Microwave Ovens Aren't Just for TV Dinners

Using a microwave oven doesn't have to just mean heating up a TV dinner. Although microwaves can vary drastically in the amount of their cooking times, there are some general principles that can be followed.

1. Start with a recipe that you are familiar with. That way, you will know how it is supposed to taste before you start.

Meat Casseroles

2. There are some foods that must be cooked in a conventional oven, such as any pastry dish or dessert that has not been precooked in a regular oven or fried foods.

3. For most dishes, there will be a 1/4 to 1/3 less cooking time in a microwave oven. Start with a shorter time, then test. If it's not cooked through, add more time. Most ovens have an automatic rotating plate; if yours does not have one, you should rotate the food when it's half way done so that it cooks evenly.

4. Reduce salt and other seasonings. Add more seasoning, if necessary, after cooking.

5. When roasting meats, turn the piece of meat over after half of the cooking time. There is no need for basting. Pierce the less tender meats all over with a fork before microwaving.

6. Omit the browning of meat for stews. Reduce the amount of liquid and cut meats and vegetables into smaller pieces than you would normally. Cover tightly before cooking.

7. For steaming, most foods can be microwaved in tightly covered dishes without water. Moisture is drawn from the food itself.

8. Most vegetables can be cooked in just a few tablespoons of water or in their own steam. Do not reduce the amount of water when cooking dried beans or peas.

9. For sauteing, omit the browning and the fat unless you need the fat for flavor. You won't usually need it if you spice the dish correctly. Microwave, covered, at a power setting appropriate for the food. Your users manual should give a list of foods and the temperatures they should be cooked at.

10. For poaching, reduce liquid to one cup or less. Season. Tightly cover dish with plastic wrap before cooking.

11. For casseroles, cut meat and vegetables into smaller cubes and slices. Rotate layered casseroles. Use quick-cooking rice rather than raw rice. Processed and soft cheeses work better than hard cheeses. Casserole topping will not crust or brown. It is better to use corn chips, onion rings or crushed croutons.

12. For stir-frying, use a browning dish that has been preheated. Add oil, meat and long-cooking vegetables first, stirring every two minutes. Remove. Add quick-cooking vegetables. Cook; then, combine all together.

There are too many variables for breads, cakes, cookies, desserts, jams and jellies. It is best to refer to a microwave conversion cookbook or use a recipe specifically for microwave cooking. Cookbooks for microwave ovens are easy to find these days.

You can cook entire meals in the microwave. Simply remember that you don't need as much liquid, your meats won't require browning and the cooking time is reduced drastically.

Microwave Ovens Aren't Just for TV Dinners

You, too, can learn how to cook at LearnHomeCooking.com

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Recipe For Meat Loaf - Presulta - Christmas Traditions to Start With Children

Most families serve traditional food that pertains to their heritage during holidays. I am Scandinavian so we serve Scandinavian fare. Scandinavians are known for their smorgasbords and that is what I remember most as a child. Christmas traditions, to start with children in mind, is ialways the best reason for making a fine meal that they will remember and carry on through generations. Presulta is a recipe for meat loaf in a way and I share it here below with you.

Christmas recipes and traditions for Germans have similar meals so this recipe could be considered for them as well I think.

I usually serve smorgasbords on Christmas eve, keeping it light for digestion and the following day. My Mother-in-Law serves a wonderful Scandinavian dinner on Christmas day. One of the thngs she prides herself in is "Presulta", a meat mixture, kind of a recipe for meat loaf. It is put into a wooden form and served with vinegar. Yup, It's true, vinegar.

The recipe for this meat loaf called Presulta has veal in it. Ahh me, I must confess that bothers me a lot! I have boycotted veal for forever. I just don't like the way they raise those little calves, ya know? I confess though that on Christmas day I do not refuse this holiday fare for which my Mother-in-Law works so hard to prepare. Can it be make without the veal and replaced it with regular beef? I don't know. I think it is worth a try and maybe someday I will.

