I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly.

Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock.

~Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

coming soon

coming soon, Microwave Monday

Coming Soon to a posting near you

Fifty-two years ago today, Prince was born, a man who changed the face of music as we know it. That’s right, it’s birthday time once again for The Artist Formerly Known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. We here at MicrowaveSurfer would like to honor this momentous occasion. Since Prince is an artist who continually does seemingly impossible things in music, we thought we’d try our hands at doing something seemingly impossible in the microwave…deep frying.

Now, I’m not going to lie, I was a little uneasy about deep frying in a microwave at first. You might even say that I was terrified. I busted out the big silicone oven mitts and hid behind the microwave door the first time I stuck anything into the oil. I’d never done this before, and I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully, everything went according to plan, the oil did not overheat, and no one got burnt. After the fear subsided, which happened after a batch or two finished without any mishap, I began to really enjoy the process. Now, I’m not a huge fan of deep frying things in general, so I’m not sure how often I’d repeat this process, but it was definitely fun, and the results were delicious.

The recipe I used for this experiment is an adaptation of the beignet recipe in Barbara Kafka’s 1987 Microwave Gourmet cookbook. My microwave is quite a bit more powerful than the one used by Kafka in the book, so cooking times had to be adjusted. You may need to do this to our adjusted recipe, as well, depending on the power of your microwave. If you hear crackling or popping sounds coming from the microwave before it is finished heating, your oil is most likely hot enough, and you can stop your microwave and begin cooking. To test if your heated oil is the proper temperature for cooking, you can insert something wooden into it, like a chopstick, or the handle of a wooden spoon. If the oil begins to fizz and bubble where the wood is, your oil is ready for frying. If this doesn’t happen, you should continue heating the oil in small increments until you get this result.

Now, beignets are definitely not a health food, but we can make them slightly healthier by using organic ingredients, sea salt rather than iodized table salt, and honey rather than powdered sugar. Also, we know that some people can’t enjoy the deep fried goodness of the beignets as is. So, for those of you with gluten allergies, we have attempted a gluten-free adaptation, which follows the original recipe, but with two changes.

Raspberry Beignets
(Makes 12 to 15 Beignets)

Ingredients:
½ cup water
4 Tbsp organic unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp sea salt
2 organic eggs
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Organic raspberry Jam, for filling
Confectioner’s sugar, for decorating
Honey, for decorating

Directions:

1. In a glass measuring cup, add the water and the butter. Heat in the microwave on high until boiling, approximately 1 minute 30 seconds.
2. Transfer the heated butter-water mixture to a glass work bowl. Add the flour and salt. Process with a hand blender until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, blending for 30 seconds after each addition. The batter should be slightly thicker in consistency than pancake batter.
3. In a large uncovered glass bowl (at least 2 quarts, with sides of at least 3 inches), heat the frying oil on high until it reaches the proper temperature for cooking, about 7 minutes. Test the heat of the oil using the stick test described above before proceeding. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls into the oil, cooking 4 to 6 beignets in each batch. Cook on high for 1 minute. The oil should boil rather vigorously around each beignet, and they should float to the surface. Using a wire skimmer, turn the beignets over and cook for 1 minute 30 seconds more on high, until golden brown. Reheat the oil for 1 minute 30 seconds between batches, testing the oil using the stick test before continuing cooking.
4. Remove beignets using the wire skimmer to paper towels to drain. Once they have cooled a bit, you can fill the beignets with the jam. If you have an icing tip, this would be a good time to use it, but you should be fine just cutting a corner off of a freezer bag. To fill each beignet, poke a guide hole with a chop stick into the beignet. Fill the pastry bag (or freezer bag) with jam, and insert the tip into the guide hole. Squeeze filling into each doughnut, until you reach desired fullness. Decorate each beignet with honey or powdered sugar, as desired.

*NB- It may be possible to use coconut oil for frying the beignets, but heating times may need to be adjusted. Rely on the stick test to help determine cooking times.

