Cooking Difficulty Levels

This website covers techniques and cooking methods that cover a range of difficulty levels. As you get comfortable using the HOTLOGIC^®, you may want to try more involved food preparation methods. In order to give you an idea of how complicated a recipe or technique may be, I am categorizing them as Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced level.

Beginner

At first everyone is just getting accustomed to the HOTLOGIC^®. This appliance only needs to be plugged in order to work. There is nothing to adjust. In the beginning most people use the HOTLOGIC^® as a slow, substitute microwave.

Heating store bought frozen cooked meals -If the box fits inside, just open one end to verify which way is up. Then fold close and place in the HOTLOGIC^®. If the box is too big, you can remove the tray from the box and set directly on the heating plate. The new paper containers are okay to place directly on the heating plate.
Reheating refrigerated or frozen leftovers – The HOTLOGIC^® can reheat leftovers or food that is cooked, portioned and frozen for future meals.
Melting butter or chocolate -Although it takes longer to melt in a HOTLOGIC^® than in a microwave, it is a much gentler method for turning a solid into a liquid.

Intermediate

Once you have become comfortable with the HOTLOGIC^®, you can cook raw meat and other ingredients. There are some ingredients that require a higher heat than what can be reached in a HOTLOGIC^® such as wheat flour, uncooked pasta and traditional rice. These should be avoided. There are still plenty ingredients left from which to choose.

Store bought, ready to cook, simple meals-Except for bacon wrapped items, most of these types of meals work well. Although, I don’t recommend cooking any fish-based meals at work. The smells will get out and will irritate your co-workers.
Raw meat – Chicken, turkey, beef, fish all cook well in a HOTLOGIC^®.
Grains and seeds – Except for rice, all the other grains in grout/kernel form cook well. Wild rice is from a different plant than white or brown rice, and if pre-soaked, will cook just fine.
Fruit based desserts – When cooking just the fruit filling, it is easy to mix up the filling and bake it in the HOTLOGIC^®. A crumble crust on top will not cook well, if at all.

Pear poached in white wine ready to eat and served with fruit flavored wine.

Advanced

In this category I am putting desserts that have several steps with long cooking times in between the steps. Also included are recipes that require attention to times or the use of additional tools.

Chef’s Torch – Used to add a quick browning to food cooked in sealed dishes.
Cheesecake – The steps are simple, but it can take more that 24 hours to make if the crust is baked for 8+ hours before the filling is added.
Cookies – Specific ingredients are required, which may not already be in your pantry. The smallest batch makes about 18 cooking and the HOTLOGIC^® Mini can only cook six at a time for 3 1/2 – 4 hours. The remainder of the dough needs to be stored until it can be portioned and baked.