Complete Meals from Table Leftovers, Desserts

COOKING GUIDE (CONTINUED)

Complete Meals from Table Leftovers

Complete meals from leftovers can be prepared in advance. Foods can be frozen and ready for quick heating in the oven at any time. Choose foods suitable for freezing and put serving portions on paper, glass or china (no metal trim) plates. Wrap with recommended freezer paper and freeze quickly. When apportioning the servings of food on the plate, use approximately the same amount of each kind of food for more even heating. Mashed potatoes will heat quicker if spread slightly and hollowed, with a pat of butter in the center. To prevent small pieces of vegetables, corn, peas, etc., from dehydrating during heating, mound well near the center of the plate.

DESSERTS

There's always time to make dessert with a microwave oven. Fruit desserts have a remarkably fresh flavor and texture. Microwaved cakes are higher and more tender than conventionally baked; since cakes are usually frosted, browning is unimportant. Microwaved pie crusts are exceptionally tender and flaky, while delicate custards and puddings are easy to prepare.

Guide for Cooking Cakes

Food	Power	Cooking Time		Standing	Special Notes
		Level			Time

Cake, round	100	3 1/2 - 5 min.		2 - 5 min.	Pour into greased and wax
(Mixed 9 inch)	80	4	1/2 - 6 min.		paper lined cake dish.

Ring or Angel Food Cake	80	5	1/2 - 6 1/2 min.	2 - 5 min.	Cover with wax paper.

Muffin (6 muffins)	50	4	1/2 - 6 1/2 min.	2 - 5 min.	Rearrange once.

Custard (6 servings)	50	10 - 12 min.		5 - 7 min.	Rearrange once.

Baking

•Bar cookies work best. Greasing or lining of the microwaveable baking dish is optional.

•If insufficient browning disturbs you, frost, glaze or add food coloring to white or yellow batters.

•A microwaveable cookie sheet can be made by covering cardboard with waxed paper.

•Round glass baking dishes, and fluted or smooth microwaveable ring molds work best for cakes. You can make a microwaveable ring mold of your own by placing a medium-size glass in the center of a round glass baking dish.

•Because your cakes will rise higher in microwave cooking, never fill microwaveable cake pans more than half full.

•Reduce baking powder and soda by approximately one-fourth when converting a conventional recipe.

•Fill paper-lined muffin cups to only half full which allows for muffins to rise more than normal.

•You can prepare your own "brown 'n serve" breads and rolls by baking them ahead of time in the microwave oven. Then, place them in a conventional oven to brown prior to serving.

•Breads and rolls should be reheated to the point where they are warm to the touch. Overheating or overcooking makes bread tough and rubbery.

•When making yeast bread in a microwave oven, choose a recipe with cornmeal, whole wheat flour, or rye flour to achieve a richer color.