Do you actually use your Microwave??

carolanski

I cook from scratch nearly every day - I don't like ready meals - (they taste plastic and are never as good as my homemade stuff) but mainly I just love cooking.

Like most of you I start my Jacket spuds off, defrost meat I've forgotten to take out of the freezer, frozen veg like sweetcorn and peas (which are nicer from frozen than cans - and healthier, no added salt nor sugar); if my coffee's gone cold I reheat it but tea never tastes the same reheated (why is that?!), I always cook salmon in the MW 1 min 30 - 2 mins on med high - perfect, I always make white sauces in the MW, prefer scrambled eggs on the hob - when I MW them I forget to stir every few seconds and they end up hard - I like a runny scrambled egg. Leeks cooked with butter and stilton on top are great.

I used to make a mean pineapple upside-down cake - great because it doesn't need a browned top.

A few people have mentioned reheating Xmas puds in the MW - go one better and make your own MW Xmas pud, my Mum starting making homemade MW Xmas puddings about 20 years ago usig a recipe from the cookbook she got with our very first microwave and has been making her own ever since, as have I since I left home. Its really delicious - lighter in texture, you can taste the fruit better and can vary the ingredients according to what you like - I add dates, pecans and more booze - yum. Only take 7 - 10 minutes to cook from scratch.

If anyone wants the recipe let me know and I'll post it here

C

ps - my Mum lives in Spain and has a lemon tree - and always has tons of extra lemons - she makes microwave lemon curd with them and it is amazing - I always stock up my suitcase when I visit

Aeronaut

I use it to defrost items and also for a very quick cup of tea or coffee - much quicker than using a kettle

John

gb57

Mine hardly gets used either - reheating HM food, and starting off baked potatoes.

However, BuxtonRabbitgreen - PLEASE do you have the recipe for microwave meringue.

My rice never sticks to the pan - use good quality Basmati rice - just over half a cupful for 2 people, add salt and 1 cup cold water (if use 1 cup rice, use 2 cups water, etc). Use a good non-stick pan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil uncovered, stir, turn heat as low as poss, put lid on and cook until liquid has gone (not sure how long it takes, not very long though). Remove from heat, stand on tea-towel, put another (clean!) tea-towel between the pan and the lid. Leave while you finish off the rest of the meal. It will keep hot for ages, and sort of finishes off cooking and dries out. Never sticks and nice separate grains.

I got this from a magazine a few years ago and it always works for me

landgirl100

I can't find any substantiated evidence that food cooked in a microwave could be harmful, except in the sense that it might be hot and burn you. Microwaves work by making the water molecules in the food vibrate rapidly, which causes friction, which generates heat. Cooking is all about causing changes to protein molecules - think about turning an egg (separate yolk and white) into scramble. I really don't think there is anything special to worry about. Trust me, I'm a scientist!;)

mookybargirl

carolanski wrote: »

A few people have mentioned reheating Xmas puds in the MW - go one better and make your own MW Xmas pud, my Mum starting making homemade MW Xmas puddings about 20 years ago usig a recipe from the cookbook she got with our very first microwave and has been making her own ever since, as have I since I left home. Its really delicious - lighter in texture, you can taste the fruit better and can vary the ingredients according to what you like - I add dates, pecans and more booze - yum. Only take 7 - 10 minutes to cook from scratch.

If anyone wants the recipe let me know and I'll post it here

yes please

buxtonrabbitgreen

gb57 wrote: »

Mine hardly gets used either - reheating HM food, and starting off baked potatoes.

However, BuxtonRabbitgreen - PLEASE do you have the recipe for microwave meringue.

My rice never sticks to the pan - use good quality Basmati rice - just over half a cupful for 2 people, add salt and 1 cup cold water (if use 1 cup rice, use 2 cups water, etc). Use a good non-stick pan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil uncovered, stir, turn heat as low as poss, put lid on and cook until liquid has gone (not sure how long it takes, not very long though). Remove from heat, stand on tea-towel, put another (clean!) tea-towel between the pan and the lid. Leave while you finish off the rest of the meal. It will keep hot for ages, and sort of finishes off cooking and dries out. Never sticks and nice separate grains.

I got this from a magazine a few years ago and it always works for me

Gill I have pmd you. But here is the microwave meringue recipie for anyone else who wants it. 1 egg white
8- 10 oz 225-275g of icing sugar
whisk the egg white until stiff. Fold in the icing sugar to form a very stiff mix. Place one level teaspoon of mix into a paper case. Cook 6-7 meringues on PL9 (full power) for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 mins or until merigues do not "fall" when the microwave door is opened.

Lilacj

I read that it's not healthy to use a mw too much, so I use it to defrost stuff and warm plates. My mother who's 80 and a half, her words, uses it all the time. She had a new cooker 5 years ago and hasn't even opened the door. She has had a combination mw for about 15 years.:j
Cheers

benyvrakie

Easy to make porridge or scrambled egg for one.

Use your usual quantities - heat on high for one minute, stirr adding liquid if necessary - heat again for eg one minute depending on the power rating of your m/wave. Simple trial and error will soon bring perfection.

Also very usefule for heating soup in a cup, steaming fish etc

penny.wright

to heat plates you splash water on the plates first!

JayneC

I was getting quite excited about trying jam making but now I'm a bit scared I'll get cancer!!
I use mine to make scambled eggs mostly, also heating up my cups of tea that I've forgotton about.
Do baked spuds in there occasionally but they're really not that nice out of I microwave.
Another use I found is that if you have stale bread you can put it in mw for a few secs and it'll go soft again! I've only done a slice at a time not whole loaf!

I think I might just use the oven from now on though!