Host a Delicious (and Safe) Holiday Party

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - Nov 17, 2011) - (Family Features) When hosting a holiday party, there's plenty to consider -- from the decorations and guest list to the beverages and food items. But as you get your home ready for the festive feast, don't forget to take extra precautions when preparing the meal to avoid spreading bacteria.

As a mom and celebrity chef, Cat Cora always follows a few simple steps to ensure "unwanted guests" aren't invited to her holiday feasts. "My family is the most important thing to me and figuring out ways to prevent cross-contamination while creating meals is key," says Cora.

With this in mind, Cora has provided tips to ensure safe food preparation:

• When thawing frozen meat or seafood, don't leave it out on the counter. Place the meat or fish on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, then store in the refrigerator.
• Use a glass cutting board when slicing raw meats and vegetables. The surface of a plastic or wood cutting board can get cut and nicked by knives while preparing food, creating the perfect environment for bacteria to grow.
• If you tend to favor one knife for slicing and dicing, wash the knife each time you move on to a new type of food to avoid passing bacteria from one food item to the next.
• Clean as you go; wash knives, cutting boards, dishware and other prep tools after each use. Look for products such as Ultra Palmolive® Antibacterial Dish Liquid, which is the only dish liquid soap approved to kill 99.9 percent of salmonella, E. coli and staph in seconds. If you clean as you cook, you will reduce the risk of transferring bacteria to other surfaces in your kitchen, ingredients or food prep tools.
• Make sure to clean your sink -- including the faucet -- after rinsing fresh vegetables or washing dishes and kitchen tools.

Use these tips when making Cora's Roasted Turkey with Pistachios and Orange, which is sure to be a hit at your holiday table.

Roasted Turkey with Pistachios and Orange
Serves 4

	Olive oil
1	13-ounce to 1-pound turkey breast, skin left on
	Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1	cup chicken stock
4	tablespoons butter
2	large oranges, segmented, membrane, seeds and pith removed (24 segments total)
4	tablespoons pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
1/ 2	bunch chives, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Season turkey breast with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat an 8 to 10-inch ovenproof sauté pan with olive oil over medium high heat. Place breast skin side down in hot pan, searing until skin is golden brown, for approximately 4 minutes.

Transfer pan to middle shelf of preheated oven, continuing to roast turkey skin side down for approximately 10 to 12 more minutes. Turkey should be done when internal meat temperature is between 170°F and 180°F and the flesh feels slightly firm to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to rest.

In sauce pan, heat chicken stock over medium heat and reduce by half. Add butter and swirl into reduced stock over low heat. Add orange segments, gently tossing them in sauce and season lightly with salt and pepper. Taste and correct seasoning. Set aside on very low heat to keep warm.

To serve, slice turkey on a bias into thin slices and overlap slices in a fan. Spoon warm orange sauce over turkey, and sprinkle with toasted pistachios. Garnish with chives and serve immediately on its own or with prepared rice or potatoes.

For more tips and recipes from Chef Cat Cora, and to learn more about safe food prep, visit www.Palmolive.com.

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