Microwave & Freezer
Two unsung heroes of the kitchen!
The microwave is useful in the modern kitchen for many reasons. First and foremost, it is fast and uses far less energy than conventional cooking methods making it cheaper to operate. One electric burner on the stove uses 1500 Watts of power and will take 10-15 minutes to boil carrots. A full-power microwave is 750 Watts and will take one third of the time using one sixth of the energy. An additional benefit of the efficiency of the microwave is that less heat is generated in the kitchen in the summer.
There are some disadvantages too! Foods will not brown in the conventional microwave though there are natural browning agents available. Some microwaves, usually those without turntables, will not cook evenly and will overcook and dry out exposed corners of square or rectangular pans or dishes. Some foods will tend to explode (beans, eggs, whole potatoes etc) and some items can spontaneously combust. Some innocent-looking materials may not be safe in your microwave.
The freezer, though perhaps less visible, is jsut as important to the kitchen as the microwave. In our hints and tips section, you will find many helpful aides to maximizing its benefits and improving your odds of making it your friend rather than your enemy.
Click on the Hints & Tips graphic below to visit our Help Section for microwave and freezer ideas and information.
If you want more you should consider purchasing our Un-Cookbook which includes recipes as outlined in each section. Our entire database of Hints and Tips (over 600) is also available on CD-Rom. Check out our Products page for more information
