Cooking, Not Just Reheating, in the Microwave

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Cooking, Not Just Reheating, in the Microwave

• The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
  Service

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Microwave ovens are not just for reheating!
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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

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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

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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

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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

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Cooking Fish

• Choose fish with even thickness
• Cook for 4 5 minutes
• May need to cut in half to get done without over
  cooking

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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

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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

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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

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Be sure the food is done!

• Rotate, stir or rearrange food while cooking
• Allow for stand time
• Check with a food thermometer

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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