Christine Animal Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 A while ago, never having owned one, I asked on here what people found microwaves useful for. Though still not feeling the need for it, I purchased one on offer one day in the supermarket a couple of years ago, but it's still in its box! [:D]I just saw this article and thought maybe I could get it out to at least clean my dirty sponges! But reading the comments below, this is not good for the microwave which should not be used nearly empty. Another comment says "You know that microwaving is actually BAD for you? It takes out all of the nutrients in your food and by consuming it you therefore are eating a lot of empty calories. I've also read in weight loss books that microwaving ultimately gains you weight."http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/15-who-knew-uses-for-your-microwave-2527346/ Question: Do you still use one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Yes, Christine, I use one which is given to me by friends who moved back to the UK.I use it to warm up the milk for our breakfast coffee and, occasionally, I use it to warm up veg stew for OH (who doesn't eat meat) and I am cooking a meat based meal for guests.C'est tout....certainly do not use it to cook or for any other purpose. Oh, I forget, sometimes I put a pile of plates in it to warm, that is, in the new house as there is no poêle à bois here or anything really that can quickly warm plates up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Excellent for making ,baked potato,scrambled egg,rice,etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 We bought our first microwave oven in 1981 and have used them ever sinceWhat for?Cooking vegetables (if nutrients are lost, please explain why they are retained in boiling :-) ), defrosting bread, heating up defrosted meals (no, not packets), its the quickest way I know to make a jacket potato (waits for the purists to come along and decry the taste..........)And now I've got a new one with a grill - which saves me using the one on the oven which is 90cm across!How on earth does it make you gain weight?If you like steam in your kitchen and can waits hours for a baked potato then don't bother using it.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I agree - great for baking potatoes (but I like them finished off either in the oven or on the barbecue so they're crispy), softening butter, defrosting anything, scrambled egg - lots of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 How do you "scramble" the egg while in the microwave? It only takes a minute to scramble in a saucepan, or do you mean it comes out better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frecossais Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Much easier to clean microwave containers that have cooked scrambled eggs and porridge than saucepans in which they were cooked.Christine, when I cook scrambled egg in microwave, I don't have to keep stirring in case they burn. Once I've beaten the mixture, I put in micro for 2 min, give it a stir add cheese or whatever, then cook for a further 2 min. Perfect every time!But you do have to know the power of your micro in order to time your eggs correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 [quote user="Christine Animal"]Question: Do you still use one? [/quote]Yes!For instance, to melt chocolate or butter in 2 mn, to cook rice in 10 m, to heat a cup of milk for hot chocolate in the mug I'll be drinking it from... Scambled eggs, jacket spuds, as mentioned before and in this hit weather, to steam whatever veg without heating up the kichen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 We use ours daily for heating milk, reheating cooked foods, defrosting, warming chilled red wine, cooking ready meals (yes, we eat them at times), cooking eggs (carefully), making certain sauces, etc, etc. Quick, easy and clean and neither of my heads has noticed any health side-effects after 20 years of doing so.We bought one for Mum a few years ago. After a few failures - over-defrosting cheesecakes and the like and turning them to gloop - she reserves it now for finishing off sprouts and other vege, just to make sure they are cooked, after they have had their 40 minutes boiling away in the saucepan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Microwave excellent for cooking fish. Never used it for scrambled eggs. I find a non-stick pan works fine for my scrambled eggs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 [quote user="Alan Zoff"]We bought one for Mum a few years ago. After a few failures - over-defrosting cheesecakes and the like and turning them to gloop - she reserves it now for finishing off sprouts and other vege, just to make sure they are cooked, after they have had their 40 minutes boiling away in the saucepan. [/quote]Yeah, I remember veg cooked just the way your mum does them![:D]Rabbie, I have never succeeded cooking fish in mine. The fish disintegrates and the bits stick themselves all over the inside of the micro [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I always do fish at half power and then it doesn't explode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 I'm still not so sure about all this! [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I forgot to say defrosting!I use it a lot to defrost whatever Mr Clair was meant to take out of the freezer the day before...Ours has a separate setting for fish, meat, chicken and bread, so no dried-out bits with frozen centres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 [quote user="sweet 17"][quote user="Alan Zoff"] We bought one for Mum a few years ago. After a few failures - over-defrosting cheesecakes and the like and turning them to gloop - she reserves it now for finishing off sprouts and other vege, just to make sure they are cooked, after they have had their 40 minutes boiling away in the saucepan. [/quote]Yeah, I remember veg cooked just the way your mum does them![:D]Rabbie, I have never succeeded cooking fish in mine. The fish disintegrates and the bits stick themselves all over the inside of the micro [:(][/quote]I use a microwave steamer, the fish sits on a plastic tray with holes in it, underneath a little water; similar for vegetables.[IMG]http://www.simplysmartliving.com/assets/images/pg_microwave_steamer.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham & Brenda Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Good for making porridge - and much more besides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 S17 you must cover many things in cling film. I do.I rarely actually 'cook' in mine, but would never be without one. I use it for defrosting and reheating, but not everything, pastry goes soggy. Also, I make my lemon curd in it. I make the base for my chocolate mousse in it and start cooking jacket potatoes in it, then finish them in the oven, a real time saver.A friend in France put an egg in hers to boil it, needless to say it exploded, and she didn't understand why, even when it was explained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Well she's about like me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluzo Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 I cant believe that nobody has said they use their microwave for reheating their cups of tea that they have let get cool !!!!! I think thats what I use mine for mostly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Yuk, Cluzo, NOT for re-heating tea or even coffee!No, I'd have to make a fresh cup if I'd let mine go cold. Mind you, sometimes when OH brings me tea in bed and I don't wake up to drink it and it goes cold, I either have to just pinch my nose and gulp it down or surreptitiously tip it in the sink before he notices.I don't want to seem ungrateful by not drinking the tea he's made but I really HATE "gone off" tea![:'(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Well cluzo, as I only drink earl grey or lady grey, no milk or sugar, it reheats fine as does black coffee, well I am happy enough with it, I never liked it reheated when there was milk in it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluzo Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 But Ive got a memory like a sieve Sweets - Id be making 50 cups a day !!! sometimes it goes in and out 5 or 6 times - BUT - perhaps its because I have a very odd sense of taste and smell - I think tea still tastes like it used to but maybe it doesnt !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frecossais Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Article in today's paper about making your own potato crisps in the microwave. Apparently they're much healthier because no fat or oil is used. I'm afraid I can't give details at the moment as OH has taken the paper to bed to read. Will find out more tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I mainly use one for defrosting.The kids use it for heating up many things.It does bacon quite well if you can't be bothered frying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 [quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]I mainly use one for defrosting. The kids use it for heating up many things. It does bacon quite well if you can't be bothered frying it.[/quote]Microwaved bacon? Richard you spent too much time in Australia [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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