Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

Do you use a microwave? If so, what for?

76 replies

AnonymousBird · 26/03/2011 14:04

I've never had one, other than in student digs a zillion years ago. My mum always told me they were common Hmm and meant you weren't cooking properly. DH not a big fan either, so we've just never had one.

I don't have room for one in the kitchen, and also they are damned ugly, so I don't want one on show. But in my newly laid out utility room I would have room to put one on top of the washing machine. Everyone I know seems to have one, and people have always been amazed when they came round with our DC were younger that they then couldn't heat up their bottles/baby food or whatever. Am I missing out?

But, I'm not sure what I would really use it for? I wouldn't spend much money on one either, so if it is one of those things that is rubbish if you buy a cheap one, then I also need to know this!

Thanks.

OP posts:
BelligerentGhoul · 26/03/2011 20:59

I don't have a recipe but this is what I do -

put a load of golden syrup in the bottom of a glass dish - either a pudding basin or one of those little Pyrex ones - add a bit of lemon juice if wished

make a sponge mix with 2 eggs to 4 oz butter, sugar, flour
or 3 eggs to 6

Stick the sponge over the syrup and cook until done - probably between 6 and 8 minutes, I guess but just check every now and then. It smells lovely too!

Ooopsadaisy · 26/03/2011 21:00

We hardly ever eat at the same time. Shift work/hobbies/erratic work hours/social lives.

I refuse to make more than one meal so I cook once and anyone who's not there, reheats their dinner in the microwave.

UptoapointLordCopper · 26/03/2011 21:19

Prawn crackers. 30 seconds, no oil, no fuss.

BelligerentGhoul · 26/03/2011 21:24

Guess what's cooking in my microwave now? :)

BrilliantDisguise · 26/03/2011 22:00

BG- do you have to put a lid or cover over the bowl? Sounds dangerously quick and easy...

BelligerentGhoul · 26/03/2011 22:02

I've never bothered covering it.

We've just eaten it - I did the three egg mix and it was probably enough for six people but four of us ate it all up! It took longer to cook than I'd guessed though - probably around ten mins.

HopeForTheBest · 27/03/2011 08:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

wubblybubbly · 27/03/2011 09:02

HFTB, I think you need to share some of these recipes!

Hollandaise and creme brulee in particular please, if it's not too much trouble? I love them both, but can never be bothered with the faff of making them. I hadn't even considered the possibility of the microwave. Genius.

Chil1234 · 27/03/2011 11:34

Today my microwave has heated up some baked beans and melted a tablet of jelly!

Scootergrrrl · 27/03/2011 11:37

I NEED the microwave hollandaise recipe. Please, please, please.

SardineQueen · 27/03/2011 13:31
Fresh2death · 27/03/2011 13:37

surely for heating/ cooking things? unless you have a special suggested use for a microwave?

Ponders · 27/03/2011 13:42

Main uses:

cooking frozen peas - absolutely the best way. (But not other frozen veg they go soggy/rubbery/both)
softening butter
defrosting meat & bread
poaching eggs (sometimes the yolks explode, that's always fun)
jacket spuds (mine has a grill & a jacket spud button so they get a bit crispy on the outside)
heating individual sponge puddings
reheating plated leftovers

Ponders · 27/03/2011 13:46

oh, & reheating cold tea

Mummy2Bookie · 27/03/2011 14:09

Warming up home cooked meals. We don't buy ready meals.

HopeForTheBest · 27/03/2011 14:51

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

wubblybubbly · 27/03/2011 17:45

Ooh thank you HopefortheBest, that's fantastic. Lemon curd too, yum Grin

I'm going to impress my family this week.

HopeForTheBest · 27/03/2011 18:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

DonaAna · 27/03/2011 18:50

Thanks for the great recipes.

I need to mention this gem from my cookbook collection: a spiral-bound cookbook from the 1980s - Let's cook Microwave! If you like retro and irony, it's worth it just for the cover.

She does everything in the microwave - ripens avocados, makes children's play dough, softens soap leftovers, peels tomatoes, brings out the bouquet of her wine collection...

Happy microwaving! Grin

wubblybubbly · 28/03/2011 00:26

Gosh, that woman looks spookily like a young version of Deirdre Barlow's mother Grin

Original poster
AnonymousBird · 28/03/2011 09:35

Wow a very unexpectedly full (but very welcome) response!!

Thanks.

So it seems that microwaves are quite popular then (!). Is there anything that they can't do?!

OP posts:
HopeForTheBest · 28/03/2011 10:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

UptoapointLordCopper · 28/03/2011 10:56

Apparently you can soften brown sugar too:
www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/12/brown-sugar-hard-fort

Avocado-ripening would be magic!

HopeForTheBest · 28/03/2011 14:46

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

BelligerentGhoul · 28/03/2011 18:06

'Let's Cook Microwave' - hmmm - does that make any grammatical sense whatsoever?

Ponders -

Let's cook A microwave
Let's cook IN THE microwave
Let's cook WITH the microwave
Let's cook UNDER the microwave
Let's cook USING the microwave

All of the above - yes, they make sense...but...
Let's Cook Microwave - nope, I'm not getting it...