Whoops. Here are some facts about food safety a n00b cook like me never knew!

1. At room temperature, in SEVEN hours, ONE bacteria can grow to become TWO MILLION. So keep perishables – such as meat, tofu, dairy products, pasta, rice, cooked/raw veggies, fresh/peeled/cut fruits – at room temperature (40F and above) no longer than TWO HOURS.

2. NEVER DEFROST MEAT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. Thaw meat in the fridge or a microwave if cooking immediately. Meat left at room temperature over two hours is not safe for eating, EVEN AFTER PROPERT COOKING

For more food safety info, visit http://lancaster.uni.edu/food