10 Convenient Ways To Eliminate Food Poisoning With Your Microwave

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but special care must be taken when cooking or reheating meat, poultry, fish, and eggs to make sure they are prepared safely. Microwave ovens can cook unevenly and leave “cold spots,” where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to use the following safe microwaving tips to prevent food-borne illness.
Microwave Cooking
1. Arrange food items evenly in a covered dish and add some liquid if needed. Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap; loosen or vent the lid or wrap to let steam escape.
2. Large cuts of meat should be cooked on medium power (50%) for longer periods. This allows heat to reach the center without overcooking outer areas.
3. Stir or rotate food midway through the microwaving time to eliminate cold spots where harmful bacteria can survive.
Microwave Defrosting
4. Remove food from packaging before defrosting. Do not use foam trays and plastic wraps because they are not heat stable at high temperatures.
5. Cook meat, poultry, egg casseroles, and fish immediately after defrosting in the microwave oven because some areas of the frozen food may begin to cook during the defrosting time.
Reheating In The Microwave
6. Cover foods with a lid or a microwave-safe plastic wrap to hold in moisture and provide safe, even heating.
7. After reheating foods in the microwave oven, allow standing time. Then, use a clean food thermometer to check that food has reached 165 В°F.
Proper Containers
8. Only use cookware that is specially manufactured for use in the microwave oven and that is labeled for microwave oven use.
9. Plastic storage containers such as margarine tubs, take- out containers, whipped topping bowls, and other one-time use containers should not be used in microwave ovens. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.
10. Microwave plastic wraps, wax paper, cooking bags, parchment paper, and white microwave-safe paper towels should be safe to use. Do not let plastic wrap touch foods during microwaving.

Eat-Out Choice At Home

(NC)’А”If your family craves restaurant variety, but your budget says eat in, there is a compromise. Enlist a little family cooperation and everyone can enjoy a different meal without causing short-order chaos in your kitchen.
The first step to creating Chez Roadhouse at home is for everyone to agree on one easy-to-prepare protein choice as the basis for their menu selection. Practically everyone loves versatile chicken and you can build so many entr├йes around it.
To make it easy, start with new Schneiders Quick Serve Chicken Fillets or Chicken Breasts. Remove the number of frozen breaded or grilled chicken pieces you need from the re-sealable bag. While the fully cooked chicken pieces are reheating in the microwave assign tasks to everyone.
Little ones can dish out jarred dipping sauce into individual bowls; older children can rinse bagged lettuce, and a teen project might be to boil some pasta. Set dad to work chopping green peppers, onions and tomatoes for the salad and for grilling in oil, garlic and pepper flakes. While everyone is busy, warm pita bread in the oven.
By the time each family member has completed a task, the chicken will be heated through. Now each person can sit down to his or her favourite meal Chicken Fingers for the little ones to dip, Pasta with Diced Chicken and Tomatoes for hungry teens, a warm Chicken Salad for mom and Chicken Fajitas for dad.
This exercise in shared meal preparation will probably take less time than bundling everyone into the van and driving to a restaurant it should be lots more fun!