Bake these for five minutes and allow to cool completely.

While they’re baking, chop four cups of peeled and cored apples into small pieces. Next, mix your apples with one-third cup sugar, one-quarter cup brown sugar, two and one-quarter tablespoons flour, one-half teaspoon cinnamon, and one-quarter teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl. Turn up your oven heat to 375 and bake this mixture in a baking dish for around 15 minutes or until the apples have softened slightly. Then, scoop a generous teaspoon of the mixture into each of your crust cups. Turn your oven back down to 350 and sprinkle any leftover graham cracker crumbs on top of your apples. Bake your apple-filled cups for five minutes and allow to completely cool. Loosen the apple crisp bites from the pan and drizzle with some store-bought caramel sauce (or make your own!). It’ll be just like a candy apple and apple pie combined, without the mess!

With these recipes in your arsenal, you won’t have to worry about whether your kids will like what you’re making for dinner. Plus, the whole family will love to experience the celebration of flavors that come with the fall season.

With Halloween only a month away, it’s time to start planning the perfect dishes for the occasion. This is especially important since many people will be staying home or modifying their Halloween festivities this year. After all, the COVID-19 pandemic is still a serious concern for families across the country. While trick or treating might be off of the table, there are still plenty of dishes to serve to celebrate one of America’s favorite holidays. Just be sure to brush your teeth after — as many as four million Americans wear braces.

If you’re stuck trying to think of things to make, look no further! Here are some easy Halloween recipes that the whole family can make and enjoy.

Witch hat cookies

This is a simple recipe that even children can participate in! All you need is your favorite type of cookie, some Hershey’s kisses, and some decorating gel to make adorable witch hat cookies.

You can invest in fudge stripe cookies to make this a little easier since they already have chocolate-coated bottoms. All you need to do is affix a Hershey’s kiss to the bottom of the cookie. Since the top of the chocolate kiss already comes to a point, this recipe is seamless. You can affix the kiss to the cookie by heating up the chocolate bottom of the kiss or by using a dab of honey for a touch of sweetness. When they’re firmly placed together and dried, use your favorite color of decorating gel to draw a bow or buckle around the base. Adding decorations here will also blend the bottoms together for a streamlined look. This recipe won’t take you long and it’s a great appetizer or snack as you watch your favorite scary movie.

Keep in mind that you can also invest in a different kind of cookie if you’re not a fan of fudge options. All you need to do is dip one side of your preferred cookie into chocolate and repeat the process above. Just be careful if you’re making your cookies by hand. Your home appliances, including your oven, will continue to use electricity when it’s turned off. Save power by only keeping your appliances plugged in when you need them.

You can also substitute the Hershey’s kisses for other cone-shaped options. There are plenty of kiss flavors out there but you can even invest in candy corn or chocolate-dipped bugles if you want. The only barrier is your creativity — don’t be afraid to have fun!

Bake a creepy cake

If you’re looking for something a little darker, consider baking a creepy slasher cake. Pairing red velvet with strawberry jam will give the cake an oozy feeling that reminds you of your favorite slasher flick. Here are some of the things that you’ll need:

• Red velvet cake mix
• A ¾ x 340g jar of strawberry jam
• White fondant icing that’s ready to roll (or a white frosting of your choice)
• Buttercream with a dash of red food coloring

This is the shortened version of the recipe, but you can make it from scratch using the link above if you want. Just be sure to use distilled water or filtered water in your mix, otherwise, your cake might taste a little off. As many as 13 million U.S. households rely on wells for their drinking water, but this doesn’t always have the best taste. Filter your water before you start using it in baking.

Once your cakes are made, slice the cakes into halves to add the buttercream and strawberry jam. Since your cake will have four halves, use one-third of the jam mix in each layer for that delightfully oozy look. Put the cake back together and top with the fondant (or frosting of your choice). Fondant will have a cool effect if you want to add slashes on the outside of your cake. In this case, adding the strawberry jam will make it look cleaner. But you can achieve a similar effect if you’re careful with your frosting.

Keep in mind that red velvet is actually a little different from chocolate, too. While both cake mixes use cocoa, red velvet is typically much smoother and richer. This means that your creepy cake will taste all the better when it’s time to dig in.

Peanut butter bites with chocolate

This one is a real crowd pleaser. If you’re inviting any close friends or family members over for Halloween, just be sure to ask about peanut allergies!

This recipe uses some of your favorite Halloween staples to make delectable peanut butter bite balls. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups of candy corn
• 1 bag of chocolate chips
• 1 and a quarter cups of peanut butter (creamy)
• Optional chocolate melts for decorating

Start by microwaving the candy corn until it melts. You can do this by using a glass bowl and routinely stirring the candy corn against the sides of the container. Try to do this about every 30 seconds for a minute and a half until all the chunks in the candy corn melt are gone.

As soon as it’s melty, add the creamy peanut butter and stir it together. Once it’s well-blended, plop dollops of the mixture onto waxed paper in little balls to freeze for about 15 minutes.

Perform the same process of melting the chocolate chips like you did with the candy corn. Once it’s melted, all you need to do is roll the frozen balls into the chocolate and place them in the fridge to cool. You can also use your additional wax melts to add more decorations, but these are good as they are!

Celebrating Halloween safely

With the COVID-19 pandemic still impacting our communities, we need to be safer than ever. If you have creative energy that you need to get out, consider flexing your baking skills to stay safe and eat something delicious.