"Presulta"

2 pounds Pork butt
2 pounds Veal Shank
2 pounds Veal

Seasonings:

1/2 TBls. peppercorns
3 large bay leaves
1/2 TBls. allspice
4 tsp. salt

Boil meat together in a large pot with the seasonings. Water should be enough to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and simmer for two hours or until tender. Let cool in liquid. Cut into one by one inch pieces. Leave some fat on the pork but not the veal. Line loaf pans with muslin which is large enough to completely cover top of meat once folded over. Divide meat and juice into the pans, (there should be enough juice to just cover the meat) cover the top with the muslin. Place heavy weight on top to press and compact this recipe for meat loaf called, Presulta.

This should be made several days before serving.

Serve cold. Cut into slices and serve with a dish of white vinegar to sprinkle over the top. It is the vinegar that makes the true difference.

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ABOUT Kathy Ostman-Magnusen

I paint and sculpt female fantasy art and map faery tale adventures. I dream of beautiful women on canvas and art of exotic women.

I have illustrated for Hay House Inc.,"Women Who Do Too Much" CARDS taken from Anne Wilson Schaef's book. I also illustrated for Neil Davidson, who was considered for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing, and several other publications. My paintings are collected worldwide.

Giclee canvas art work, greeting cards & posters are available for sale on my website:

http://www.kathysart.com

Sign up for my mailing list FREE ART GIFTS: Drawings of whimsical angel pictures, legends of mermaids & fairies in art. Tiny angels & mermaids for shrink art, or coloring pages. Also a "Letter From the Tooth Fairy". Ya just never know when you might need one!

Check out my Squidoo about creativity: Unlock Creativity|Critical Thinking Creative Writing Active Reading=Great Art http://www.squidoo.com/createart/

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Picking the Best Cut of Meat for Your Pot Roast

The piece of meat you purchase to use in your pot roast may be as crucial to the outcome of the dish as the recipe and cook time. Knowing where the different cuts of beef come from and what makes them distinct in quality and flavor will help you choose the best recipe and cook time for your meal. Some factors a good cook will consider with each recipe are whether or not to cook with the bone in or out, and how much fat is on the meat. You will need to understand what makes each cut of beef special to help you create a flavorful and tender roast.

The most common and traditional cut of beef used in roast come from the chuck. This part of the animal contains a good amount of fat, has good texture, and rich flavor. Pot roast made from the chuck stays moist and doesn't get stringy.

Meat Casseroles

The chuck includes the entire shoulder of the cow and is separated into three areas: the arm, the blade, and neck. Arm roast may include a round bone from the leg, but you can also get them boneless sold as boneless arm shoulder roast. Many muscles make up the blade section and some are tender enough to be used as steak. Blade roast is the most popular for bone-in pot roast often this roast is called 7-bone pot roast because the bone resembles the number 7.

You can find boneless pieces of the chuck being sold as flat chunks of beef or already rolled and tied. These pieces of meat make wonderful pot roast and you can find them under names like Chuck-Eye Roast, Boneless Chuck Roast, Shoulder Roast, Mock tender, Flat-Iron Roast, and Cross Rib Roast. All of these come from the chuck and will make incredible pot roast. Just be sure to pick the right size for your cooking vessel.

You can also you Brisket for a pot roast. This piece of meat comes from below the shoulder and will make an excellent roast if you leave a little fat attached. You can either purchase brisket whole or buy it in sections. The leaner section is known as the Flat or Brisket First Cut. However, the best cut for a roast is the Brisket Front Cut which is a fattier section.

Some cooks love to use bottom round for their pot roast. This cut of meat is a boneless muscle from the back leg. Many cooks claim that this cut of beef does not contain enough fat to make a delicious moist and juicy roast. If you choose to cook a pot roast form the round you should look for a rump roast which contains more fat than the bottom round.

