Make Oven the Last Stop in Your Buffet Line

The microwave makes it possible to serve many types of make-your-own buffets, and these can significantly cut down the work of the host or hostess. Like the popular salad bar, a microwave buffet lets each person build whatever combination he or she wants. With a microwave at the end of the buffet line, you can offer more substantial entrees, which can be heated individually by each guest.

Before serving a microwave buffet, you may want to make a trial run by reheating the food you are offering to see how long an average serving will take to microwave. Most serving-size portions take one to three minutes to heat at HIGH (100% power) or MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power). Even with just one microwave, the heating time shouldn’t create a bottleneck in a serving line. If your microwave is portable, you can move it to a place where it’s convenient to the buffet setup, such as your dining room table or other open area.

Be sure that serving bowls or plates are microwave safe and that they don’t get too hot for bare hands to hold.

When there’s absolutely no time for preparation just before serving, choose a popular stew such as beef stew or chili or a good seafood chowder--or offer a choice of stews. Make them ahead and refrigerate in their serving dishes. Stir well before placing on the buffet. Bread, coleslaw or fruit salad and cookies for dessert complete this easy menu.

Nacho Bar

Or offer a nacho bar. This is always popular with children and teen-agers. Set out bowls of corn chips, shredded cheese and toppings such as diced onion, green pepper, tomato chunks and chiles. For heartier fare, I also like to offer cooked sausage or hamburger for topping the nachos, along with salsa. Provide heavy paper plates for microwaving the nachos.

Hot sandwiches or long loaves of Italian bread filled with several kinds of meats and cheeses also are good ideas. Let everyone slice off as much as they want, then heat each portion according to how many inches they’ve sliced--it takes about 30 seconds per inch at MEDIUM-HIGH.

The hot turkey sandwich that follows is a luxuriously rich entree that lends itself to a microwave buffet. In Kentucky, this sandwich is called a “Hot Brown� and is very popular at Kentucky Derby time.

For dessert, offer one or two types of fruit or nut pies to warm in the microwave. A slice of pie takes from 15 to 30 seconds at HIGH, depending on its size.

HOT BROWN BUFFET

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

3 cups milk

Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 egg yolks

4 to 8 slices bacon

8 slices toast

1 pound cooked turkey breast, thinly sliced

4 medium firm-ripe tomatoes, sliced

Place butter and flour in 2-quart microwave-safe casserole. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, whisking well after 1 minute, until well cooked and slightly dry. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH 9 to 12 minutes, whisking every 3 minutes, until smooth and thickened. Whisk in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, salt, white pepper and egg yolks. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

To reheat sauce, microwave, covered, at HIGH for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking every 2 minutes, until hot. If sauce is too thick to flow from spoon, add small amount of milk during last 2 minutes.

Just before serving, arrange bacon in single layer in paper-towel-lined microwave-safe dish or meat rack. Cover with more paper towels and microwave at HIGH 45 seconds to 1 minute per slice, rotating half a turn after 25 or 30 seconds.

When ready to serve, place in following order: toast slices, turkey, tomatoes, reheated sauce, bacon and additional Parmesan cheese. Microwave sandwiches individually at HIGH 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size, until hot. Makes 4 servings.

TACO SALAD BUFFET

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped green peppers

1/3 cup catsup

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups cooked or canned chili beans in sauce or gravy

12 to 16 ounces corn chips

2 cups shredded sharp or mild Cheddar cheese

6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (1 small head)

2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 cups sour cream

Crumble beef in 2-quart microwave-safe casserole. Add onions and green peppers. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes, until meat is evenly browned. Drain well. Add catsup, chili powder, cumin and undrained beans. If mixture seems dry, add up to 1/4 cup water. Cover and microwave at HIGH 5 to 6 more minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, arrange 6 to 8 shallow microwave-safe bowls or rimmed plates, then corn chips, beef mixture and cheese in line on buffet table. Let guests assemble layers as desired, then microwave portions at HIGH 2 to 3 minutes until beef is hot and cheese is partially melted. Guests can top heated food with lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sour cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.