Preparing food safely

Kitchen Safety for the Holidays!

Many of us spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen during the holidays. We are cooking, baking and icing all types of goodies for our friends and family. Food preparation can be tricky.  If you are anything like me, you make too much and so there is leftover maintenance.

Here is a quick check list for kitchen safety this holiday season:

Use Two Cutting Boards: Keep one for raw meats and seafood and the other for

ready-to-eat foods .

Use a Food thermometer and cooking temperature guide: Ensure foods have reached the safe minimum internal temperature with a food thermometer. 

Use Shallow containers: Store leftovers in shallow, covered containers to reduce  the temperatures faster and help them stay safer, longer.

Use Soap, lots of soap: Have plenty of soap nearby so everyone helping in the

kitchen can wash their hands thoroughly before and after handling foods. While lathering up, sing two choruses of “Happy Birthday” to make sure you wash your hands for 20 seconds.

Use Paper towels:  Sponges and kitchen towels can easily soak up bacteria and

cross-contaminate kitchen surfaces and hands. When a crowd is coming over and food prep gets hectic, it can be better to use disposable paper towels.

I know these are not insurance tips, but we want you to stay safe this Holiday season!

Please let us know if we can help you with your home, auto, toys and commercial insurance!

Email Brockman Premier Insurance or visit our website at www.wekeepuinsured.com

Thanks for reading!

Nancy Brockman

After Christmas Safety

Home Burglars are still on Holiday!     

   So you got that great iPad, or game system for Christmas. Santa was good to you! 

But what do you do with all of those boxes? Sure the Trash collectors will cart them
away for you. But someone else is looking for them too. Home burglar's Holiday Season
is not over yet!
   Don't kick those iPad or Laptop boxes to the curb on the 26th. Cut them up and throw them in the trash cans. Burglar's busy season doesn't end when Christmas is over and done with. They are still on the prowl, looking for those new toys you just got! Continue to take extra precautions- especially if you are going away for New Years.
   Don't leave out those laptops and game systems in view of accessible windows. Burglars are watching. When you go out of town or even to those New Years Eve parties, they have time to break into your home.
Make it hard for them to find what they want.  
Don't let Burglars ruin your Holiday Season!       

As always- please call us if you have any questions about your Home, Auto or Business Insurance!  
Let us do the Insurance shopping for you.

Brockman Premier Insurance  or
call us toll free 1-877-987-8683      

Holiday Safety

Celebrate Safely!

Next week is the 4th of July. The celebration of our county's Independence. Boy do we know how to celebrate this one!
There will be Backyard BBQs, Lakeside picnics, Beachfront bonfires. And Fireworks. Lots and lots of Fireworks.  
There is no end to the possibilities when we celebrate our Country! 
But with holiday fun can come liability and safety concerns. 
   How about that Backyard BBQ you are hosting? Are you a Master Griller? More importantly, are you a SAFE master griller? Check out this Grill tip sheet for safe grilling. Are you serving alcohol? If so, do you know how your guests are getting home? You can be held liable for a drunk driving accident if you knowingly served an already drunk person.  Think about asking someone to be a designated driver. Or just invite neighbors who will be walking home anyway. And don't forget the bug spray. They are brutal this time of year!
   How about going to the lake for that all day family picnic? Plan on having a few beers? Great! have a few- but do you know how you are getting home safely?  Have a contingency plan. Again- a designated driver will work well. Keep an eye on anyone swimming in the lake, especially kids. Do you know CPR? Maybe you should print out this 3-step CPR guide, just in case. Grill safely here too, and don't forget the bug spray. They are brutal this time of year!
   How about that Beach front bonfire? Is there a better way to spend the 4th? I think this would be my favorite way to celebrate. The waves, the sand, the horizon. Add in good friends and family and WOW!
Grilling safely will be important here also. If you are drinking, again- a contingency plan for getting home safely is a good idea. You may want to check out how to safely build a bonfire. Make sure you put it out entirely before you leave! And don't forget the bug spray. They are brutal this time of year!
   Then there are fireworks. I know so many people like to set their own fireworks off. My suggestion? Leave it to the experts! When I was young, one of my older brothers had a friend who set off a Roman Candle - right into his stomach! Talk about pain, not to mention scarring!

We live in a great country and we should celebrate the 4th of July in BOLD ways. 
But please celebrate SAFELY!