A lot of cooks claim that leaving the bone in the roast give it more flavor, while others claim that it will just slow down the cooking process. However everyone agrees that you can't rush a good pot roast and you should let it simmer for hours on a low heat. The long, low heat breaks down tough connective tissue and loosens marbled fat which adds flavor and keeps the meat moist.

Picking the Best Cut of Meat for Your Pot Roast

To find great roast recipes visit Roast Recipes

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Fighting Breast Cancer With Food

Breast cancer refers to the finding of a malignant tumor in the tissue of the breast. While there are many medical therapies used to treat it including, chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, none are less invasive than making changes in daily diet and exercise to improve overall body health and reduce the effects of cancer on the body.

When eating to reduce the chances of this cancer type, it is important to understand that breast cancer tumors need estrogen to grow. While estrogen is present in both males and females, the female has a higher level of estrogen naturally occurring in the body and thus a higher rate of breast cancer. Foods can be added to the diet and eliminated from the diet to directly affect the level of estrogen in the body and thus affect tumor growth.

Two foods that are known to block estrogen are flaxseed and soy. Flaxseed is a whole grain that can be added to bread recipes, meat recipes and casseroles as part of the daily diet. The flaxseed has a nutty flavor that lends to adding the whole grain as a topping to salads. Soy, on the other hand, can be consumed in a variety of ways including soy milk, soy flour and tofu.

Vegetables are another fantastic choice when trying to block the growth of breast cancer. The most effective are the cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. These foods can be eaten raw or cooked and eaten as a part of a meal high in soy.

Fats, once thought to cause ill health, have recently been given new life as a healthy source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Healthy oils like olive oils and fish oils can be consumed in any number of ways and increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in the body. In terms of breast health, the Omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the strength of the estrogen present in the breast tissue.

While adding foods to the diet may seem like the easiest way to reduce the chance and growth of breast cancer, some foods can also be eliminated. Foods that are highly processed and those that contain hydrogenated oils and trans fats are linked to overall bad health and an increase in certain types of cancers.

Fighting breast cancer may seem overwhelming, especially to the woman or man who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Foods can improve health and make health worse; therein lies the power of fighting breast cancer with food.

Fight breast cancer with the Breast Cancer Diet Guide [http://breastcancerdietguide.org/]

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Old Fashion Recipes For Mary Esther's Chicken Casserole

If you have fond memories of walking into mom or grandma's house to the scent of delicious food smells wafting in from the kitchen, chances are chicken was one of the dishes tantalizing you. Here is a great old recipe for Mary Esther's Chicken Casserole. This is a great economical way to serve dinner for your family. This one dish has meat, pasta, vegetables, and dairy. If you are a working mom or having an especially busy day you can still make this recipe work for you. Pick up a deli roasted chicken rather than cooking your own. While the noodles cook, you will have the time to remove the chicken from the bone. Then you can quickly toss the ingredients together and it only has to bake for 30 minutes. Add a salad and you are ready to gather the family around for a quick, easy, and tasty meal.

MARY ESTHER'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Meat Casseroles

6 to 8 pieces chicken, white or dark

1 pkg (8-oz) egg noodles

1/4 cup margarine

2 medium onions, chopped

3 tbsp flour

2 cup milk

2 tbsp parsley flakes

1 3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup cottage cheese (small curd)

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen peas

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots, cooked

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 tbsp Miracle Whip

Cook chicken and remove from bone. Cook the noodles. Set to one side while preparing the sauce. To make sauce: Melt the butter and add onions, saute just until onions are slightly cooked. Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute. Add milk, parsley and the seasonings. Cook until smooth. Combine chicken, noodles, vegetables, and the sauce and the Miracle Whip. Bake in a large casserole covered for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove cover and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and continue baking five more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Old Fashion Recipes For Mary Esther's Chicken Casserole

Grandma Linda is a collector of vintage recipes and enjoys sharing them on her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to her diabetic site at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

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