You’ll hear a lot of advice about cooking in the microwave, and some of it’s even contradictory. If you’re confused about microwave cooking, don’t worry. Many people don’t know a lot about this easy, fast way of preparing food. Here are a few tips to help you cook in the microwave with success.

Use the Right Plastics

Be sure to use the right plastics. While plastic containers work well in the microwave, not all of them are created equal. Some will deform or melt when microwaved. Others can leach toxins and harmful substances into the food inside them. That’s why it’s important only to use plastics that are meant for microwave use. Don’t reuse packaging like butter tubs in the microwave, and only heat packaged foods that have instructions for use in the microwave. If a food doesn’t have these instructions, take it out of the packaging before heating.

Cook Smaller Pieces

It’s best to cook smaller pieces in a microwave oven. Cut larger items into uniformly sized and shaped pieces, and spread them evenly in the dish you’re cooking in. You may need to rotate or move these food pieces around while cooking. Thick areas should be near the outside walls of the container, since the outer part of foods cook faster in the microwave.

Some Foods Should be Pierced

Anything that has a shell, skin, or impermeable outside coating should be pierced before you cook it. This includes eggs and many vegetables. Otherwise, steam may build up inside and cause an explosive reaction. It’s also important to use a slightly larger container than you would in an ordinary oven - this helps your food heat more evenly. A round or oval shaped container is better for microwave cooking than a rectangle or square. That’s because corners can cause heat build up.

Cooking Times

If you’re using a microwave recipe, cook food for the shorter time in the range stated. You can always cook food longer, but overcooked food is ruined. If you don’t have a turntable in your microwave, stop the machine periodically to rotate food. Dishes inside your oven will be extremely hot - use an oven mitt or pad.

Lids and Covers

Lids should be used for anything you’d cook covered in the oven. This helps food cook more evenly, and allows it to retain moisture. Leave all lids slightly open so that pressure won’t build up inside the container. When you remove food from the microwave, lift lids carefully. Open containers facing away from you to prevent burns. Salting microwave food should be done after it’s cooked. That’s because salt can cause microwaved foods to dry out.

Some Ideas

When baking, you can soften solid sticks of butter by heating them for about half a minute on fifty percent power. When warming heavy cream or sour cream, use a low setting to prevent curdling. If your brown sugar has gotten hard, slice an apple or put a piece of bread into a loosely covered container with the sugar. Bread crumbs are made by microwaving cubed bread until stale, then crushing it inside a plastic bag.

Frozen Meats

If you’re using frozen meat, individual pieces can be separated by defrosting for thirty seconds to a minute. Then, if you wish to cook it further, arrange it evenly in the dish. You can also drain hamburger fat by microwaving the meat in a plastic colander on top of a bowl or other dish. The fat runs into the dish and out of the meat.

So, there you have it. Enjoy cooking with your microwave oven safely and effectively.

Microwave Spaghetti Squash Dish

1 large (about 3-1/2 lb.) spaghetti squash, cut in half, discard seeds
4 bacon strips, diced
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Spaghetti Squash Supremo:

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place one squash half cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork, turning once. Repeat with second squash half. When cool enough to handle, scoop out squash, separating strands with a fork; set aside.

In a skillet, sauté bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving drippings.

Add the butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper to the drippings. Stir in squash and bacon; heat through. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese just until blended. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Courtesy of Aaron’s A to Z Garden of Information