27
Plastic storage and food containers — Containers such as marga-
rine tubs can melt in the microwave.
Metal utensils — These can damage your oven. Remove all metal
before cooking.
Note: Should you wish to check if a dish is safe for microwaving,
place the empty dish in the oven and microwave on HIGH for 30 sec-
onds. A dish which becomes very hot should not be used.
cooking techniques
Your microwave oven makes cooking easier than conventional cook-
ing, provided you keep these considerations in mind:
Stirring
Stir foods such as casseroles and vegetables while cooking to distrib-
ute heat evenly. Food at the outside of the dish absorbs more en-
ergy and heats more quickly, so stir from the outside to the center.
The oven will turn off when you open the door to stir your food.
Arrangement
Arrange unevenly shaped foods, such as chicken pieces or chops,
with the thicker, meatier parts toward the outside of the turntable
where they receive more microwave energy. To prevent overcook-
ing, place delicate areas, such as asparagus tips, toward the center
of the turntable.
Shielding
Shield food with narrow strips of aluminum foil to prevent over-
cooking. Areas that need shielding include poultry wing tips, the
ends of poultry legs, and corners of square baking dishes. Use only
small amounts of aluminum foil. Larger amounts can damage your
oven.
Turning
Turn foods over midway through cooking to expose all parts to mi-
crowave energy. This is especially important with large foods such as
roasts.