Microwave Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Originally in the 1991 cookbook

Ingredients

1 medium onion, sliced
6 medium mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp oregano

Directions

1. Combine onion, mushrooms, celery, green pepper, garlic, and oil in a 2-quart microwave proof casserole dish.
2. Cover dish with lid and cook on high for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in beef and cook on high for 3 minutes. Stir several times.
4. Blend in tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, and oregano.
5. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

Microwave Fresh Strawberry Jam

Originally in the 1991 cookbook

Ingredients

5 cups crushed strawberries
2 tsp lemon juice
1 package (1 3/4 ounce) pectin
7 cups sugar

Directions

1. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and pectin into a 4 quart microwave bowl.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10-11 minutes, or until boiling.
3. Stir once during cooking time.
4. Stir in sugar.
5. Cook on high for 10-11 minutes, or until mixture boils hard for 1 minute.
6. Skim off foam.
7. Pour into 8 ounce hot sterilized jelly jars and seal with two-piece vacuum-type lids.

Makes eight 8 ounce jars

Microwave Applesauce

Originally in the 1991 cookbook

Ingredients

3 cups cooking apples
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg

Directions

1. Wash apples.
2. Peel, core, and slice apples.
3. Combine apples, apple juice, and lemon juice in 1 quart microwave casserole dish.
4. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 minutes, or until apples are tender.
5. Stir once during cooking time.
6. Add sugar and cinnamon.
7. Stir until applesauce is smooth.
8. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 2 servings

Microwave Basic White Sauce

Originally in the 1991 cookbook

Ingredients

1 cup milk
2 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp flour
- dash white pepper
- dash nutmeg

Directions

1. Place milk in 4 cup glass measuring cup and cook on med-high for 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Place margarine in 2 cup glass measuring cup and cook on high for 45 seconds.
3. Stir in flour and continue to cook on high for 1 minute.
4. Add milk, pepper, and nutmeg to flour mixture and stir briskly.
5. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture boils, stirring once during cooking.
6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 1 cup.

Easy Lasagna

Originally in the 1996 cookbook

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion
1-1 1/2 package spaghetti sauce
2 cups canned tomatoes, slightly blended
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 cups lowfat cottage cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Brown beef and onion; drain.
3. Stir in seasonings, tomatoes, paste, and water.
4. Mixture may be used immediately, but for a richer flavor, simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Mix egg, parsley flakes, Parmesan cheese, and cottage cheese.
6. In a 9x13 inch pan, layer 1 cup sauce, 4 dry noodles (break to fit), and 1/2 the cottage cheese-egg mixture, spreading evenly over the noodles.
7. Repeat the sauce, noodles and cottage cheese mixture.
8. Top with remaining sauce.
9. Cover and for 50-60 minutes or until noodles are tender.
10. Let stand 10 minutes, top with mozzarella cheese, and serve.

Cooking in a Microwave

1. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on HIGH for 12 minutes.
2. Cook at 50% for 18-22 minutes, or until noodles are tender, turning dish twice.
3. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Microwave Caramel Corn

Originally in the 1991 cookbook

Ingredients

16 cups popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 cube margarine
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Put popcorn in large paper bag.
2. Put brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt, and margarine in large, microwave safe bowl.
3. Cook on high for 1-2 minutes, or until bubbly. Stir; cook for 3 more minutes, stirring after each minute.
4. Add baking soda and vanilla. Stir well.
5. Pour onto popcorn. Fold top of bag down.
6. Cook in microwave oven on high for 3 minutes. Shake bag after each minute.
7. Pour into bowl or eat from bag.