Q: I hear it’s dangerous to eat rare hamburgers. What about steak?

A: It’s true that undercooked burgers can contain a type of bacteria called e-coli that, if consumed, can make you very sick. According to the USDA, it is important to cook hamburgers until the inside is no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 160°. Keeping an instant read meat thermometer on hand is always a great idea. Steaks, on the other hand, are safe even when rare because if bacteria are present, they live on the surface of the meat and are killed by the heat of cooking.

June 2004

A Message From The Moms

Wow, have we been busy! From TV cooking demos, to book signings, to “Meal Makeover Mom” cooking parties, we’re on a roll (a whole wheat roll, of course). Earlier this month, our local PBS affiliate, WGBH, auctioned off one of our cooking parties during their annual on-air fundraising event.

The cooking parties are a ton of fun. We do them for groups of moms (and dads) in the comfort of someone’s home kitchen. We prepare recipes from our book and website, pass around taste samples, answer questions, and sip on wine! The parties have been so successful that, if there is enough interest, we will add a Do-It-Yourself Meal Makeover Mom Cooking Party feature to our website. Then, parents across the country will be able to host their own events. Email us using the “contact us” button on our website and let us know if this new feature is something you'd take advantage of.

We have other exciting news to report. Between now and August 1st, we’re offering a giveaway on our website. One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers along with coupons for free Amy's all-natural products. Visit our homepage to enter and win … and don’t forget to tell all your friends about it!

	Scrumptious Salmon Melts Makes 6 snack servings or 3 meal servings When Brandy, a mother of two from Nebraska, was in high school, her favorite after-school snack was Tiny Tuna Melts. Today, she makes this recipe for her own children. But according to Brandy, her recipe -- made with tuna, chopped onion and green peppers, Miracle Whip, and Kraft cheese on white bread -- was in need of a healthy makeover. We took the liberty of switching from tuna to canned salmon for added omega-3 fats, used whole wheat English muffins for extra fiber, and tossed in a shredded carrot for a kick of beta carotene. Serve our Salmon Melts as a snack or a meal. One 6-ounce can boneless, skinless pink salmon, drained and well flaked 1/4 cup light canola mayonnaise 3 whole wheat English muffins, sliced in half and lightly toasted 1/3 cup preshredded, reduced-fat Cheddar cheese In a bowl, combine the salmon, shredded carrot, and mayonnaise and mix well. Set aside. Arrange the English muffin halves on a baking sheet and place under the broiler until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven. Carefully spread the salmon mixture evenly over each of the 6 muffin halves and top with the cheese. Place back under the broiler until the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Nutrition Information per 2 halves: 310 Calories, 12g Total Fat, 2.5g Saturated Fat, 1.1g Omega-3 Fat, 720mg Sodium, 31g Carbohydrate, 3g Fiber, 21g Protein, 110% Vitamin A * If you would like us to give one of your favorite recipes a healthy makeover, visit www.MealMakeoverMoms.com.

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