7
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
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