Microwave Cooking

Joan Weller is head librarian at the West Branch of Ottawa Public
Library, and the children’s literature reviewer for the Ottawa
Citizen.

This handy cookbook, Jean Paré’s 20th in her popular Company’s
Coming series, ensures her place as one of Canada’s most dependable
and respected cooks. Here, her culinary teaching skills are applied to
easy recipes, producing fast results for the busy cook who has little
time to slave over a hot stove.

Paré’s taste-bud-appealing recipes (all tested in a 700-watt
microwave oven) include appetizers, soups, main courses, and desserts.
All call for common, affordable ingredients and list the amounts
required in both metric and imperial measurements. Especially helpful
are quick recipes for sauces, soups, and candy.

A special chapter for children (ages 8 to 12) includes yummy recipes
for them to prepare with minimum supervision, including baked apples,
crispy rice squares, frankfurter flowers, and kid kabobs. Adults can
cook a complete meal in just minutes (e.g., mushroom appetizers, chicken
one-step, cucumber mould, and pineapple upside-down cake). Once the
preparation has been done, the results take just minutes and should be
followed by compliments to the chef.