Blft-Lancastar Farming, Saturday, March 29,1986
THE
MICRO
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lANI
BLOOMER '
ZAP IT N LETS EAT!
(MICROWAVING FROZEN
CONVENIENCE FOODS)
I remember, back in the “old
days” when I was growing up, the
only frozen convenience foods
available were frozen pot pies.
These made an easy meal for my
sister and I to fix by ourselves, but
they certainly weren’t quick. They
took an endless hour to thaw and
bake.
Frozen convenience foods
certainly have come a long way.
With a freezer and a microwave,
you can have instant meals or
snacks any time of day.
The only problem with frozen
convenience foods is that many
microwave cookbooks don’t give
you directions for heating them.
The questions that I am asked
most frequently in my classes are
how to microwave “TV” dinners
and convenience foods.
I can’t begin to give you direc
tions here for microwaving all the
frozen foods available. However,
perhaps a few tips on what to
watch out for, will help.
General Tips For
Frozen Convenience Foods
- Foods with bottom crusts that
are frozen uncooked, will not
microwave well. For instance,
frozen pot pies and fruit pies; or
pizza with a raw crust. The bottom
crust just won’t cook in the
microwave, under the rest of the
food.
These foods may be thawed in
the microwave on high for 10 to 15
minutes, then baked in a very hot
over (450*F.) for 10 to 25 minutes to
bake the crust. You will have to
experiment with the exact times,
depending on the type and quantity
of food.
- Foods that have to be crispy to
be good, such as French fries, will
not be crispy when microwaved.
Thaw these foods in the microwave
on high for 3 to 5 minutes, then put
them under the broiler for a few
minutes to crisp.
- Most packages give you
directions for high power. Many
foods will reheat better on a lower
power. If your oven has medium
power (50,5), heat your foods on
medium for twice as long as
directed for high power.
Reducing the power level will do
two things: The food heats more
evenly to the middle, so the center
of large pieces won’t still be cold.
Secondly, it helps prevent the
edges of food and the small pieces
from getting overcooked (hard or
rubbery).
- Several foods can be heated at
one time, but may vary in how hot
they get because of the consistency
of the food. Foods high in moisture,
fat, or sugar will heat more quickly
than foods low in these. For in
stance, rice with gravy on it will
heat faster than plain rice. Also,
denser foods take longer to heat.
- If you stack foods in the oven,
the food on the top will heat faster
than that on the bottom, because it
is closer to the microwaves (for
ovens where the microwaves enter
from the top). For even heating,
switch the position of the food
halfway through the heating time.
- Since food near the edges of a
container will be hotter than that in
the center, let the food stand 3 to 4
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minutes v- vvi
perature to even out.
- Start a small card file. Write
down the times for your oven, for
those frozen foods that you
microwave most often.
- Remove cake, pudding and
bread products from the trays
before microwaving. Defrost these
separately using medium low
power (30,3, defrost) after the
other food is done. If you leave
them with the rest of the meal,
you’ll have rubber for dessert!
- Most tray dinners are now
packaged in microwaveable
containers. Foods packaged in flat
(less than 1-inch high) aluminum
trays can be heated right in the
metal tray. Keep the tray in the
middle of the oven, 1 inch or more
away from the walls, so it doesn’t
arc (spark). Foods in deeper
aluminum trays should be placed
m a microwave container.
- Cover trays for more even
heating. Waxed paper, a paper
towel, or even the cardboard box
(slide the tray back in the box after
removing the foil covering) can be
used for covering.
- If the package doesn’t have
microwave directions, use the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CALL YOUR LOCAL DEALER:
LOST CREEK TOBIAS EQUIPMENT CO., INC. OXFORD GREENLINE,
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Oakland Mill. PA 71 7-362-3132 Oxford, PA
717-463-2161 215-932-2753
MELROSE FARM NORTHEAST PAUL SHOVER S, INC.
SERVICE DISTRIBUTING LoysviM e. PA
Greencastle, PA West 7 T 7.739.3 j 17
717-597-3138 717-222-9020
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WALTER C. MALE, INC. SUPPLY CLARK'S FARM SUPPLY
Churchville, MO Chambersburg, PA Williamsport, PA
301-734-7722 717-264-3533 717-494-0060
.'j
Manufactured By
CLW MANUFACTURING, INC.
R.D. #2, Box 8
Newburg, Pa. 17240
717-423-6794
Tray Dinners
BEST BUY of the YEAR
• 6" Steel Main Beam
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• Front-Side and Rear Loading and Unloading
• 2xB Pressure Treated Lumber Floor
• 2x6 Oak Cross Beams
• Beds are 8’ wide, available in 16,18 or 21’ lengths.
Racks are 90” high.
• NEW FEATURE: 6” Channel across back for pushing wagon
without damaging bed.
weight of the food to help figure
how long to heat. If the package
weighs less than 12 or 13 ounces, it
will probably take 4 to 7 minutes to
heat on high. If the package has
over 13 ounces of food, it will
probably take 8 to 12 minutes to
heat on high.
Vegetables, Side
Dishes, Casseroles
- Many of these come in plastic
pouches, and can be microwaved
right in the pouch. Pierce the
plastic with a knife to allow excess
steam to escape.
- If the food can be stirred,
stirring once after it has thawed
will help with even cooking and you
can use high power. If the food
can’t be stirred, like lasagna,
medium power (50,5) will give
better results (but take twice as
long as high).
- When you don’t need a whole
package of food for one meal and
don’t want leftovers, wrap the part
of the package you don’t want to
thaw tightly in aluminum foil.
(Microwaves cannot penetrate foil
so the wrapped part will stay
frozen while the unwrapped part
thaws.)
Place the package in the center
of the oven and microwave for a
short time. As soon as the part that
is not wrapped in foil has thawed,
cut it off the frozen block. Re wrap
the frozen part for the freezer, and
continue heating the thawed part.
Desserts, Baked Goods
- These foods need careful
handling, because their light
texture and high sugar content
mean they will thaw rapidly.
- Remove from packaging and
microwave uncovered. Place
bread products on a paper towel to
absorb extra moisture.
- For food with icing and things
like cheesecakes, defrost on
medium low power (30,3, defrost)
to keep the icing from melting off.
Microwave packages under 16
ounces for 2 to 4 minutes on
medium low (30,3, defrost).
Packages over 16 ounces will take
4 to 6 minutes on medium low. Let
stand to finish thawing at room
temperature.
- For food without icing, such
as bread, pound cakes, donuts, etc.
thaw and warm on medium power
(50,5). Small packages under 13
ounces will defrost in 1 to 2 minutes
on medium. Larger packages over
13 ounces will take 2 to 4 minutes
on medium.
Copyright 19U, Lanl Bloomer.