Microwaves

[Claire]

I know this subject has come and gone, but someone here reminded me of it, and it is time to resurrect it.

We all know you can heat stuff in the microwave, and often it is the very best way to reheat thick soups and stews.

But what other ways do you use yours? Be honest, now. I know that a lot of chefs simply will not admit when the nukulator is the best way to do something. Get real, live in the world where us housewives live. A lot of pros I know simply do not put a meal on the table for a slew of kids or relatives (after all, they are at work) 7 days a week.

How do you use the machine? What good recipes do you have for it?

 

[Claire]

I'll go first. My favorite way to use the microwave is to pre-cook foods I am going to grill, bake, broil or fry. I will pierce and "bake" potatoes and then finish them in the oven (nice, crispy, perfect baked potatoes) or fry them. Many thick vegetables I'm going to put over charcoal I at least bring up to temp in the microwave, then grill. My kitchen is not air-conditioned, and when I lived in the RV, the A/C unit could barely keep up. Nuking food to shorten the oven, frying pan, or charcoal time is a godsend.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Oooooh Claire, I'm so glad you started this thread. My friend who is an excellent cook told me how to do corn on the cob in the microwave. You buy it still in the shucks and nuke them on full power for 4 minutes per ear no matter how many. Meaning if you put 4 in there at one time, nuke for 16 minutes. No soaking or anything else. When they are done, take them out using kitchen mitts on each hand (they're really hot) and pull the shucks down or off. The silks come off so easily, too. Then just season and butter and they're perfect. I told my mom, who now lives alone and doesn't cook alot because it seems like too much trouble for just one. She's thrilled because this is one of her childhood favorites and it is absolutely no mess. Previously, she'd only used her microwave for reheating things and sometimes defrosting. My friend also does artichokes and rosemary new potatoes in the microwave because she says they are as good or better than the traditional way. And she's definitely an old school food "snob" who enjoys spending hours preparing foods for her family and friends.
Terry

 

[Alix]

Hmmm. I think an easier question to answer would be what DON'T you use the microwave for. For me, the only thing I don't do in the microwave is pasta. UGH! When we were renoing the kitchen I tried that and holy cow was that a disgusting mess.

My personal favorite in the microwave is popcorn. I think it was GB who explained to me that you can do it with regular kernels and a paper bag. That was a few years ago now, but I still do that one.

 

[Caine]

My microwave is broken. I can't even make popcorn any more!

When I did have a working microwave, I'd usually just reheat things in it, but I have used it to finish off fried or barbequed chicken that didn't cook through. I never liked the way "baked" potatoes came out in a microwave. They were more like steamed potatoes.

Long ago, in galaxie far away, I had some cake pans I could use to bake cakes in the microwave. Microwaved cakes come out spongier than they do in the oven, and they don't get any type of crust on the outside, but the taste is acceptable.

 

[Katie H]

I'm with Alix on this...except for the popcorn. For that, we use our Whirley-Popper.

One of the reasons I like microwaving is that I can make time- and labor-intensive dishes in a fraction of the time with far less to clean up. One of our family holiday favorite gelatin salads calls to melt pineapple juice and cream cheese in a double boiler, then stir in marshmallows. It's so much easier to put everything in a 2-quart glass bowl and nuke it all. This is just one example of the many shortcuts I've discovered with my microwave over the years.

Love our nuker.

 

[GotGarlic]

I use it to cook rice all the time, and haven't burned it since I started doing rice this way. I use the same proportions of rice, broth, and seasonings that I would use on the stove.

I can't eat pork bacon right now (love it, miss it greatly), but I had a taste for BLTs last week, since our tomato plants are doing so well, so I tried turkey bacon, and since our kitchen is being renovated, I cooked them in the microwave. They came out nice and crispy and tasted great.

I also have used it to pre-cook potatoes and finish meats that weren't cooked enough on the grill. My MIL gave me a recipe for corn pudding cooked in the microwave - it's delicious. And I use it to heat up leftovers, except for crispy things like fried fish or French fries - those go in the toaster oven. And I often use it to defrost meats before cooking.

I do like baked potatoes in the microwave, and it's an easy way to prepare to make twice-baked potatoes. For the second baking time, I do use the toaster oven, or oven, depending on how many I'm cooking for.

 

[bethzaring]

I use my microwave several times a day. Mostly for reheating, but for other things too. The first thing in the morning is to find some leftover coffee, add some cream, nuke it, then I am good to go, until the fresh coffee gets going. I do not do pop corn, I use the air popper for that, but I have perfected pasta!!! I do pasta and pesto for a quick lunch. And just last night I cooked some chopped cabbage before I tossed it with a leftover pork chop and onion sauce.

I will try the fresh sweet corn idea, thanks.

My meal planning is based on the use of the microwave. Now for dinner tonight I will not use it, but I will make enough to be able to nuke it for tomorrows' supper.

 

[Andy M.]

I use it for defrosting some frozen bread items, cook hot dogs, start baked potatoes, steam vegetables, reheat leftovers. I don't defrost meats in the microwave.

 

[Constance]

I learned how to make the most use of my microwave when we were building the house and didn't have a stove for 6 months.
I use it for baking potatoes, which I use many ways besides the usual. I use them for fried potato wedges, potato salad, mashed potatoes, and twice-baked potatoes that I finish off in the oven.
I cook all kinds of vegetables in the nuke, both fresh and canned. I use it for browning ground meat, sweating onions and other chopped vegies, cooking bacon, making spaghetti sauce, cooking casseroles, making meat loaf and more.
I also use it for making boxed rice mixes, but I've never tried doing regular rice. I'd really like to have your directions for that, GotGarlic.

