Microwave brownies? Is such a thing possible? Betty Crocker seems to think so.
Microwave Cooking
Testing a Gadget: Jiffy Fries
In this video, I test a gadget that purports to make tasty, crisp fries in the microwave. I also injure myself so badly that I have to see a sports medicine specialist on Tuesday, so…. yeah, that’s a thing that happened.
Here’s the TV advertisement:
Episode 2: Flaky Biscuits from Microwave Cooking for One (1986)
In this mini-episode, I make Flaky Biscuits with a recipe from the book Microwave Cooking for One. While making biscuits, I talk about the science of flaky, golden brown biscuits.
This recipe called for some specialized equipment in order to achieve a golden brown exterior. I found my Corning Microwave Browning Skillet on ebay, but I have seen them at thrift stores and yard sales. The Microwave Cooking for One website talks at length about the Browning Skillet: https://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Charts/Browner.html
The technological advantage that Corning’s Microwave Browning Skillet has over other microwave cooking vessels is its heat conductive coating on the bottom. Pictures of my browning skillet can be seen below. The grey area on the bottom is the special coating to help promote browning.
The skillet did promote browning; although, the browning was uneven and the quality was not nearly as high as I could have achieved in the oven. At least the biscuits were flaky.
On the mess scale, this recipe was not terrible. Aside from a few measuring cups, I only dirtied one bowl, a microplaner, the countertop, a fork, 3 mise-en-place bowls, a biscuit cutter, and the Browning Skillet. Definitely less of a mess than last week.
Episode 1: Microwave Cooking for One (1986)
Good news everyone! Eat at Lu’s is now a podcast. In our first episode, we cook three recipes from Marie T. Smith’s Microwave Cooking for One, the saddest cookbook ever.
Microwave Cooking for One was published in 1986 and 2002. I bought my copy on amazon.com, but I have seen copies at thrift stores. I chose three recipes from the cookbook to prepare: carrot soup, mushroom loaf, and hot orange drink. All of which were cooked in the microwave!
While this book was dubbed “the saddest cookbook ever” by SF Weekly, the history of the book is much more positive than it seems. In this podcast, I explore the motivation of the author to share her cooking secrets with the world, and the history of the book itself.
Although Marie T. Smith passed away in 1987, her daughter carries on her legacy on the website https://www.microwavecookingforone.com/ This website provides tips for microwave cooking, as well as some additional recipes.
Below are the results of my gustatory adventure of culinary delights:
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Carrot Soup with a touch of sour cream and a dash of cinnamon |
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Mushroom Loaf. It is not a pretty dish. |
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A slice of Mushroom Loaf on a sandwich.
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My lunch for that day: Hot Orange Drink,
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My kitchen after recording. The mess was surprisingly manageable. |
Eat at Lu's 