Gluten-Free Rasberry Beignets (Addaptation)
(Makes 12 to 15 Beignets)

Ingredients:
½ cup water
4 Tbsp organic unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
¼ tsp xanthum gum
½ tsp sea salt
2 organic eggs
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Organic raspberry jam, for filling
Honey, for decorating

Cook these following the directions from the above recipe, replacing the flour with the gluten-free flour, and adding the xanthum gum. These will be puffier and more buoyant during cooking, and heartier when eaten.

Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

(based on this recipe by Rachael Ray: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-index/lunch-recipes/Pulled-Chicken-Sandwiches)

Happy Memorial Day! Thanks to all of the troops who currently serve, have served, and will serve our country to protect each of us and our freedom. If you are gathering your own troops to honor these great people, this recipe is a great alternative to firing up the grill. As it turns out, it is simple and – I don’t want to say surprisingly, but, yes – surprisingly delicious. Served with a simple salad and sugar snap peas steamed in the microwave, it is also nutritious!

In this case, using the microwave to cook the chicken and reduce the sauce really shaved some minutes off of the cooking time. Fork-shredding the chicken, admittedly, was the most time-consuming part of the recipe; however, I suspect using a food processor or hand blender to shred the chicken would have a similar effect in less time.

I did make a few changes to the original recipe to enhance the health benefits of the meal. By creating my own barbecue sauce with maple syrup and brown rice syrup instead of using sugar or store-bought sauce high in high fructose corn syrup, the glycemic index is reduced. The addition of the sea vegetable Dulse, as well as the use of Kuzu root starch as a thickening agent in place of corn starch, serves as an opportunity to add nutrients the standard American diet is normally lacking. Dulse and Kuzu are both high in vitamins and minerals like Vitamins B-6 and B-12, iron and potassium, have an alkalizing effect on the blood, and enhance the efficiency of the digestive system. Plus, Dulse has a slightly smoky flavor and lovely deep red color that really enhance the flavor and look of the food. One last health benefit this recipe has in the use of ground cayenne, onion and garlic, is that all three have anti-inflammatory properties, expanding blood vessels and increasing circulation.

I realize most people do not have these ingredients in their kitchens, or the time to make homemade barbecue sauce. This being the case, omitting the Dulse, or using corn starch and store-bought barbecue sauce is understandable ; but, I would recommend investing in at least one of these health-enhancing ingredients and having fun incorporating it into your regular diet.

Ingredients:

2 organic skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, no hormones added (about 1 pound)

Sea salt

Ground pepper

Garam Masala

Ground cayenne

Herb seasoned salt

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1-1/3 cups barbecue sauce*

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp Kuzu root starch

4 whole grain flatbreads

6 ounces shredded organic cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese without BGH (about 1-1/2 cups)

*Barbecue sauce recipe:

Combine the following ingredients in a glass, 2-cup measure:

3/4 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Maple syrup

2 Tbsp Brown rice syrup

3 Tbsp Mirin rice vinegar

4 tsp Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp White balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp Ground cayenne

1/4 tsp Onion powder

1 Tbsp Dulse (seaweed), rinsed and finely chopped

Directions:

1. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Slice each breast in half and tenderize each piece with a mallet.
2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, Garam Masala, ground cayenne, and seasoned salt and place in a glass, microwave-safe baking dish. Cover the seasoned chicken with the chopped onion and garlic.
3. Pour the barbecue sauce and vinegar over the chicken. Add just enough water to cover the chicken (about 1/2 cup).
4. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, poking the plastic wrap with a knife to create vents. Place the dish in the microwave and cook on high for 6 minutes until the liquid begins to bubble. Cook for another 6 minutes on half power until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred with two forks.
6. To reduce the remaining sauce, add 1 Tbsp of Kuzu root starch as a thickening agent. Place the baking dish with the sauce back in the microwave. Cook on high approximately 10 minutes.
7. Stir the reduced sauce into the shredded chicken, reserving about 1/2 cup of the sauce to serve with the sandwiches if desired.
8. Spoon the chicken mixture onto whole grain flatbreads and top with cheese.
9. Dig in and enjoy!

