84-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 18,1989
Wm MICROWAVE
MINUTES
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If you’re planning to entertain
for Thanksgiving dinner, think
about how your microwave oven
can help.
Preparing cranberry sauce or a
dessert like the Cran-Apple
Cheese Pie (below) - can be done
several days ahead. Microwaving
frozen vegetables 01; reheating a
traditional sweet-potato or squash
casserole are just two ways your
microwave can help on the big
day.
Cook your favorite cranberry
sauce in a large container to pre
vent boil-overs. A two-quart mea
sure or deep bowl is the right size
for a 12-ounce package of fresh or
frozen cranberries. Use slightly
less liquid than you would con
ventionally. Cover during the first
part of cooking to help cranberries
soften and “pop” quickly. If you
see the chance of a boil-over, stir
and then reduce microwave power
to Medium. Microwave about IS
minutes on High power.
Normally it’s most efficient to
microwave no more than about
eight servings of vegetables. But
when it comes to making a big
dinner where the oven and burners
are full, your microwave is
convenient
Cook frozen vegetables or heat
already-cooked sweet-potato or
squash combinations in a deep
microwave-safe casserole (with
no metal trim) that can go right to
the table for serving. Cover tight
ly, microwave on High power and
stir often.
For frozen vegetables - like
peas or com - allow about three to
four minutes per cup of vegeta
bles. To heat a cooked sweet
potato or squash casserole straight
from the refrigerator, allow about
10 to IS minutes for each six to
eight servings. To speed cooking
or heating, let vegetables sit at
room temperature for about 30
minutes before microwaving.
But what about the turkey? If
By JOYCE BATTCHER
you’re cooking for more than
eight people, it’s best to roast the
turkey in your conventional oven.
The preferred method of home
economists at the Butterball Turk
ey Talk-Line is to use an uncov
ered pan and roast turkey at 325°
F. To test for doneness, they
recommend using a meat ther
mometer and a touch-and-look
test. When done, the internal
temperature in thighs is 180° to
185° F; center of stuffing is 160°
to 165° F; thigh and drumstick
meat feels soft; and when thigh is
pierced, juices are clear, not pink.
For the ninth year Butterball
Turkey Talk-Line will be ready to
answer any and all of your turkey
preparation questions during
November and December. Call
1-800-323-4848 with your ques
tions. You can also request Butter
ball’s 15-page recipe leaflet (with
cents-off coupons), “Butterball
Welcomes the Family Home; A
Sampling of Award Winning
Recipes.”
Talk-Line dates and times are:
Oct. 30 through Nov. 22, Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Nov. 18 through 19, 8 a.m. to 6
p.m.; Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23,
6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Nov. 24 through
Dec. 22, Monday through Friday,
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Times are all Cen
tral Standard Time.
The free 15-page Butterball
booklet includes detailed micro
wave cooking instructions for
boneless and bone-in breast of
turkey and boneless and whole
turkey up to 12 pounds. There also
are roasting and grilling direc
tions, thawing guides, and gravy
and soup-making directions, plus
11 other recipes. For a free copy,
call the Turkey Talk-Line number,
1-800-323-4848, or send a post
card with your name and address
to: “Butterball Booklet,” Swift-
Eckrich, Inc., P.O. Box 9634,
Clinton. IA 52736.
The following recipes are from
“Bulterball Welcomes the Family
Home: A Sampling of Award
Winning Recipes.” I adapted the
pie recipe to the microwave. The
range-top version called for stir
ring in cornstarch and some cold
water after the fruit was tender. I
knew that extra step was unneces
sary in the microwave. With a
tight cover to soften fruit and heat
the liquid all at once, the pie Ail
ing cooks to a perfect consistency
with no scorching and only occa
sional stirring.
The microwave version of
Cranberry Compote is as it
appears in the booklet (which also
includes the conventional ver
sion). This is not a traditional
cranberry sauce, but it’s delicious.
If you have adventuresome diners,
you may want to try it for Thanks
giving dinner. Otherwise, the fla
vors are wonderful with leftover
sliced turkey.
Cran-Apple Cheese Pie
1 package (12 ounces) fresh or
frozen cranberries
2 cups chopped apples
VA cups granulated sugar
Vi cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
A teaspoon ground cinnamon
'A cup chopped walnuts
1 package (8 ounces) light
cream cheese
/* cup granulated sugar
A teaspoon ground cinnamon
9-inch baked or microwaved
pie shell
Combine cranberries, apples,
VA cups sugar, water, cornstarch
and 'A teaspoon cinnamon in
microwave-safe 2-quart measure
or deep casserole. Cover with
plastic wrap. Microwave (High) 8
to 9 minutes, stirring after each 3
minutes, or until boiling and thick
(most cranberries should be
“popped”). Stir in walnuts, mixing
well. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, place cream cheese
in microwave-safe medium bowl.
