Use Caution In Making Hot Drinks

It’s good to know that when the children drag home from school, tired, hungry and chilled, you can revive them with steaming cups of cocoa or old-fashioned chocolate.

Making hot beverages the microwave way is a snap, as many of you may already have discovered. But no matter how experienced you are, you should bear these points in mind whenever you microwave hot drinks:

--Never heat drinks in foam cups (they may melt), mugs with glued-on handles (the glue may melt) or in those with decorative metal trim, which can cause arcing (dangerous sparking inside the microwave oven).

--Never heat milk-based beverages on HIGH (100% power)--they’ll boil over. And always use a container at least twice the volume of the ingredients put into it.

--To further minimize the risk of boil-overs, microwave milk-based drinks for the minimum recommended time. Also watch them closely. Water-based drinks can be microwaved on HIGH--they’re less likely to boil over.

--Use an automatic temperature probe, if you have one, for microwave beverages. Following manufacturer’s directions, set the desired temperature and the probe will turn the oven off before the drink boils over. The probe’s hold setting (150 to 160 degrees) will keep drinks properly hot.

--When cooking four or more milk-based drinks at once, arrange them in a circle and rearrange once or twice during microwaving.

--Stir all beverages before serving to distribute heat uniformly.

--To reheat cooled beverages, microwave each cup, uncovered, on HIGH, in 30-second increments.

--With an automatic temperature probe set at 150 degrees (20 degrees lower for children), you can heat milk right in the glass or mug--provided it’s microwave-safe.

HOT BUTTERSCOTCH MILK

1 1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Microwave milk in uncovered microwave-safe 2 cup measure on MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until hot. Add sugar and vanilla and stir until sugar dissolves. Serve in 12-ounce heat-resistant glass or mug. Makes 1 serving.

Variations:

Hot Vanilla Milk: Prepare as directed, substituting 2 to 3 teaspoons superfine sugar for brown sugar and increasing vanilla to 1 teaspoon.

Hot Honey-Molasses Milk: Prepare as directed substituting 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon molasses for brown sugar and omitting vanilla.

Because this milk mixture contains water, it can be microwaved on HIGH (100% power) with little danger of boiling over.

HOT COCOA

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/3 cups water

2 2/3 cups milk

4 marshmallows, optional

Combine sugar and cocoa powder in microwave-safe 2-quart measure. Whisk in water and microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100% power) 4 1/2 to 5 minutes, whisking at half time, or until boiling.

Boil 1 full minute. Add milk and microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 3 to 3 1/2 minutes until hot. Whisk again, pour into mugs and top with marshmallows. Makes 4 servings.

OLD-FASHIONED HOT CHOCOLATE

2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

1 quart milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks, optional

Combine chocolate, milk and sugar in uncovered microwave-safe 2-quart measure and microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 9 to 10 minutes, whisking every 3 minutes, until chocolate melts and mixture is blended (do not boil).

Stir in vanilla. Pour into mugs and and top with whipped cream. Makes 4 servings.