1. I really dislike talking about myself.
2. But, I do like to talk about food – ad nauseum.
3. And, I really like to eat food – usually, ad nauseum.
4. Some of my favorite foods are lime-flavored tortilla chips
5. with pineapple salsa,
6. chocolate!,
7. bacon (occasionally, if it’s uncured…
8. …even though I don’t really know if that makes it any better for you),
9. and a lot of other things that are very UN-healthy (so, I’d better not mention them)
10. …or, I’ll get really hungry (which I usually am, anyway).
11. I’m already really hungry because I’m blogging about food.
12. In fact, I’m beginning to salivate.
13. (Sorry, I know, TMI.)
14. TMI = Too Much Information.
15. I had to explain that to you even though you probably knew what it meant – one of my biggest pet peeves is when people use acronyms or initialisms, because it can leave people in the dark.
16. Of course, like Kim, it bugs me when Rachel Ray says EVOO
17. …but it bugs me even more when she says EVOO and then explains that it’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
18. …because, why even use the acronym for time’s sake if you’re just going to waste more time explaining it?!
19. So, I’m revising my earlier statement to read: (Sorry, I know that was too much information.)
20. Boy, I think I just wasted about five minutes on that.
21. But, I’m good at that – wasting time.
22. My favorite time wasters include games on Facebook
23. (Sorority Life! – I’m on level 131),
24. shopping online,
25. making lists,
26. drawing faces on toes,
27. checking and re-checking my e-mail ,
28. watching YouTube (You’ve really got to see this one: Advanced Cat Yodeling),
29. LOLCATS.
30. Those last two are actually more like guilty pleasures…
31. …much like my affinity for cheesy romantic comedies and Disney movies,
32. Pee Wee Herman,
33. and the New Kids On The Block (even though they go by NKOTB now, which, as you know, slightly annoys me, but Joey McIntyre is so dreamy that I’ll let it slide).
34. Apparently, I don’t mind talking about myself at all, because I’m really digging deep, here. (Your eyes have probably rolled back into your head.)
35. When I’m not wasting time, I am gainfully employed.
36. I’m the office manager at a public library in New Jersey.
37. I love the library!
38. I cannot imagine a world without libraries.
39. I wish more people would use their public libraries…
40. just walk in, show some identification to sign up for a free card
41. (and by free, I mean you are already paying for your library access when you pay your taxes, so why not use it, right!?),
42. check out books from beach reads to classic literature (and walk a mile in another man’s moccasins),
43. travel guides (to virtually visit exotic lands),
44. movies (and be hollywood-bound in an instant),
45. music (to get your groove on),
46. audio books
47. (you can download them, too, and listen to them on your iPod),
48. sometimes newspapers and magazines (to catch up on current events),
49. do genealogy research (and discover family fortune or scandal),
50. get homework help (to boost your education and future),
51. use computers to waste time on the Internet watching YouTube
52. (you have seriously GOT to watch Advanced Cat Yodeling),
53. and TONS more!
54. Really, truly, seriously, check it out, already!!!
55. (Especially because many libraries are losing state, county, and municipal funding at alarming rates!)
56. New Jersey library funding has been cut 74% this year.
57. Visit savemylibrary.org if you want to champion the NJ library cause.
58. These funding cuts make me sad, especially when I think of how helpful my library has been in preparing this blog.
59. I can’t tell you how many recipe books I’ve checked out for research…
60. or, borrowed from other libraries using Inter-Library Loan service…
61. sometimes to preview before buying…
62. (oh yeah, not to mention the bags of microwave recipe books I’ve bought at used book sales!),
63. which has saved me a lot of dough!
64. Speaking of dough, I’ll give you a sneak preview for making it this far in my list:
65. Prince’s birthday is June 7th.
66. In honor of his birthday, I am super excited to make Raspberry Beignets
67. …or, Purple Grain…
68. depending on whether I can actually get microwave frying to work.
69. I can’t take all of the credit for this – the beignets were Kim’s idea,
70. and the Purple Grain was my dad’s.
71. My family is very creative.
72. Kim is studying to be a phantasmagorical architect.
73. (You should also check out her phantasmagorical blog: http://lifeisphantasmagorical.blogspot.com/.)
74. She also throws a mean party…complete with homemade hors d’oeuvres, soundtrack, and themed activities.
75. Dad likes to write limericks.
76. Mom is good with needlecrafts.
77. She sewed all of my Halloween costumes when I was little.
78. My favorites were: bumblebee, Queen of Hearts, and Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother
79. (although, at the time, I would’ve preferred to be Cinderella, but that honor went to my cousin; but, when I think of it now, I won, because Fairy Godmother has magical powers and Cinderella is an uber-nice doormat).
80. Mom also likes to embroider. She made, embroidered and embellished my first Christmas stocking.
81. She also crewel embroidered all of these veggies and spices before she had us kids.
82. The veggies were framed and still decorate her kitchen over 30 years later.
83. Mom and dad will be our taste-testing Guinnea Pigs, so props to them for braving our creations.
84. Also, when I’m not working, but not wasting time, either, I like to learn handicrafts.
85. I enjoy origami,
86. knitting and crocheting,
87. sewing,
88. beading and jewelry-making,
89. and I have the best intentions of scrapbooking my college memories
90. …but the road to H-E-double-hockey-sticks is paved with good intentions
91. …and, apparently, scrapbook paper and cute little scrapbooking doohickeys
92. …and lots and lots of GLITTER!
93. OOH, SHINY!
94. My sister’s BFF Michi says glitter is the Herpes of craft supplies.
95. But I say, bring it on! (And, don’t forget your Bedazzler, either!)
96. I am 12 years older than Kim.
97. But, you’d never know it, because I look young for my age…and act 12 years younger!
98. I can count my best friends on one hand, and they all live in Texas, with the exception of Kim, and, of course, Bunny and Lamby, my BFFs from birth (they’re the same age as me!), who also have a blog: http://lambunspot.blogspot.com/.
99. I a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 1999. Whoop!

