Interesting article in the NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining

ImStillMags > wrote:
> Interesting article in the NY Times
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining

Interesting. I do use the micro for peanut butter fudge. I may try it for
tempering chocolate after the holidays using a Pyrex bowl. Busy today with
last minute Christmas shopping.

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

On Dec 22, 3:21*pm, ImStillMags > wrote:
> Interesting article in the NY Times
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining

I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
comes out perfect every time.

" > wrote:
> On Dec 22, 3:21 pm, ImStillMags > wrote:
>> Interesting article in the NY Times
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining
>
> I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
> cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
> comes out perfect every time.

I find temperature checking for brittles Is a waste of time. Most devices
are not accurate. They quickly get a thick coating at the probe end and the
temperature moves slower than it really is. Someday I will get one of those
laser base temp readers.

I find going by the light amber color is way to go. Mine comes out great
also.
Brittles are easy, I make mine on the stove top on pot and one baking
sheet.

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>
> My instinct would be to try it again at 90% power. [can you do 95%
> with that one?]
>
> I would be trying to keep the time the same so the heat has the same
> chance to distribute.
>
> Thanks for the recipe-- I'm going to try it with some cashews.

The important thing with my recipe is that the peanuts were raw. I think
they'd get overcooked if roasted peanuts were used? Not sure about
cashews though?

I'll try your suggestion on cutting the power back. I don't know what
the old nuker's wattage was but this new one is 1100 watts.

On 12/22/2010 8:06 PM, Dan L wrote:
> > wrote:
>> Interesting article in the NY Times
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining
>
> Interesting. I do use the micro for peanut butter fudge. I may try it for
> tempering chocolate after the holidays using a Pyrex bowl. Busy today with
> last minute Christmas shopping.
>

I used to make a good peanut brittle in the microwave too.

--
Currently reading: Finals over! Yay for an A in organic chem and a B in
Human Anatomy and Physiology. Now what to read?

On 12/22/2010 8:42 PM, wrote:
> On Dec 22, 3:21 pm, > wrote:
>> Interesting article in the NY Times
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining
>
> I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
> cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
> comes out perfect every time.

Ha! Should have read ahead, just posted this!

--
Currently reading: Finals over! Yay for an A in organic chem and a B in
Human Anatomy and Physiology. Now what to read?

On 12/23/2010 7:35 AM, Goomba wrote:
> Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>>
>> My instinct would be to try it again at 90% power. [can you do 95%
>> with that one?]
>>
>> I would be trying to keep the time the same so the heat has the same
>> chance to distribute.
>>
>> Thanks for the recipe-- I'm going to try it with some cashews.
>
> The important thing with my recipe is that the peanuts were raw. I think
> they'd get overcooked if roasted peanuts were used? Not sure about
> cashews though?
>

I've done it with roasted peanuts and it turns out fine.

--
Currently reading: Finals over! Yay for an A in organic chem and a B in
Human Anatomy and Physiology. Now what to read?

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>>
>> My instinct would be to try it again at 90% power. [can you do 95%
>> with that one?]
>>
>> I would be trying to keep the time the same so the heat has the same
>> chance to distribute.
>>
>> Thanks for the recipe-- I'm going to try it with some cashews.
>
> The important thing with my recipe is that the peanuts were raw. I think
> they'd get overcooked if roasted peanuts were used? Not sure about cashews
> though?
>
> I'll try your suggestion on cutting the power back. I don't know what the
> old nuker's wattage was but this new one is 1100 watts.

The old ones here used to be about 800w

--
--
https://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:12:12 -0500, ravenlynne
> wrote:

>On 12/23/2010 7:35 AM, Goomba wrote:
>> Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>>>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>>>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>>>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>>>
>>> My instinct would be to try it again at 90% power. [can you do 95%
>>> with that one?]
>>>
>>> I would be trying to keep the time the same so the heat has the same
>>> chance to distribute.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the recipe-- I'm going to try it with some cashews.
>>
>> The important thing with my recipe is that the peanuts were raw. I think
>> they'd get overcooked if roasted peanuts were used? Not sure about
>> cashews though?
>>
>
>I've done it with roasted peanuts and it turns out fine.

Phew-- thanks. I had missed 'raw' in the recipe- but I was going to
waste some time looking for unroasted cashews. I prefer the extra
salt with my sugar- so I'm glad I might be able to just substitute
cashews.