Microwave (High) 30 to 45 sec
onds. Stir well to soften; beat in 'A
cup sugar and 'A teaspoon cinna
mon until smooth. Spread on bot
tom of baked pie shell. Chill.
Spoon cranberry mixture over
cream cheese. Chill several hours
or overnight Makes 8 servings.
Each serving: 389 calories, 5g
protein, 16g fat 61g carbohydrate,
264 mg sodium, ISmg cholesterol.
Cranberry Compote
for Butterball Turkey
1 tablespoon margarine or
butter
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cud fresh or frozen
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cranberries
'A cup chopped apples
'A cup packed brown sugar
'A cup apple juice
'A cup raisins
'A cup orange segments
1 teaspoon shredded orange
peel
'/« teaspoon ground cinnamon
Hot sliced turkey
Place margarine and onions in
micfowave-safe 1-quart measure.
Microwave (High) 2 minutes, stir
ring once, or until onion is soft
Add cranberries, apples, sugar and
apple juice. Cover with vented
plastic wrap. Microwave (High) 3
to 3V4 minutes, stirring once, or
until fruit is soft Stir in raisins,
orange, orange peel and cinna
mon. Let stand I to 2 hours or cov
er and refrigerate overnight Serve
over sliced tuikey. Makes 2 cups
sauce.
Each 2-tablespoon serving -
Serving A Holiday Turkey
1. Examine the small end of the
breast next to the legs. It should be
well rounded rather than coming
to a point. The meat should pro
trude above the breast bone.
2. Feel the legs through the
package. They should bulge out so
that you do not feel the bones.
3. Choose the right size turkey
for your needs. Figure approxi
mately a pound and a half per per
son if you expect to have leftovers
for additional meals.
4. Brand name should be a
minor consideration compared to
the amount of cooked meat
potential.
But selecting a turkey is only
the first step in preparing a suc
cessful - and safe - holiday
dinner.
“Proper storage, thawing and
cooking are essential,” says Dr.
Mark A. Kantor, a nutrition spe
cialist with the University of
Maryland Cooperative Extension
Service.
Kantor recommends thawing a
frozen turkey in the refrigerator,
which takes one to five days,
depending on the size of the bird.
If you’re in a hurry, you can
thaw your turkey in 4 to 12 hours
in a sink or container of cold
water. Just place the turkey in its
unopened bag in the sink and cov
er it with water. If the bag is tom,
place the bird in another plastic
bag. Change the water every 30
minutes to ensure safe but effec
tive thawing.
You can also thaw a turkey in
the microwave, provided it fits.
16 oz. Jars
• Instead Of 1 Full Cup Sugar - Use %
To 4/5 Cup 55 (depending on taste)
High Frucloaa 55 Can Ba Uaad Aa A Liquid
Swaetenar For Pancakaa, Cottea, Chocolate,
Tea, Other Drlnke
Uee Ae A Cover Syrup For Frozen Frulta.
Uae In Baking, In Jalllaa - Many Othar Uaeal
without turkey: 35 calories, 0 pro
tein, Ig fat, 8g carbohydrate,
11 mg sodium. 2mg cholesterol.
Questions for Joyce?
Do you have a questin about
microwave cooking? Send it to
Microwave Minutes, % Extra
Newspaper Features, P.O. Box
6118, Rochester, MN 55903.
Please include a self-addressed,
stamped, business-size envelope.
Recipes in this column are
tested in 600- and 650-watt micro
wave ovens. With an oven of dif
ferent wattage output, timings
may need slight adjustment
Joyce Battcher is an indepen
dent home economist microwave
specialist. She is author of
“Microwave Family Favorites”
and editor of "A Batch of Ideas”
newsletter.
© 1989 Extra Newspaper
Features
Follow the manufacturer’s direc
tions to determine the appropriate
time and power level.
Never let your turkey sit out
on'a table or counter to thaw.
Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly
at room temperature; by the time
fhe center of the turkey has
thawed, the outer meat may be
unsafe to eat.
Don’t stuff your turkey until
you’re ready to cook it, and be
sure to wash your hands before
preparing the stuffing, Kantor
advises. Because it takes longer
for a stuffed turkey to cook, you
may wish to cook your stuffing
separately in a greased, covered
casserole during the last hour the
bird roasts.
Cook your turkey in an oven
preheated to 325° F. The time
needed ranges from 214 -VA
hours for an unstuffed 6- to 8-lb.
bird, to 7-B'/> hours for a stuffed
turkey weighing between 24 and
28 pounds. Many brands come
with built-in timers that pop up
when the turkey is done, but you
may wish to double-check with a
good meat thermometer. Readings
of 185° F in the thigh and 170° F
in the breast indicate that the turk
ey is completely cooked.
Let the roasted turkey stand 15
minutes, covered loosely with alu
minum foil, prior to slicing; this
will make the meat juicier and
easier to carve. Always use a meat
fork to hold the turkey; never use
your hands.
-J>NEW ITEMI^-
HIGH-FRUCTOSE 55
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