(reposted from 5/30/2010)

OK. So, the first step toward creating a fully functioning dorm kitchen is finding out what your school allows you to have. Most dorms permit microwaves and minifridges. Some campuses allow you to use your own, others supply them in each dorm room/suite, and others still make you rent them from the campus store. So, check out your dorm’s policy on appliances (the information I found was listed in the move-in guide), and if you can buy your own, make sure they meet the requirements listed by your school. No mater what your school’s policy, these things are dead useful, and they are essentials if permitted.

If you’re really lucky, your dorm will allow some other appliances. These include hot-pots, popcorn poppers, coffee pots, blenders, slow cookers, and even, the George Foreman Grill. Hot-pots, which are mainly used to cook rice, and popcorn poppers aren’t really necessary, since both rice and popcorn are easily made in the microwave. The others can be useful, though. A coffee pot is, for you caffeine addicts, useful for making coffee. Less obviously, it can be used to heat any liquid, like canned soup. It is, after all, essentially a hot-plate with a water dispenser. A blender is useful for making last minute breakfasts before dashing out the door to class. Just pop some frozen fruit and yogurt into it, give it a whirl, and voila, instant smoothie. This is what you will probably make in the blender most of the time, but it is useful in some recipes. Slow cookers can make a nice, effort free casserole, but as their name implies, there is a lot of waiting involved. And finally, there’s the George Foreman grill. This will probably be the most useful small appliance in your small kitchen. It is great for grilling chicken, cooking hamburgers, and toasting buns. Definitely worth the investment if it is allowed.

You might also want to look into your school’s policy on knives. A lot of dorms don’t allow them, especially if they’re longer than four inches. That being said, you might want to buy a few extra pairs of scissors (at least one for raw meat and one for everything else). Also, if it is allowed, a mini chopper comes in very handy. A plastic knife will only work for soft things, like apples and pears. (It works for cheese, too, but a cheese grater or a cheese wire is easier, though certainly not necessary).

Well, those are the basics, so get researching.

…until next time!

(reposted from 3/21/2008)

Welcome to the year 4705. I realize I am a bit late getting to this, since Valentines Day has already passed me by, but as of February 6, 2008, for those of you who still follow the lunar calendar, it is the Year of the Rat. Yes, that’s right, Chinese New Year is here again!

