In article >,
says...
> A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
> Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
> put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes
> out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the
> bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two
> and same happens in both.
>
> Thanks guys gals !
>
> Josh The Bad Bear
>
>
>

You may get the soup around the edges of the bowl boiling before the
rest of the soup gets hot. 4 minutes does seem like a long time, does
the same thing happen with water?

--
Peter Aitken

"Joshuall" wrote:
> A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
> Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
> put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes
> out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the
> bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two
> and same happens in both.

What quantity of soup you talkin'? On average most microwave ovens
will bring a cup of liquid to a boil in 4 minutes... probably you're
heating more than 8 ounces. Microwave ovens are very quantity
sensitive... even a small additional amount raises the cooking time
substantially. And when heating fatty foods, like cream soups, it's a
good idea to use medium power, and stir occasionally.... myself, I'd
heat cream soups on the stove top, while paying attention to
temperature and stirring.

On Apr 11, 4:31?pm, Peter A > wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>
> > A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
> > Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
> > put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes
> > out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the
> > bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two
> > and same happens in both.
>
> > Thanks guys gals !
>
> > Josh The Bad Bear
>
> You may get the soup around the edges of the bowl boiling before the
> rest of the soup gets hot. 4 minutes does seem like a long time,

How can you determine what's a long time without knowing the quantity
being heated? duh

Sheldon

"Joshuall" > wrote in message
. ..
>A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
>Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
>put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it
>comes out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in
>the bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have
>two and same happens in both.
>

Dump it in a saucepan and stir it til it boils!

"Peter A" > wrote i:
>> Josh The Bad Bear
>>
>>
>>
>
> You may get the soup around the edges of the bowl boiling before the
> rest of the soup gets hot.

This is what I hate about mving soup. I think it is actually faster to
just heat it up in a saucepan on the stove.

"cybercat" > wrote:
> "Joshuall" > wrote:
>>A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can
>>of Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I
>>can put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it
>>comes out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in
>>the bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have
>>two and same happens in both.
>>
>
> Dump it in a saucepan and stir it til it boils!

Generally that's what I do these days. It seems so much easier. I'm not sure
it's faster though. The problem with microwaving so many things is only a
relatively thin area on the outside gets heated, and it takes a while for
the heat to move in to the rest of the food. In some cases the outside or
thin parts are so overcooked, while the interior is raw. This is even true
of thicker soups that don't "convect" very well. They have to be stirred. If
you have to stop the microwave, take the food out and stir it a couple of
times, you might as well do it in a pot on the stove.

--
wff_ng_7 (at) verizon (dot) net

A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes
out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the
bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two
and same happens in both.

Thanks guys gals !

Josh The Bad Bear

"Joshuall" > wrote in message
. ..
>A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
>Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can put
>it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes out it
>is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the bowl! Any
>ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two and same
>happens in both.
>
> Thanks guys gals !
>
> Josh The Bad Bear

There are several possibilities:

1. The container (bowl) is absorbing the energy or some of the energy.
2. Your nuker is on the fritz.
3. You are using a pre-setting that uses lower than 100% power.
4. Your milk is very very cold. Take the temperature of the mixed soup
5. Try increasing the time in 30 second or 1 minute increments.

Dimitri

Joshuall wrote:
> A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
> Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
> put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes
> out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the
> bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two
> and same happens in both.
>
> Thanks guys gals !
>
> Josh The Bad Bear
Are you sure the whole bowl is lukewarm when it comes out? Try a taste
from the side, right next to the curve of the bowl. Then try another
spoonful from the very center. Huge difference, right?


Try this:

stop after a minute and a half or so. stir.

stop again after about 3 minutes. stir.

stir once more after 4 minuts and remove.

The reason:
microwaves cook foods from the outside towards the inside. Thus,
generally the edges get hot much faster than the center and they
continue to out-heat (new word?) the rest of the bowl. Stirring mixes
the hot with the still-cold middle, evening out temperatures and using
the power more effectively.After 4 minutes you'll have a much higher
average temperature throughout.

I am no expert, but I have eaten many a lunch that LOOKED and FELT (by
the container) hot, only to be stone-cold in the middle. And when
there's 2 microwaves in the teacher's lounge, and 17 people with
lunches to be microwaved, you won't get a second chance til 5 minutes
before the bell rings - if you're lucky! You learn to stir and MAKE
SURE its good and hot before giving up your place in line.

