Microwave

Sometimes you look at a decades-old photo of yourself at the beach and are struck by the thought that you should have worn more skimpy two-pieces while you had the chance. Sometimes you watch a mystery in a movie theater and realize you just don't enjoy it as much as you would at home, where you can use the remote to go back if you missed a clue. And sometimes you go to heat up your soup in the office microwave and glance at the controls and think, "What is this country coming to?" In my company's newly remodeled kitchenette sit two General Electric microwave ovens (because heaven knows we efficient Americans cannot be expected to wait while someone else flash-cooks his meal in less than two minutes)

The only thing more shocking than Italian pasta from a microwave is how great it can be. At Daniela's Pasta and Pastries, a tiny, two-table Hampden restaurant, entrees are kept in a glass deli case, and re-heated to order in one of the microwave ovens. What good, you may ask, can come from a nuke job? If the Lasagna alla Bolognese ($6.99) is any indication, this method works quite well. Daniela's lasagna is handmade-on-site, with a rich red meat sauce rendered pink by a bechamel that totes a wisp of nutmeg.

Barbara Kempisty of Baltimore was looking for a recipe for biscuits that can be made completely in the microwave. She wanted to be able to prepare the dough in advance and take it to an elderly aunt who is in assisted living and does not have a kitchen but does have access to a microwave. Hope Weiner of Rapid City, S.D., sent in a recipe for whole-wheat microwave biscuits. These biscuits are made with a combination of whole-wheat and white flour. The dough can be made in advance, and the biscuits can be made in the microwave.

Maryland did some encouraging things Sunday, right? There was James Padgett with his first career double-double. There were Sean Mosley's 17 points. And, of course, there was Terrell "the Microwave" Stoglin and his 31 points. But, let's face it, this is hardly the Notre Dame that ended UCLA's 88-game winning streak so many years ago. Raise your hand if you remember that one. The Irish seem to play a variation of "small ball. " Three guards -- sometimes more -- out there at once.

BOULDER, Colo. -- Just when you thought microwavable burritos, popcorn and Bavarian Wiener Suppers were going to end the microwave craze, a New York-based company is making scarves that you can zap.The Phoenix Dynamics Corp. has begun marketing Warm-Upz microwavable scarves and bandannas. In 30 seconds, the garments heat to give off warmth that can last an hour, depending on how cold it is outside.Product distributor Joel Hudesman, calling from his office in Woodmere, N.Y., says the trick is a micro-heating strip of flexible plastic cubes containing a non-toxic liquid that is activated when zapped with microwaves.

Rice that's already cooked can be speedily reheated in the microwave. The next time you have leftover rice, think of this colorful and fast microwave fix up. Stir in a little water with the rice and it will turn out moist and fluffy.Rice needs time to absorb water, whether cooked on the range or in a microwave.Spanish Rice1 large green pepper, coarsely chopped1 large tomato, coarsely chopped1 medium onion, chopped2 tablespoons margarine or butter2 cups cooked rice1/3 cup water1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepperIn a one-quart microwave-safe casserole combine green pepper, tomato, onion and margarine or butter.

Sausages of various types have been tempting our palates for centuries. They were popular at least several hundred years before the birth of Christ, and a cookbook written around A.D. 200 contains a number of sausage recipes.The popularity of sausage has continued into the modern era, and the variety of sausage available today is staggering. To walk into any good deli and inspect their wares is to be introduced to such ethnic fare as Polish kielbasa and Swedish potato sausage, a favorite in my family, especially around the holidays.

Item: Simply PotatoesServings per package: about 4Cost: $2.59Preparation time: 4 minutes in microwave, 15 minutes to 30 minutes in conventional oven, depending on quantity used.Review: You want mashed potatoes in an instant? This version, in a refrigerated tray, is for you. You'd be hard-pressed to tap an easier source for the many-splendored spud. Tear back the plastic on top, shove the tray into the microwave, nuke it on high for 3 minutes. Then add a touch of margarine and stir, and nuke for another minute.

Sausages of various types have been tempting our palates for centuries. They were popular at least several hundred years before the birth of Christ, and a cookbook written around A.D. 200 contains a number of sausage recipes.The popularity of sausage has continued into the modern era, and the variety of sausage available today is staggering. To walk into any good deli and inspect their wares is to be introduced to such ethnic fare as Polish kielbasa and Swedish potato sausage, a favorite in my family, especially around the holidays.

Q. I have heard that I can dry vegetables in the microwave. Do I need to prep the vegetables? What do I put them on and how long will they last after I have dried them? A. I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I have heard the same thing about vegetables. The bad news is that it is wrong. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but do not try to dry fruits or vegetables in the microwave. First of all, you will have cooked them to death by the time they dry out. You also risk starting a fire in your microwave when your food finally reaches that dry state.

