Microwave Cooking Project

LaGrange County 4-H - MICROWAVE COOKING

No State Fair Entries                                  

Each year the 4-Her is required to complete 3 new activities from 3 different BITES in the specified manual.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Members will learn basic food preparation techniques for using the microwave.
In the advanced divisions, members will learn how to convert recipes and prepare dishes for the entire meal.

General Instructions
How to prepare products for display:

  • Most food products should be displayed on a paper or foam plate.
  • For cakes - cut a piece of cardboard about 1⁄2 inch larger than the bottom of the cake. Cover this cardboard with wax paper, plastic wrap, or foil before putting the cake on it.
  • Any other product that may be sticky on the bottom, such as fruit crisps or pies, may be left in the container in which they were microwaved. Containers should be labeled so they may be returned to you following judging.
  • All canned products must have the ring on the jar top to protect the seal. Whole products will be exhibited for judging. Only a slice of the exhibit or one cookie will remain for show. The rest of the product will go home after judging. Recipes are required and must be covered with plastic. Label your recipe card with recipe name, 4-H’ers name and division.
  • Since it is illegal in the State of Indiana for youth under the age of 21 to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages, 4-H members are to use recipes that do not include an alcoholic beverage as an ingredient. A suitable non-alcoholic or imitation product may be substituted.

EXHIBIT

  • Grade 3-- Microwave snack mix (in a package)
  • Grade 4-- Threesquares or bars of microwave fudge
  • Grade 5-- Three bars of microwave cookies or brownies 
  • Grade 6-- One microwave upside down cake
  • Grade 7-- One microwave fruit crisp
  • Grade 8-- One microwave coffee cake
  • Grade 9-- One package of a microwave candy product
  • Grade 10-- One microwave double layer or bundt cake (Note: Custards, cream, and cream cheese fillings or frostings are not acceptable in an exhibit because they are highly perishable when left at room temperatures).
  • Grade 11-- One microwave fruit and/or nut pie (Note: Custards, cream, and cream cheese fillings or frostings are not acceptable in an exhibit because they are highly perishable when left at room temperatures).
  • Grade 12-- A jar of microwave jam or jelly. Label with name, product, quantity, and date made.

 
Safety Requirements
Foods Entered in County and Statewide Competitions


Judges and individuals who will consume products from county and state competitions should be informed that they are at risk for foodborne illness since the established policy cannot guarantee that an entry which may be a "potentially hazardous food" has been properly prepared or handled before, during or following the competition. Tasting of a food product is solely at the discretion of the judge. Judges are NOT to taste any low-acid or acidified preserved food, like green beans or tomato products, and are discouraged from tasting any other home preserved food.

Consumers of competitive food exhibits being sold at auction or used for hospitality purposes should be notified they could be at risk for foodborne illness since the established policy cannot guarantee that an entry which may be a: 1. potentially hazardous food, 2. has been properly prepared or handled before, during, or following the competition.