Use and Care

7
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 popcorn specially bagged 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 boil-overs.
·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:
use 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.