And Beth, I'd love to know how you cook your pasta in it. When I tried it, the pasta turned out awful.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I only use it to heat foods like a quick snack or leftovers or maybe to heat a casserole I made ahead of time or to melt chocolate.I use the defrost function if I have ground meat that I forgot to thaw out.Thats about it.Sometimes microwave popcorn but I like popcorn made fresh on the stove better.

 

[Claire]

A lot of pros swear that you cannot melt cheese in preparation for fondue in the microwave, it has to be in a double boiler. Ditto other ingredients that have to be melted in prep work. Well, my fondue works every time, with no separation problems. I often use it to melt cheese or even just soften cheese. You DO have to pay attention to it (there is no formula, microwaves vary A LOT in power), you can't stick it in there and ignore it. But you can't throw it in to a double boiler and ignore it either. And this takes a lot less.

 

[lindatooo]

I generally use mine for re-heating and defrosting but the bagged pop corn is good. I like the quick-start idea as well. Also frozen veggies do well in the microwave.

 

[GotGarlic]

I also use it for making boxed rice mixes, but I've never tried doing regular rice. I'd really like to have your directions for that, GotGarlic.

Sorry, Constance, I just saw this.

Microwaved Rice

1 cup rice
1 3/4 cups liquid (water, or I use chicken broth)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried herbs to go with whatever is in the main dish
Any other additions you would like: citrus zest, onions or onion powder, garlic or garlic powder, etc.

In a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl or pot, add rice, liquid, salt, and other additions. Cook on high for 7 minutes, stir, then cook on high for 8 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes; fluff with fork and serve.

Enjoy

 

[Sandyj]

White sauce: melt butter, add flour, add cold milk, put back in microwave and stir every minute or so until thick
Oats Porridge when you're in a hurry: 1/2 cup raw oats in a deeper than usual bowl, pinch salt, cover with water, microwave for at least 2 minutes, stirring now and then
Scrambled eggs: 2 eggs, water, milk or cream, salt/pepper, dollop of butter, whisk, cook for a minute, wisk again, cook for a minute or less
Sunny side up eggs: egg in a teacup (you can "butter" the teacup), or put some water in it. If the egg is large and really cold, about 35-40 seconds. Less if the egg is room temp.
Rice (I know there is a recipe here already) - 1 cup raw rice, 2 cups water, salt in 2qt dish. Cook for 15 minutes on high. Check - if dry, add a bit more water and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
Fish Dish: In Corning Ware dish - 1/4 cup olive oil (or a bit less), cut up 1 onion into cubes, 2 tomatoes cubed and a punnet of mushrooms, sliced. Melt the butter (a few seconds) add the onion, cook for a minute or so until soft, add 1 heaped tbsp flour, salt/pepper thyme, a bit of mustard (hot), 2 tblsp. Worcestershire Sauce, a little bit of dried or fresh thyme & add the mushrooms & tomatoes. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add 2 or 3 pieces of tilapia fillet. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes.
Obviously, veggies, which I think everyone here mentioned - especially when you run out of stovetop space!
I've made cakes - mostly for use in a trifle, but in a pinch, I "iced" the cakes with whipped cream and strawberries.

 

[*amy*]

Claire, I love my microwave, & not ashamed to admit it. When they first came out, eons ago, I had a huge clunky thing that sat on my counter. (It's in my storeage area now.) I tried so many dishes - even lasagna & yes it turned out well. I have a built-in now, that came with. I use it for lots of things. Rather than boil veggies, imo they come out less soggy when prepped in the nuker, i.e. corn and butter wrapped in wax paper (not saran wrap or plastic). I also prep spaghetti squash in the MW.Like any cooking utensil/apparatus, I think one needs to know how to use it to its full advantage. I still have my original recipe book that came with, and there are some pretty good recipes I should go back and take a look at. Anything with a hard surface i.e. artichokes, I think would be a time saver prepped in the MW - rather than boiling away all the goodness/vitamins.

 

[llvllagical_llkook]

I use my microwave when defrosting, re-heating, melting cheese on something or making popcorn. Sometimes, for soup requiring potatoes, once they're washed, peeled, eyes removed and diced, I toss them into a microwavable dish with some water and cover it with a glass lid. Then, once done, I toss it with the soup. I have an electric stove so this just makes it faster. If I'm in a hurry, I microwave various veggies then fry them up so they're nice and tender, although I'd much rather steam them.

 

[GotGarlic]

If I'm in a hurry, I microwave various veggies then fry them up so they're nice and tender, although I'd much rather steam them.

Why not just cook them in the microwave till they're done? Put them in a mw-safe dish with a few tbsp of water, cover and cook till done. They're steamed

 

[Treklady]

I used to use it a lot more often, but just recently I gave it up. I use it rarely if ever. Don't get me wrong, I use it for emergencies, but I prefer to warm my left-overs up on the stove. I'm just not sold on what that microwave is doing to my food.

I was never a huge user of it, so if they took mine out of my home, I could easily survive.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I learned how to make the most use of my microwave when we were building the house and didn't have a stove for 6 months.
I use it for baking potatoes, which I use many ways besides the usual.

We did that, too, when we were renovating the kitchen. It was only for about 2 months but everything we ate came from the microwave or a slow cooker or the local pizza joint. I was surprised at how well we managed to eat although I sure did miss baked things. The day we installed the "new" stove, I spent the rest of the day baking bread, cake, brownies and cookies. We definitely got our carbs that day!