Microwave uses

Hi , let me tell you about a wonderful gadget, the microwave oven. Some may think that the microwave is only good for heating cooked food. Actually, I am so grateful with this piece of invention as it make cooking a breeze . Here are a few tips.



Baked potatoes
Wash potatoes well and dry them with a kitchen towel. Poke several holes through the skin of the potatoes to allow steam to escape. Wrap the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and put them directly on the revolving plate. Set oven for medium high, for a few minutes usually 3 to 5 minutes for 3 potatoes. Timing really depends on the oven rating but as a guide, try to press on each potato using a wooden spoon while still wrapped with the towel. Use oven gloves so as not to burn yourself. When almost soft but still firm, take them out of the oven and wrap them with aluminum foil and leave them on a plate outside. The potatoes will remain warm on the plate kept outside the oven and the retained heat will continue to cook the potatoes. For up to about half an hour, potatoes will still keep warm.

This same method will apply for eggplants. You may do the same method of preparation. Remember to poke small holes into the eggplant before cooking inside the microwave, while wrapped with clean kitchen towel.



Scrambled eggs
Place a bit of butter on a small bowl. Add beaten eggs , preferably do one egg at a time.
Put in the microwave , medium heat for 30 secs. Stop oven, open and stir with a wooden spoon. Continue for another 30 secs medium heat if still runny. Remove from the oven and serve, sprinkle with a bit of salt of desired.

Beef stew
Prepare all the ingredients called for in the recipe. Start by searing the meat using conventional stove. Once browned on all sides, usually takes about 5 minutes only, transfer into a microwave proof casserole ( corningware can be used). Include all the ingredients called for in your recipe leaving the salt and some vegetables you want to add last. You can tenderize the meat in the oven, use medium high setting for 5 minutes just to build up the heat. Lower to medium heat till meat is tender. Leave a small opening ( do not close fully ) for the steam to escape. Check on the stew every 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Add the remaining vegetables. Repeat the process, giving 5 minutes every time until the gravy is thick enough and the meat is tender. Remove from oven and add salt if desired. Remember adding salt during the early stages of cooking will toughen the meat. Keep the oven to medium heat as too high will cause the beef to become tough.

I hope you will enjoy using the microwave oven.. it is really a wonderful kitchen helper. You can also cook rice, bacon, steaks ( best using a browning dish , checkout Corningware browning dish), melt chocolate for baking, steam fish and endless ways to use it just as you would use your tabletop stove. So try exploring and using the microwave when cooking. But remind you, do not use metal utensils and metal pots inside the oven and do not use it to fry food
( high oil content for microwave is not advisable ).