Microwave oven tricks to make your life easier

Let’s solve some problems for you with these Microwave oven tricks. When you are in a hurry. And/or you just would really like to get delicious results with less work, time and mess involved. Your microwave can accomplish a lot for you with less time and effort. Let’s go!

Thaw

You probably already know this but it’s so helpful that I just had to mention it again. When you want to get a meal on the table quick, but, all of the meat and fish is in the freezer. Just use the thaw setting on the microwave to thaw it out while you get the veggies chopped and the skillet or the oven heated up.

Cook it in the microwave

Sounds crazy but, yeah, even main courses like chicken parmesan can be done start to finish in the microwave. A few times I’ve done one or two portions of lasagna in the microwave. Steak – pork – lamb?  Nah.  Chicken, shrimp and fish? Oh yeah. Just smear them with the flavors that you want and watch them so that they don’t overcook. Potatoes and/or veggies too. Just put them in a bowl with a wee bit of water and microwave them in one minute sessions until done the way that you want them.

More Juice from Lemons and Limes

Just zap them for about fifteen to twenty seconds before juicing them. You will be surprised at how much more juice that you get. And, it will be a lot easier to squeeze the juice out.

Bacon Quick and Clean

Lay the bacon strips out on two layers of paper towels. Lay a single layer of paper towel on top but don’t press it down too tightly onto the bacon. Zap it for about 3 – 5 minutes depending on your microwave and how crispy that you like it. No cleanup! Or, put a ceramic bowl upside down on a large plate. Drape the bacon strips on the bowl. Cover it all with a paper towel. The grease will drip down onto the plate and the bacon will be dry and crispy. Just a little cleanup.

Popcorn

It’s quicker,  easier and cleaner than a pot. Put a little oil and the kernels in a microwave safe glass or ceramic, not plastic, bowl with a lid or lay a plate on top of the bowel. When the speed of the popping slows down to one every 2 – 3 seconds take it out and enjoy it.

Speed up the Potatoes

First. When you want baked potatoes, but, you don’t want to wait 45 minutes to bake them in the oven. Just poke a few holes in the skin with a fork or knife and nuke them for about 4-8 minutes until they are soft to a squeeze. And, when you want to have potatoes as part of a one skillet or a sheet pan dinner, but, they are going to take longer to cook than the rest of the ingredients. Just soften them up a little in the microwave. You can cut them up either before or after the time in the microwave.

Freshen up stale bread

For a large piece or loaf wrap it in a damp towel and zap it in ten second intervals until it is alive again. For only a slice or two just lay them out on a plate and do it in 3 second intervals. 

A few  microwave oven do’s and don’t’s

 

Do, always poke holes in foods with a skin on them. Like, potatoes, sausage, hot dogs, etc. So that they don’t explode.

Don’t, use metal cookware in a microwave. The microwaves can’t pass thru metal.

Do, use the thaw setting for thawing things out. I know it sounds like a no brainer. But, don’t be tempted to thaw it out even faster by using the regular cooking settings. You could burn the food  on the outside and the middle could still be frozen or raw.

Don’t, use the microwave to cook things in liquid. Like, pasta.

Do, keep the inside of it clean. Just wipe it down with a wet cloth or sponge after you use it. If you have some splatters inside that won’t just wipe off. Then, put two lemon halves in bowl with enough water to almost cover them. Cook them for five minutes. Carefully remove the bowl – it’s hot- and wipe off the  dirty spots.

Don’t, put aluminum foil in your microwave. You might like the fireworks but you could start an actual fire.

Do, cover dishes or bowls to reduce splatter and mess.

A few more Do’s and Don’ts

 

Don’t, put paper bags in a microwave.  A popcorn bag is a little different than the brown paper bag you get at the grocery store. Popcorn bags are treated with a material that’s made to absorb the radio waves in a microwave oven. Typical paper bags do not have that and can release toxins and fumes when warmed up. And could catch fire.

Do, use the microwave to help peel garlic. With fresh raw garlic just zap the cloves in the microwave for five or six seconds and they will be WAY easier to peel.

Don’t, put plastic bags or containers in the microwave. When heated up plastic releases some ugly gases that can be harmful.

Do, have the thickest parts of the foods outward toward the oven walls. Arrange foods of the same size, like potatoes in a circle or square with space between them and no item in the center.

Don’t, heat things up in styrofoam in the microwave. The styrofoam could melt and add bad chemicals into your food.