Vedbraaten 1 Reese Vedbraaten Kurt Reynolds College Comp II Block 3 Micro Lessons Now Opening: The General Electric

Microwave Guide and Cookbook; Quoted for being The only complete guide to microwave cooking containing step-by-step Microlessons, wide-ranging and easy-to-follow recipes, invaluable how-to techniques, and more than 450 color pictures. Lets see how true to their word and reliable this book is, when we open the cookbook and try to follow a random recipe word for word. Opening the front cover, we begin to explore the world of Microwave cooking. The first thing this cookbook tells us is a definition, Microwaving: a new cooking term that means to cook, heat, or defrost foods with microwave energy very short radio waves that are converted to heat in food. Did you know this book was copyrighted in 1977? I flip through the first few pages. I dont care, I dont care; I dont care. The Microwave Oven Comes of Age or Microwaving: A New Cooking Term not sounding too appealing. On page eight, we reach Foods That Microwave with Exceptional Quality. According to the Guide, Cakes: Rise higher and cook moist and tender when microwaved. Compare microwaved cake with conventionally baked as it shows a picture of two slices of cake, the microwaved one looking more tempting. Do you really think microwaved cake will look better than a traditional made oven cake? Maybe we will have to test this later and find out; but until then, lets keep reading the Guide.

Vedbraaten 2 Page Nine gives us the opposite list, Some Foods Do Not Microwave well. - No single appliance does everything well, and your microwave oven is no exception. Some things should not be done, either because results are not satisfactory, or because conventional cooking is more efficient. What about the whole safety issue? Dont some things explode? Eggs in shells and shelled boiled eggs can burst Pancakes do not crust, however, they reheat well. Popcorn is too dry to attract microwave energy. Wait, so dont microwave popcorn? Then whats the popcorn button for? Im confused Canning requires prolonged high temperatures. Deep fat frying could cause burns. Bottles with narrow necks may shatter if heated. Oh wait, maybe they do warn us if things explode and such. Large food loads, such as a 25-lb. turkey or a dozen potatoes cook more efficiently in a conventional oven. So we can use a 24-lb. turkey? I kind of want to see if a dozen potatoes even fit in my microwave. I think Ill try just that. Hey Mom, Do we have any potatoes, I ask while typing. Theres one from grandmas garden on the counter, she replies from a room over. No, I mean like two dozen, I ask with a grin. What would you do with two dozen potatoes, honey? she asked slightly concerned. See how many fit into the microwave I reply in all honesty. I guess we dont have a dozen potatoes, or many at all for that matter. Ill have to test out how many fit later. Flipping again to page 21, we find out that theres a long list of stuff that should not be put in the microwave. The word avoid is placed in big capital letters for things such as: foillined paper bags, boxes, and baking trays; metal pots, pans, thermometers, skewers and foil trays, glass or pottery. So maybe, the microwave isnt invincible after all? I flip one last time

Vedbraaten 3 through almost two hundred more pages of boring stuff, before I finally reach the good section. Deserts, spelled with two Ls because youd rather have twice as much dessert then desert. Its nine forty-four, Im tired, I really really need to stop procrastinating, and I want to go to bed. Guess what Im making? I was going to make cake, but I dont have the time or patience for that. Whats quick and easy? Bingo! Smores on page 222. Scratch that! We dont have marsh mellows or graham crackers or chocolate! Next idea; Basic Brownies on page 240, estimated to take 6 to 7 minutes in the microwave. First step, Ingredients: two eggs, one cup sugar, teaspoon salt, one teaspoon vanilla extract, cup melted butter, cup unsifted allpurpose flour, and cup cocoa. In a small bowl at medium speed on mixer, beat together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla, about 1 minute until light. Dad, which one is the teaspoon? I ask, double checking. The teaspoon says TSP, he replies. Okay good, I got this. Then, add melted butter. Continue beating until thoroughly blended. More like, stick a stick of butter in a glass measuring cup, put it in the microwave for a minute, and then pour it in. Next, mix in flour and cocoa at low speed. Flour, code for big mess! Trying to measure it, I spill it all over the counter. Oops! Finally, Spread evenly in greased 8-inch square dish. After the brownies are assembled, the only thing left to do is Microwave at High 6 to 7 Minutes, rotating dish turn every 2 minutes. When done, top looks dry and will spring back when lightly touched. Cut when cold. While I wait for them to cook, let me ramble about other interesting thoughts and uses for the microwave. Ive been told that now you can even upload your facebook status using the microwave. I have no idea how, but someones status says that its possible. The microwave can be used for many other things as well. For example, I could set a timer so if I put a skin mask on, it wouldnt stay on too long and turn me into a goober face.

Vedbraaten 4 Okay, Done! I stick them in for about 5 minutes, checking every minute or so. To my surprise, theyre done. That doesnt look appealing, at all. They look absolutely nothing like the picture. Ill just bring them into class tomorrow to complete the ending and stuff and try them then. This is just a rough draft, its ten fifty-eight, and Im even more tired than I was at nine forty-four. Okay, paper and brownies done. You said that were allowed to be random and last year, you said that most college professors dont read endings, so good night. ----The Brownies are gross. The recipe called for way too much cocoa. If you dare to take a bite, I think, like Mrs. Lovett in Sweeny Todd. Only Emalynn, Brianna, Alisha, and Moe are willing to try it. Tomorrow, Im going to bake rainbow brownies in the oven, and bring a delightful treat instead. Lesson learned, Microwave cooking is as gross as it sounds, time to close the book.

Vedbraaten 5 Work Cited The General Electric Microwave Guide & Cookbook. New York: Random House Inc, 1977. Print.