For those of you who don’t know, Chinese New Year celebrates the day that the Yellow King (the first king of China) took the throne in 2697 BC. The Yellow King is the one who created the Chinese calendar. According to legend, the Yellow King wanted twelve animals to represent the years of his calendar, and he decided to hold a race to determine the order of the animals.

Rat won the race, and now, his sign is the first in the Chinese Zodiac. He used his cunning and natural intelligence to win, but Rat, ever the opportunist, did not win fair and square. Instead, he gave Cat the wrong date for the race, which is why cats chase rats to this day.

Anyone who was born in the year of the rat possesses many of Rat’s most important characteristics. (S)he is a great leader. (S)he is ambitious, responsible, passionate, and a very respectable person. (S)he is an intellectual person, with a head for business. (S)he is loyal, and tends to be happiest when at home with family. (S)he is an extrovert who draws a large group of friends to her/him. Although (s)he is thrifty by nature, (s)he is incredibly generous to those who are close to her/him.

Click on the picture below if you want to find out a bit about your Zodiac sign:

As a special treat for those of you who want to celebrate, I’m providing you with a great recipe for “fried” rice in the microwave. I know it sounds strange, but it’s really good, and easy to make, too. Just follow the recipe provided below. It’s sure to please. You’ve gotta start the New Year off with a bang, right?!?! So, why not try out this five star recipe?

Microwave Chinese Fried Rice (5 Stars)
Makes: 4-6 servings

This is a recipe based on one I found in a book my sister owned when she was a campus chef.  The book was Thelma Pressman’s 365 Quick & Easy Microwave Recipes, and for those of you actually own it, this recipe is a modification of #195.  The original recipe was a little more complicated, calling for you to use pre-cooked rice and fry it in vegetable oil in the microwave.  I played around with it a little, and here’s my version, which is not nearly as complicated, but just as tasty.

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice
1 cup chicken broth
Water
1 tsp. dark sesame oil (optional)
1 ½ tbsp. soy sauce
3 eggs
1 tbsp. water
¼ tsp. sugar
½ lb. mushrooms, sliced (optional)
½ cup peas, frozen or canned is fine (optional)
¼ cup scallions, sliced

Directions:

1. In a microwavable rice cooker, combine the rice, chicken broth, and enough water so that the liquid covers the rice (the liquid should reach the first knuckle on your index finger when you touch the top of the rice layer).  At this point you should add the soy sauce and the sesame oil, if you are using it.  NOTE: Dark sesame oil is by no means a necessity, as it is fairly expensive, but, as it is a staple in Chinese cooking, it gives the rice a more authentic flavor.
2. Beat the eggs and the water together.
3. Add the sugar, the mushrooms, and the peas to the rice cooker, and stir the contents well.  Then pour the eggs over the rice mixture.
4. Cover the rice cooker, and microwave for 13 minutes on HIGH, or for the proper time to cook rice in your microwave.
5. Remove the rice from the microwave, being careful not to burn yourself on the steam.  Stir well, breaking up the egg chunks.  Add the scallions, and microwave for one minute more.
6. Remove from the microwave, stir, and enjoy the flavors of the Orient.

(reposted from 2/15/2008)

I feel like I should give you, anyone who decides to read my blog, some insight into who I am. I’ve seen a few blogs out there where the blogger posts 100 random facts about themselves. I’m not gonna get too personal, but here is my tribute to them:

