recalls

• Eva Longoria is writing a cookbook that's due to hit stores in Spring of 2011. — Grub Street NY
• Top chefs talk about the Gulf's seafood struggles. — Eatocracy
• The single most important tip for backyard-barbecue cooks. — Huffington Post Food
• This weekend, celebrate the World Cup with a festive drinking game. — Chow
• 15 million pounds of SpaghettiOs have been recalled. — Serious Eats
• Ten new-school restaurant design trends of 2010. — Eater NY
• The next time you need a quick, luscious chocolate sauce, make this easy recipe. — The Epi-Log
• Meet my new favorite barman: Eric Alperin from LA's The Varnish. — Liquor

Another day, another recall, this time it's for dry dog food. California-based Natural Balance pulled the 5-pound and 28-pound bags of Sweet Potato & Chicken dry dog food for a possible salmonella contamination.

This company has an in-house lab that found different results than the FDA, but it still went through with this voluntary recall anyway. If you spot the bags with "Best By" dates of Jun 17, 2011, in your home, discard them to be on the safe side! To find out which states could carry affected products, read more

For kitties that come running at the sound of an Iams ProActive can opening, be warned: Proctor and Gamble issued a voluntary recall of this food for both cats and kittens. If you see a can dated from 9/2011 to 06/2012, discard it and contact P&G for a refund.

Felines need thiamine (aka vitamin B1), and tests of the product show an insufficient level, putting those dining cats at risk for a thiamine deficiency if this is their only food. In early stages, this illness consists of excessive salivation, loss of appetite, and vomiting. As it worsens, symptoms include wobbly gate, seizures, and a downward curving of the neck (called ventroflexion). While risky, if caught promptly, it can easily be reversed.

Here's a pretty convincing argument in favor of washing bagged greens. An E. coli lettuce outbreak has sickened at least 19 people, hospitalized 12, and left three people gravely ill.

Freshway Foods and Imperial Sysco brands are recalling romaine lettuce in at least 23 states east of the Mississippi. The romaine has also been sold in salad bars and delis in stores like Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets, and Marsh stores.

I'd been optimistic about the Obama administration's promise to establish more stringent food safety guidelines, but this demonstrates that, sadly, nothing has really changed. I'll be steering clear of raw greens for a while — what about you?

If you're beginning to feel like nothing's safe anymore, you may be right. Following the largest stroller and crib recalls in history last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced two new baby equipment notifications overnight.

The largest of the two is Graco's recall of 1.5 million strollers due to faulty canopy hinges. Similar to Maclaren's recall of 1 million push chairs, Graco announced that children's fingers can be cut when the canopies of their Passage, Alano, and Spree strollers and travel systems are opened or closed. To date, two tots' fingers were cut and five lost their fingertips after getting caught up in the plastic hinges on the identified buggies. The company is offering repair kits to families who own the identified models.

The CPSC also announced the recall of 635,000 Dorel Asia cribs following the death of a 6-month-old child and injuries to 10 more. Similar to the Stork Craft issue last year, the drop sides of 20 affected models can detach, creating enough space for wee ones to become stuck and suffocate.

Have all of the recent recalls shaken you confidence in baby equipment?

Be safe and keep these snacks away from your pets as the FDA issued a warning about Merrick Beef Filet Squares. If you still have the resealable package, check for a "Best By 11/19/11" date — those batches may be contaminated with Salmonella. To be on the safe side, if you're not sure when you bought the treats, and they look like this, discard and treat your pooch to something else instead.

Luckily no illnesses have been reported yet — the bacteria was caught in a routine inspection in December — but be careful when handling the treats (to discard them), remove anything else they could have contaminated, and thoroughly clean any containers, too.

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

• The secret to making super aromatic tea is ginger.
• Tips for pairing wine with Winter fruits.
• The FDA is investigating the fake "unfaithful" Tiger Woods Gatorade campagin.
• A stray pig was found at a Quiznos drive-thru window.
• Anthony Bourdain discusses the new season of No Reservations.
• A cheese recall has hit the national markets.

While the Stork Craft recall might have been the biggest crib recall in US history, it was the Maclaren recall headline that caught the attention of LilSugar readers. The British company responsible for making the simple buggies voluntarily recalled their products and issued repair kits to keep young fingers safe from the faulty hinges. While many mamas own the pushchairs, it seems only a quarter of our Maclaren owners were actually going to put them to rest. The argument? It seems like most any stroller, doorway, or drawer could inflict the same harm. If anything, it serves as a good reminder to keep a watchful eye on those wee extremities!

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