The document provides tips for cooking complete meals from scratch in the microwave rather than just reheating food. It recommends preparing items like scrambled eggs, pancakes, oatmeal, and vegetables in the microwave. It emphasizes using microwave-safe containers, covering food to prevent splattering while allowing steam to escape, and stirring or rearranging food for even cooking. It also stresses using a food thermometer to ensure meals are fully cooked when prepared in the microwave.
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Microwaving
1. Cooking, Not Just Reheating, in the Microwave The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service
3. Nuking Breakfast Scrambled eggs Pancakes with fruit topping Coffee Eggs –2-4 minutes on medium – stir once Fruit topping – 2-3 minutes on high – stir Add ¼ teaspoons cornstarch and 1 ½ teaspoon water per cup of fruit to thicken
4. Breakfast: Fast and Easy .Orange juice Oatmeal Bran muffin Peanut butter Hot tea Milk Cook hot cereal on medium for 2-4 minutes – stir often Reheat muffins and bagels for 10-20 seconds on high Thaw juice and boil water for tea
5. Preparing Lunch or Supper Fix a food completely in the microwave Cook ingredients for recipes that will then be finished on the stove, in the oven or on the grill
6. Cooking Meat and Poultry Cook thawed meat and poultry on medium heat Arrange so the thickest part is toward the edges If want to brown, place under broiler for a few minutes
7. Cooking Fish Choose fish with even thickness Cook for 4 – 5 minutes May need to cut in half to get done without over cooking
8. Cooking Vegetables Buy bags of frozen so it is easy to take out 1-2 portions Bake sweet potatoes and winter squash as well as white potatoes Corn on the cob can be cooked in the husk or in plastic wrap on high for 4 minutes
9. Safe Microwaving Use only microwave safe containers If in doubt, test on high for one minute with a cup of water Safe only if the container remains cool
10. Efficient Microwaving Pieces of food should be similar in size Cover to prevent splatter, drying out and speed up cooking Do not totally cover the food with plastic wrap or a lid so steam can escape
11. Be sure the food is done! Rotate, stir or rearrange food while cooking Allow for stand time Check with a food thermometer
12. Summary Use microwaves to prepare meals from scratch – not just for reheating Use microwave safe containers for cooking Be sure to cover, rotate, stir and re-arrange food to promote even cooking Use a food thermometer to be sure food is well cooked
Editor's Notes
Handout: Cooking, Not Reheating in the Microwave Publication # FDNSE 89-21 How many of you primarily use your microwave ovens to reheat leftovers or cold coffee, cook frozen dinners or pop popcorn? Today I want to show you that your microwaves can be a wonderful tool when you are cooking for just one or two people.