November 12, 2014NO YOU DO NOT NEED TO WRITE THIS, NO ENTRY

TASKS THIS WEEKI heat up almost everyday, But it's not that I am sick. I can burn occasionally,

But to watch me is the trick. I can easily be substituted,

By stove or oven or fire, But the time it'd take to do the job would

Most probably be much higher.

What am I?

• What do you use a microwave for?

• How often do you use it? Once a day, twice a day? Once a week? Hardly ever?

How do microwaves work?

Say watt?• Microwaves are measured in units called

watts.• Microwave ovens range in wattage from:– 500 to 1,000 watts for compact microwave– 1,000 to 1,500 watts for a medium capacity

microwave– The larger the watt, the more powerful the

microwave, the faster contents get hot

Heat• Microwave start molecules in the food

moving, the resulting friction causes heat.• This starts on the outside and moves in• Generally the best choices for foods to use in

microwaves are foods that are moist to begin with or can be cooked in moist heat.

Fabulous Food Facts

• FFF definition of a microwave:

“Microwaves cook food by making the water molecules in food vibrate producing friction,

which causes heat”

Make sense now?

Cooking Food

• Foods that are heated most quickly in microwaves include:– Water– Fat– Sugar

• Foods high in water, such as vegetables, will cook faster than foods with a lower water content, such as meat.

Four Principles

• These principles help guide microwave cooking:– Food density– Shape and size of food– Starting temperature of food– Amount of food

Advantages

1. Warms up leftovers2. Defrosts meat3. Softens brown sugar if used immediately (Put

1 cup of water in microwave)

Advantages

4. Eliminates extra oils and fats in preparing foods

5. Has made a great impact on today’s lifestyles and cooking habits.

6. Cook foods quickly with higher quality, tastes better, looks better and color enhanced.

Acceptable dishes for the microwave

• paper• plastic• glass• microwaveable dishes

**Only use plastic containers that are labeled "microwave safe". Harmful chemicals may leak into food is you use a plastic container that is not made for microwave use.

Unacceptable

• Metal and foil• Dishes with gold or silver on it• If used in the microwave it can cause arcing,

an electrical spark that can damage the oven or start a fire.

Acceptable coverings• Paper towels - to absorb moisture, spatters,

and spills• Wax paper - holds in some of the moisture• Plastic wrap - hold in moisture

Techniques for microwaving• Stirring - To pull heated part of the food to the

center.• Turning over - To microwave all sides.• Standing time - To allow the foods to complete its

cooking (place directly on counter).• Covering – • a. Retains nutrients • b. Holds in moisture • c. Speeds up cooking.

• Arrange food in circular shape - to make cooking even.

• Rotating - Makes cooking even.• Pricking - (egg yolks and potatoes) to keep

from exploding.• Select foods of the same size - cooks evenly

Cooking hints

• Foods at refrigerator and freezer temperatures take longer to cook than those at room temperature.

• Density affects cooking time (dense foods - potato)

• Bony pieces of chicken - put on outside• Microwaved cook by entering the foods by

the outside edges.

Cooking Tips

• Microwave containers include: plastic, paper and glass. Never put metal or foil items in the microwave.

• Cover containers with plastic wrap, paper towels, wax paper, or a lid.

• When removing covers or plastic wrap, use a potholder and tilt the cover away from you.

• By covering foods in the microwave, it holds in moisture, helps food cook evenly and prevents food from splattering in the microwave.

• When microwaving food, microwaves are attracted to fat, sugar and water molecules.

• When cooking in the microwave, the volume of the food (small versus large potatoes); and the quantity or number will increase cooking and standing time.

• When cooking, round containers will cook more evenly than food in square containers, which tend to burn in the corners.

• To help food cook more evenly, stir and rotate foods while cooking; if available a turntable may be used to rotate foods.

• Standing time at the end of cooking allows for foods to continue to cook when removed.

• To prevent burning yourself from microwave cooking, remember:– Foods can create hot containers.– Items can explode (eggs, potatoes). Pierce them with a

fork.– Lifting the cover or plastic from the food can cause a burn.– Hot steam escaping can cause a burn.

Beware!

• Concentrations of fat and sugar become much hotter than the rest of the food creating hot spots-areas of intense heat.

Question to Ponder

• How have microwaves changed our culture?• Think about family time, dinner and meals,

health and wellness, etc.• Write your response on the back of your sheet

and be ready to discuss.

November 14, 2013

• Entry task- What unit of energy do microwaves use?

• Target- Create informational microwave posters with your kitchen groups

Your task now• Pick one of the following categories with groups of

no more than four people• Create a poster illustrating your topic about

microwaves– Here are your choices:

• Containers and wraps• Foods you can cook• Social and cultural change• Hazards• How it heats• Microwave safety• How to clean a microwave• Microwave features