Dimitri wrote on 11 Apr 2007 in rec.food.cooking

>
> "Joshuall" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a
> >can of Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can
> >of milk. I can put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly
> >four mins. When it comes out it is just luke warm, though it looks as
> >though it's boiling in the bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering.
> >Microwave is fine, we have two and same happens in both.
> >
> > Thanks guys gals !
> >
> > Josh The Bad Bear
>
> There are several possibilities:
>
> 1. The container (bowl) is absorbing the energy or some of the
> energy. 2. Your nuker is on the fritz.
> 3. You are using a pre-setting that uses lower than 100% power.
> 4. Your milk is very very cold. Take the temperature of the mixed
> soup 5. Try increasing the time in 30 second or 1 minute
> increments.
>
> Dimitri
>
>
>

If you haven't throughly mixed milk and soup...the milk might absorb most
of the energy (due to a higher sugar content) and the soup might cool it
down. So it (the milk) is truly boiling along the outside edge of the
container but the center is still coolish. Is another possibility.

"Joshuall" > wrote in message
. ..
>A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
>Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
>put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it
>comes out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in
>the bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have
>two and same happens in both.

What type of container? It is possible that the container is blocking some
of the waves so it is heating from the top only instead of all around. If
it is a very thick bowl, it is absorbing some of the heat from the soup too.

On Apr 11, 4:35?pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> "Joshuall" > wrote in message
>
> . ..
>
> >A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
> >Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can
> >put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it
> >comes out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in
> >the bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have
> >two and same happens in both.
>
> Dump it in a saucepan and stir it til it boils!

I guess you stir it really, really fast to genereate enough heat...
wouldn't it be easier to heat the soup with a stovetop burner.

Dimitri wrote:
> "Joshuall" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can of
>> Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I can put
>> it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it comes out it
>> is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling in the bowl! Any
>> ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we have two and same
>> happens in both.
>>
>> Thanks guys gals !
>>
>> Josh The Bad Bear
>
> There are several possibilities:
>
> 1. The container (bowl) is absorbing the energy or some of the energy.
> 2. Your nuker is on the fritz.
> 3. You are using a pre-setting that uses lower than 100% power.
> 4. Your milk is very very cold. Take the temperature of the mixed soup
> 5. Try increasing the time in 30 second or 1 minute increments.
>
> Dimitri


What Dimitri said, but also try stirring the soup halfway through the
nuking time. It sounds as though the soup nearest the sides of the bowl
is getting hot but the heat isn't transferring because the bowl is
absorbing most of it. Stir! (Also try a differnt bowl, maybe tempered
glass, or even a measuring cup for heating.)

gloria p

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Apr 11, 4:35?pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
>> "Joshuall" > wrote in message
>>
>> . ..
>>
>> >A baffeling oddity. We have a higher powered microwave. When I mix a can
>> >of
>> >Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk. I
>> >can
>> >put it in the microwave on highest power for nearly four mins. When it
>> >comes out it is just luke warm, though it looks as though it's boiling
>> >in
>> >the bowl! Any ideas how come ? Just wondering. Microwave is fine, we
>> >have
>> >two and same happens in both.
>>
>> Dump it in a saucepan and stir it til it boils!
>
> I guess you stir it really, really fast to genereate enough heat...
> wouldn't it be easier to heat the soup with a stovetop burner.
>

Sheldon, you are not funny.

"cybercum" wrote:
> "Sheldon" wrote:
> > "cyberscum" wrote:
> >> Dump it in a saucepan and stir it til it boils!
>
> > I guess you stir it really, really fast to genereate enough heat...
> > wouldn't it be easier to heat the soup with a stovetop burner.
>
> Sheldon, you are not funny.

Cybercum, you are not smart.

Sheldon

<snippy>
>>>When I mix a can of
> > > Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of chicken) with a can of milk.
<snippy
> How can you determine what's a long time without knowing the quantity
> being heated? duh

It seems to me that "I mix a can of Campbells cream soup (Let's say cream of
chicken) with a can of milk" is a pretty close estimate of quantity...

Thank you all. All had excellent suggestions that just didn't occur to me. I
think many of you hit the mark. I will try all of your suggestions. The only
reason I haven't heated in the past on the stove is that it seems to stick
and burn so easlily. I hate to stand and stir <g>. In any event you all gave
me some help for which I am grateful. Do have a great week and thank you
again for always answering my questions.



Josh The Bad Bear