Microwaves - Love 'Em Or Hate 'Em

TastyReuben

TastyReuben

Nosh 'n' Splosh
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Carried over from another topic, do you have/use a microwave? If so, how do you use it? If not, why not?

As I mentioned in the other topic, I do have one, but's it's mainly to heat water, milk, or to melt butter or shortening.

How about you?
 
It may be I just old fashion, I say before I have but I never use thing. I know they fast to cook but how can develop flavour? No grazie I stick to my range. Only reason thing in kitchen is Antonio bought me, I think Ray use few time when I no well but me no.

Sarana x
 
Even getting water hot, I use it less for that than I used to. Now I just use my Keurig for hot water, most times.

I'm making beef stew today and I needed some broth, and I used the powdered stuff mixed with hot water (no cartons of broth or stock at the moment), and I just squirted 20 ounces or so of near-boiling water out of my Keurig - a lot faster than even the microwave.
 
Warming up a hot drink, melting butter, sometimes partially defrosting items if I forget to take out of freezer. Husband uses it daily to reheat left overs when he comes home for lunch.
 
I use mine a lot more than most people, I think. This is mainly because I did some research on the topic a long time ago.

One thing I do sometimes is speeding up the proving of bread dough. Simply put your covered dough in the bowl in which it is to rise in the microwave and heat for 10 seconds. Leave for ten minutes and repeat. Repeat once more if you want a really fast proving.

I'll add more things I use the microwave for later.
 
I just use the vile hellspawn to reheat the mashed potatoes for the eldest stepson that he eats every day. I can't get my self to cook from scratch the same dish every single day just for him. If he was not around we would not have a microwave.

Otherwise I use the oven for reheating if needed. Tastes much better.
 
We don't have one, never have. It's probably ill informed prejudice, but I'm not comfortable with those waves flying about the kitchen. A mobile phone is a necessary evil, but I'm not too comfortable with those either, and that's before we get to the 5G stage.

On a different level, I don't like what they represent. A microwave is a symbol of speed and convenience, designed for an age where cooking was of secondary importance, food an afterthought and as a substitute for planning ahead. I cannot think of any dish that I eat that would benefit from cooking in a microwave.
 
We cook rice in ours, cook frozen meals, soften butter, and heat frozen bags of finely chopped veges. Individual packs for two people. Quick n easy.

Russ
 
I use mine to heat water for tea (when I am drinking tea by myself - my tea-loving friends would be offended if I didn't use the tea-kettle, and the microwave would indeed defeat that ambiance...)

I use it for re-heating coffee.

I use it for re-heating certain types of leftovers that are not going to be badly affected by the use. For instance, I use the oven to re-heat pizza.

I use it to re-heat take out, again depending on what it is.

I've used it to make asparagus (depending), and to melt butter or chocolate for specific purposes.

But I would say it is really not an essential appliance here.
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I have a little circular spot on my cooktop, about the size of a teacup saucer, that's labeled as "Warming Zone" - press a button and it warms up a bit.

I frequently use it to keep my tea/coffee warm when I'm cooking breakfast, and if I know I need melted butter for something, I'll put it in a little dish and set it on that and in about five minutes, it's melted, and no sudden spattering, like the microwave. :okay:
 
Another thing I'll use my microwave for is to make simple syrup for cocktails. Get some water and sugar warm in the microwave, then give it a stir, then into a little jar, and it keeps for a month or so (though it never lasts that long).

I will confess, though, that today's simple syrup was made with hot water squirted out of my Keurig. :)
 
I must post up something I discovered the other day by experimenting. Its 'gold dust' in terms of taste. It takes but a minute or so in the microwave (plus grating) and it keeps for future use. You can all have a go at guessing what it might be until tomorrow. :D I need to edit the photos before I post...
 
I use my microwave, not often but it has its uses. When we bought our new kitchen I had to get rid of my old microwave as there was really no space for it. I think it was a Sharp 930. Very good bit of kit, convection oven, grill and microwave all in one. The new microwave is a bit smaller, is only a microwave and has less power.
However the old microwave has gone to a good home, it is now at work and prepares my colleagues (and my) meals when we are on late shift.

I do have one recipe book called 'microwave cooking' but have never cooked anything from it.
 
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