1. My name is Kim.
2. I am a senior in high school.
3. I finally got the last of my college applications finished on New Years Day.
4. The day it was due (the others were the same way).
5. I did a little happy dance when I hit the submit button.
6. I feel a lot lighter now that everything’s done.
7. I‘m nervous about the results, though.
8. But, I’ve already been accepted to a school I love, so it doesn’t really matter.
9. Nevertheless, I’m not a fan of rejection.
10. I only started researching for college the summer after junior year.
11. As you can probably tell, I’m a procrastinator.
12. I don’t like change.
13. That’s why I put off the college search for so long.
14. I even procrastinated over the summer.
15. Instead of researching schools, I searched for recipes.
16. It was fun and sort of stress relieving.
17. During the research that I did do, I was appalled by the high prices of the meal plans.
18. I don’t come from a wealthy family .
19. Spending thousands on food, when I can easily feed myself for a fraction of the cost is disconcerting.
20. I researched dorm cooking…
21. …Especially microwave recipes
22. (and looked into dorm policies on microwaves, hot pots, and mini fridges, all of the essentials).
23. http://www.allrecipes.com/ is a godsend.
24. My sister works at the local library.
25. I did too, over the summer.
26. I shelved the books in the children’s section.
27. …And read a few, too (but never when on the clock).
28. Anyway, she helped me find books about microwaving.
29. Some of them were actually really helpful.
30. My mother has an immense collection of cook books.
31. Her collection helped me in the research process, too.
32. She uses the microwave all the time for rice and vegetables.
33. I was still skeptical about cooking entire meals in the microwave.
34. My sister wasn’t.
35. Microwave Wednesday was her idea.
36. (We cook an entire dinner in the microwave every Wednesday night, so that I can practice.)
37. My family is really great
38. They got on board with the Microwave Wednesday thing right away,
39. Even though my dad didn’t have confidence in microwaving meats either.
40. I was completely wrong about the microwave.
41. The results were good!
42. Except for pork, that does not microwave well.
43. …At least, I haven’t been able to master it yet.
44. I come from a family with Polish, German, and Puerto Rican roots.
45. These are all cultures where food is important.
46. So, my family likes to eat.
47. I hate Onions,…
48. …Fish,…
49. …Mushrooms,…
50. …Asparagus,…
51. …And a bunch of other things.
52. You won’t see any fish recipes on my blog, but the other things are good for flavoring.
53. I do like Onion powder though, go figure.
54. Oh yeah, I spent eight years of my life in Texas.
55. So, I really like Mexican food,…
56. …And Tex-mex,…
57. …And good Barbecue.
58. You can’t really get those things in New Jersey
59. But you can get good Italian…
60. …and hoagies.
61. This is my first independently-run blog.
62. I do have one that I run with my sister, but we only post fun things.
63. If we didn’t bust a gut laughing when we saw it, we don’t post it.
64. I believe that a blog should be fun.
65. Life is already too serious.
66. Back to blogging, I don’t really get PHP.
67. The HTML part I can understand, but the PHP part is confusing.
68. I have grandiose ideas about how this blog will end up looking…
69. …But we’ll see.
70. Hopefully I can conquer the gods of the code and figure it out.
71. I have had some success adjusting wrapper size so far.
72. My sister was a big help here, as well.
73. She is a code genius.
74. She helped my father run his web-based business for a long time.
75. I love science…
76. …Especially Physics.
77. I hope to someday be able to understand and explain how microwaves work.
78. I learned a little in my Physics class last year.
79. Apparently water vibrates on the same frequency as microwaves.
80. Who knew? I’m still not sure I do.
81. I think It’s funny that they’re called microwaves,
82. They have some of the longest wavelengths in the spectrum.
83. It’s more stupid than funny, but it still makes me giggle.
84. I really like math, too.
85. That’s why, right now, the dream is architecture.
86. We’ll see what happens.
87. When I was really little, I dreamed of becoming a pastry chef.
88. I watched the food channel and cooking shows on PBS all the time.
89. I really like Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, and Lidia Bastianich.
90. …but my favorite show is America’s Test Kitchen
91. No wonder, they combine science and cooking!
92. I wanted my own cooking show when I was younger.
93. It’s kinda funny, since I can’t stand speaking in public
94. My mouth gets all dry and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
95. (But, you probably didn’t need to know that.)
96. I wanted to go to cooking school.
97. I am really annoyed by people like Emeril and Rachel Ray.
98. I hate their catch-phrases.
99. You will never see me type something like BAM!, Yum-o, or EVOO ever again, I hope.

…So now you know

(reposted from 1/25/2008)