6
ABOUT FOOD
FOOD DO
DON’T
Eggs,
sausages,
fruits &
vegetable
·
Puncture egg yolks before cooking to
prevent “explosion”.
·
Pierce skins of potatoes, apples, squash, hot
dogs and sausages so that steam escapes.
·
Cook egg in shells.
·
Reheat whole eggs.
Popcorn
·
Use specially bagged popcorn for the
microwave oven.
·
Listen while popping corn for the popping to
slow to 1 or 2 seconds or use special
Popcorn pad.
·
Pop popcorn in regular brown bags
or glass bowls.
·
Exceed maximum time on popcorn
package.
Baby food
·
Transfer baby food to small dish and heat
carefully, stirring often. Check temperature
before serving.
·
Put nipples on bottles after heating and
shake thoroughly. “Wrist” test before
feeding.
·
Heat disposable bottles.
·
Heat bottles with nipples on.
·
Heat baby food in original jars.
General
·
Cut baked goods with filling after heating to
release steam and avoid burns.
·
Stir liquids briskly before and after heating to
avoid “eruption”.
·
Use deep bowl, when cooking liquids or
cereals, to prevent boilovers.
·
Heat or cook in closed glass jars or
airtight containers.
·
Can in the microwave as harmful
bacteria may not be destroyed.
·
Deep fat fry.
·
Dry wood, gourds, herbs or wet
papers.
ABOUT MICROWAVE COOKING
Arrange food carefully. Place thickest areas
towards outside of dish.
·Watch cooking time. Cook for the
shortest amount of time indicated and
add more as needed. Food severely
overcooked can smoke or ignite.
·Cover foods while cooking. Check recipe or
cookbook for suggestions: paper towels,
wax paper, microwave plastic wrap or a
lid. Covers prevent spattering and help
foods to cook evenly.
·Shield with small flat pieces of aluminum
foil any thin areas of meat or poultry to
prevent overcooking before dense, thick
areas are cooked thoroughly.
·Stir foods from outside to center of dish
once or twice during cooking, if possible.
·Turn foods over once during microwaving to
speed cooking of such foods as chicken
and hamburgers. Large items like roasts
must be turned over at least once.
·Rearrange foods such as meatballs
halfway through cooking both from top to
bottom and from the center of the dish to
the outside.
·Add standing time. Remove food from oven
and stir, if possible. Cover for standing
time that allows the food to finish cooking
without overcooking.
·Check for doneness. Look for signs
indicating that cooking temperatures
have
been reached.
Doneness signs include:
-Food steams throughout, not just at
edge.
-Center bottom of dish is very hot to the
touch.
-Poultry thigh joins move easily.
-Meat and poultry show no pinkness.
-Fish is opaque and flakes easily with a
fork.
