How to use aluminum foil in your microwave oven:
•Small flat pieces of aluminum foil placed smoothly on the food can be used to shield areas that are either defrosting or cooking too quickly.
•Foil should not come closer than one inch to any surface of the micro- wave oven.
Should you have questions about utensils or coverings, check a good micro- wave cookbook or follow recipe suggestions.
ACCESSORIES There are many microwave accessories available for purchase. Evaluate carefully before you purchase so that they meet your needs. A micro-
About Microwave Cooking
•Arrange food carefully. Place thickest areas towards outside of dish.
•Watch cooking time. Cook for the shortest amount of time indicated and add more as needed. Food severely overcooked can smoke or ignite.
•Cover foods while cooking. Check recipe or cookbook for suggestions: paper towels, wax paper, microwave plastic wrap or a lid. Covers prevent spatter- ing and help foods to cook evenly.
•Shield with small flat pieces of aluminum foil any thin areas of meat or poul- try to prevent overcooking before dense, thick areas are cooked thoroughly.
•Stir foods from outside to center of dish once or twice during cooking, if possible.
•Turn foods over once during microwaving to speed cooking of such foods as chicken and hamburgers. Large items like roasts must be turned over at least once.
•Rearrange foods such as meatballs halfway through cooking both from top to bottom and from the center of the dish to the outside.
•Add standing time. Remove food from microwave oven and stir, if possible. Cover for standing time which allows the food to finish cooking without overcooking.
•Check for doneness. Look for signs indicating that cooking temperatures have been reached.
Doneness signs include:
-Food steams throughout, not just at edge.
-Center bottom of dish is very hot to the touch.
-Poultry thigh joints move easily.
-Meat and poultry show no pinkness.
-Fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
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