Sometimes you look at a decades-old photo of yourself at the beach and are struck by the thought that you should have worn more skimpy two-pieces while you had the chance. Sometimes you watch a mystery in a movie theater and realize you just don't enjoy it as much as you would at home, where you can use the remote to go back if you missed a clue. And sometimes you go to heat up your soup in the office microwave and glance at the controls and think, "What is this country coming to?" In my company's newly remodeled kitchenette sit two General Electric microwave ovens (because heaven knows we efficient Americans cannot be expected to wait while someone else flash-cooks his meal in less than two minutes)

Karen Clark gets to the office by 6 a.m. and eats breakfast at her desk a few hours later, when most of her colleagues are arriving for the day. That's when the comments start. "Eeew, you're eating that for breakfast?!!" Clark enjoys dinner food for breakfast. Her most important meal of the day is usually last night's leftovers. Steak. Spaghetti. Fried fish. If you're thinking that's none of your business, Clark couldn't agree more. She believes her eating habits shouldn't concern her co-workers at a Baltimore financial services firm either.

If I have to look at one more oven, I'm going to ask the salesperson to turn it on so I can stick my head in it and end this misery. I'm pretty sure there was a time in America when consumers had only a mere 100 or so ovens to choose from. This was a nice, simple time when people could discover that their oven had broken, go out shopping the next day to select a new model, and have it delivered promptly the following afternoon. This was also back in the day when brand loyalty existed.

Two pioneers have heeded Struever Bros.' call to "live green" in Baltimore, and here's what life is like out on Clipper Mill's new housing frontier: No microwave. Paper window blinds. And granite-countertop guilt. There are many upsides, however. Not least: The grandkids get a kick out of the dual-force toilets. Elvon and True Lloyd weren't looking for an adventure in environmentally conscious living when they moved to Baltimore from Arlington, Va. The retirees just wanted a house near their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in Rodgers Forge.

If you can bypass the butter, popcorn is a low-fat, whole-grain snack full of fiber. But it can be tough to resist the beast. This Rosemary Cheese Popcorn recipe gussies up fat-free microwave popcorn with an herb and cheese and a single tablespoon of butter to make the popcorn stick. When buying microwave popcorn, watch out for "butter flavoring." Recently the Associated Press reported that a man who had eaten three bags of microwaved popcorn a day for several years was diagnosed with a severe respiratory ailment known as "popcorn lung."

I want to make baba ghannouj. Can I roast the eggplants in the microwave? Roasting an eggplant whole is the easiest way to turn its flesh into a soft, succulent puree - the base for baba ghannouj and other eggplant salads. But it cannot be accomplished in a microwave oven. Unlike the ambient heat generated by conventional ovens, so-called microwaves penetrate only about 1 1/2 inches into foods. If you microwaved a ball of rice that was 3 inches in diameter - about the size of a baseball - the center would get hot because the center is only 1 1/2 inches from the surface.

Picture this Hollywood scenario: A mad scientist and his young protege gleefully examine a carefully prepared contraption, then cautiously place it in a scary-looking heating machine.They put on goggles and radiation-resistant smocks and run into a glass-encased fortress. With brows sweating and hands trembling, they turn the machine on with a remote control.Sparks bounce against the interior walls of the machine, causing the material inside the contraption to smoke. Reluctantly, the scientists turn off the machine.

John M. Risher of Greensburg, Pa., sent in a request that was short, asking for a dish that will surely be sweet. "I would like to know the recipe for making apple butter," he wrote. Betty Mullins of Spring Lake, N.C., responded with a recipe that she says came from the Pillsbury Cookbook. Apple Butter MAKES 4 HALF pint jars 8 cups peeled and cored apples 2 cups apple cider or juice 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground clove 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice In a microwaveable bowl, add apples and cider, loosely cover and microwave for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender.

Can I prepare meatloaf and freeze it without cooking? It would of course have several eggs as an ingredient. And can bacon be cooked in the microwave, as the Oscar Mayer package says? Yes, you can freeze meatloaf after preparing and shaping it. You may want to first fit some plastic cling wrap snugly into the loaf pan before putting the meat mixture in. Freeze it for about 30 minutes to an hour, pull the partially frozen loaf out and wrap it in the plastic, then in foil. If you add ketchup for a sauce, do so when you are ready to bake and serve.

This is surely not one of the more important or serious questions you might be asked, but will you please offer some remedies to help fade spots (age or liver spots) on the hands and elsewhere on the body? Age or liver spots are officially called "solar lentigines." These brownish spots frequently show up on the face and other places where people have been exposed to excess sun. Dermatologists have traditionally recommended fade creams that contain hydroquinone (found in products such as Esoterica and Porcelana)