Jim

On 12/23/2010 8:49 AM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:12:12 -0500, ravenlynne
> > wrote:
>
>> On 12/23/2010 7:35 AM, Goomba wrote:
>>> Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>>>>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>>>>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>>>>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>>>>
>>>> My instinct would be to try it again at 90% power. [can you do 95%
>>>> with that one?]
>>>>
>>>> I would be trying to keep the time the same so the heat has the same
>>>> chance to distribute.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the recipe-- I'm going to try it with some cashews.
>>>
>>> The important thing with my recipe is that the peanuts were raw. I think
>>> they'd get overcooked if roasted peanuts were used? Not sure about
>>> cashews though?
>>>
>>
>> I've done it with roasted peanuts and it turns out fine.
>
> Phew-- thanks. I had missed 'raw' in the recipe- but I was going to
> waste some time looking for unroasted cashews. I prefer the extra
> salt with my sugar- so I'm glad I might be able to just substitute
> cashews.
>
> Jim

You're welcome :-)

--
Currently reading: Finals over! Yay for an A in organic chem and a B in
Human Anatomy and Physiology. Now what to read?

On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:07:42 -0500, ravenlynne wrote:

> On 12/22/2010 8:06 PM, Dan L wrote:
>> > wrote:
>>> Interesting article in the NY Times
>>>
>>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/di...tml?ref=dining
>>
>> Interesting. I do use the micro for peanut butter fudge. I may try it for
>> tempering chocolate after the holidays using a Pyrex bowl. Busy today with
>> last minute Christmas shopping.
>>
>
> I used to make a good peanut brittle in the microwave too.

i want to try the microwave peanut brittle. i'd like to find a recipe that
tastes buttery, like see's.

your pal,
blake

On 12/23/2010 4:09 AM, Goomba wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
>> cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
>> comes out perfect every time.
>
> I've always made peanut brittle in the microwave oven also. But this
> year for the first time ever I burned it! I was scratching my head over
> how that happened? My husband reminded me that when we remodeled the
> kitchen we installed a new, more powerful microwave than the simple
> counter top ones we had always had before.
> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
> suggestions I'd welcome them.

When my late daughter was in middle school she learned to make peanut
brittle in the microwave. One day she called me at work crying. The
peanut brittle had stuck to the dish so she ran it under hot water to
loosen it and it all melted!

She's been gone 14 years and I still miss her. Your posts gave me the
opportunity to have her back with me in that little memory for a while.

Thank you.
--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

"Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
eb.com...
> On 12/23/2010 4:09 AM, Goomba wrote:
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
>>> cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
>>> comes out perfect every time.
>>
>> I've always made peanut brittle in the microwave oven also. But this
>> year for the first time ever I burned it! I was scratching my head over
>> how that happened? My husband reminded me that when we remodeled the
>> kitchen we installed a new, more powerful microwave than the simple
>> counter top ones we had always had before.
>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>
> When my late daughter was in middle school she learned to make peanut
> brittle in the microwave. One day she called me at work crying. The peanut
> brittle had stuck to the dish so she ran it under hot water to loosen it
> and it all melted!
>
> She's been gone 14 years and I still miss her. Your posts gave me the
> opportunity to have her back with me in that little memory for a while.

<Big hugs>
--
--
https://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:16:16 -0500, blake murphy
> wrote:

>On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:09:35 -0500, Goomba wrote:
>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
>>> cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
>>> comes out perfect every time.
>>
>> I've always made peanut brittle in the microwave oven also. But this
>> year for the first time ever I burned it! I was scratching my head over
>> how that happened? My husband reminded me that when we remodeled the
>> kitchen we installed a new, more powerful microwave than the simple
>> counter top ones we had always had before.
>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>
>does it matter in the recipe below if your baking soda is pretty old? like
>two years old?

It shouldn't make any difference whether the baking soda is two years
old or (literally) two hundred. Sodium bicarbonate, like table salt,
is a stable inorganic substance at room temperature. As long as it's
uncontaminated it should be fine.
--
Best -- Terry

Jim Elbrecht wrote:

> OK- I did it using cashews. I was nervous because you said you had
> trouble-- so I watched it closely and just went by feel.
>
> I did 4 minutes- stir- 2 minutes- add butter and vanilla- then 2
> minutes more. It is a lighter color than I would have shot for if
> I was stirring. But it set up fine and is delicious-- so I don't
> think I'll mess with what worked.
>
> My microwave is new- but a countertop- also 1100watts.
> [it seems to me that today's 1100 is 'hotter' than the old 1500 we
> had.]
>
> Thanks for sharing that recipe-- I would've thought that trying to
> cook sugar in a microwave without burning it was a fool's errand.
>
> It's actually easy-- and yummy.
>
> Jim

Did you alter the power at all? Or just your timing?
I'll give it another go using your times on peanuts. Thank You!
What type of cashews did you use?

ravenlynne wrote:

> I did it today again, but with Almonds. Yummy.
>
raw almonds?

On Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:37:33 -0500, Goomba >
wrote:

>Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>
>> OK- I did it using cashews. I was nervous because you said you had
>> trouble-- so I watched it closely and just went by feel.
>>
>> I did 4 minutes- stir- 2 minutes- add butter and vanilla- then 2
>> minutes more. It is a lighter color than I would have shot for if
>> I was stirring. But it set up fine and is delicious-- so I don't
>> think I'll mess with what worked.
-snip-

>
>Did you alter the power at all? Or just your timing?
>I'll give it another go using your times on peanuts. Thank You!
>What type of cashews did you use?


Just the timing. I was going to just follow the recipe-- but it was
bubbling pretty good after that 1st 4, so I was afraid I was going to
burn it. Then I was committed, so I figured it was easier to just
hit the minute button, than to adjust the power each time.

It was light enough that next time I might try 4-3-2. Interesting
that, although it has a lot less butter than my stovetop recipe-- it
tastes *more* buttery.

My kitchen is kind of cold- so I warmed my tools & pan in the oven for
a few minutes at 200. [that's where it was- warming up for the Turtle
bites, which my wife is now addicted to]

I just used roasted & salted cashews.

Jim

On 12/24/2010 8:38 AM, Goomba wrote:
> ravenlynne wrote:
>
>> I did it today again, but with Almonds. Yummy.
>>
> raw almonds?

No. Regular roasted almonds. I assure you that roasted nuts don't burn
in the recipe.

--
Currently reading: Finals over! Yay for an A in organic chem and a B in
Human Anatomy and Physiology. Now what to read?

On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:43:52 -0600, Terry wrote:

> On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:16:16 -0500, blake murphy
> > wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:09:35 -0500, Goomba wrote:
>>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I do peanut brittle in the microwave. There's no worrying about
>>>> cooking it to the right temperature or any cold water testing. It
>>>> comes out perfect every time.
>>>
>>> I've always made peanut brittle in the microwave oven also. But this
>>> year for the first time ever I burned it! I was scratching my head over
>>> how that happened? My husband reminded me that when we remodeled the
>>> kitchen we installed a new, more powerful microwave than the simple
>>> counter top ones we had always had before.
>>> Now I don't know how to adjust my "up till now" fool proof recipe to
>>> account for the increased wattage. Recipe below. If anyone has any
>>> suggestions I'd welcome them.
>>
>>does it matter in the recipe below if your baking soda is pretty old? like
>>two years old?
>
> It shouldn't make any difference whether the baking soda is two years
> old or (literally) two hundred. Sodium bicarbonate, like table salt,
> is a stable inorganic substance at room temperature. As long as it's
> uncontaminated it should be fine.

o.k., thanks. maybe i'm thinking of the diminished capacity of old baking
powder.

your pal,
blake

On Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:25:41 -0500, blake murphy
> wrote:

>On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:43:52 -0600, Terry wrote:
>

>> It shouldn't make any difference whether the baking soda is two years
>> old or (literally) two hundred. Sodium bicarbonate, like table salt,
>> is a stable inorganic substance at room temperature. As long as it's
>> uncontaminated it should be fine.
>
>o.k., thanks. maybe i'm thinking of the diminished capacity of old baking
>powder.

Yes, baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and one or more solid
acids. The base and acid will react slowly over time, in the presence
of moisture. I've found that baking powder that is a year old still
seems to work ok, but I throw it out anyway. A dollar a year, it's
cheap enough. :-)
--
Best -- Terry

Janet Wilder wrote:
> When my late daughter was in middle school she learned to make peanut
> brittle in the microwave. One day she called me at work crying. The
> peanut brittle had stuck to the dish so she ran it under hot water to
> loosen it and it all melted!
>
> She's been gone 14 years and I still miss her. Your posts gave me the
> opportunity to have her back with me in that little memory for a while.
>
> Thank you.

<<<<<Janet>>>>>

--
Jean B.