Jackson EMC has offered information about electric cooking and
kitchen appliances since its founding. 

Cooking with less energy

On the Stove Top

• Match the saucepan to the size of the heating element.
• Use heavy-gauge saucepans with flat bottoms and straight sides. Copper or aluminum are good heat conductors and are often used on the bottom of stainless steel pans to improve heat conductivity. Cast iron heats slowly but cooks evenly.
• Cover pans to help food heat more quickly.
• Use as little water as possible for boiling and steaming.
• Once food is boiling, it's as hot as it can physically get. A gentle boil cooks just as fast as a vigorous one.

In the Oven

• Microwave cooking takes up to 75 percent less energy than conventional cooking.
• When possible, cook more than one dish at a time. Think ahead. For example, bake potatoes or a casserole for the next day while cooking dinner.
• Use the self-cleaning feature only when necessary and start the cleaning cycle when the oven is still hot from cooking.
• Keep the oven door closed as much as possible. Every time you open the oven door, as much as 20 percent of the heat escapes.

Improving Baking Results

If your baked goods are browning unevenly or not cooking in the time indicated in the recipe, here are a few things to look for:

• Make sure your oven is at the specified temperature by purchasing an oven thermometer and placing it in the center of the oven.
• Be sure to preheat your oven — usually for about 10 minutes — if the recipe calls for it. Items such as biscuits and cookies have such a short cooking time that preheating can make a big difference in your results.
• Dark, dull baking pans brown the bottom of baked goods more rapidly than shiny pans do. If you're using dark-colored pans, try reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
• Make sure air can circulate in the oven. Leave one to two inches of space around pans. If you put aluminum foil on your oven rack — not a bad idea if you're cooking something like a fruit pie that can boil over — be sure you leave at least two inches around the back and sides. When baking on more than one rack, if possible place the pans so that one pan is not directly over another one.