Domestic disaster - microwave meal ideas required

[FrayedKnot]

Got a bit over zealous with the spring cleaning this morning and dropped the front of the cooker hood onto the ceramic hob.

Insurance company not even there until Mon am and then who knows how long to get it replaced. cannot use oven either as have had to turn off power.

We had to go and buy a microwave because we didn;t even have one (didn;t bother to replace old when when it broke as didn;t use it that much).

And now, need to think of some proper meals (apart from jacket potatoes) that can be microwaved. Can I do a casserole? Soup?

Also think one pot type ideas would be better as cooking each individual element of a meal separately will take forever.

Help, anyone?!

just a microwave, no grill/oven?

Go out and buy a slow cooker as well

Just looked and yes, still have a very old microwave cooking book that came with an old microwave. Am just looking through and it's got loads like:

Minestrone Soup
Mince Goulash
Crispy Macaroni Beef
Liver & Onions
Savoury Mince with Mushrooms and Broad Beans
Sweet and sour pork
Stew & Dumplings
Lancashire Hot Pot
Madras Curry
Bulgarian Lamb Casserole
Barbecued Lamb
Brunswick Stew

all sorts of others but this sounded more like what you were after - bung in a pot stuff.

Not sure what they would taste like. Let me know if you want any recipes!

argos have slowcooker on sale for £9.99 well worth it as you can at least do casseroles etc then

Yes HellyBelly that's teh sort of thing I need. Could you possibly post a stew / casserole recipe - any would do, can always adapt - just to get an idea of cooking time and power etc.

Can't bear the thought of tough meat.

Yes Prufrock had thought of that, in fact, maybe should ahve got one instead of microwave as I do make quite a lot of casseroles. If insurance company say they will definitely pay then may consider next week depending on how long it will be before we get new hob.

ok, brb!

Got to get ds ready for bed in a mo so let me know if you need any more and I'll do them later!

The settings in this book say the following. Remember this book is old so before we had 800w microwaves etc. I personally think it's better to use lower settings anyway!

HIGH - 600w
MEDIUM - 480w
LOW - 360w

If you don't have lower wattage, I imagine you can just adjust the timings (i.e. if it says 1hr for 400w then do for half hour on 800w) - tbh, I've know idea as I don't cook from mine.

Stew & Dumplings (power select: high-simmer, total 90 mins)

750g (1½lb) stewing steak, diced
3x15ml (3 tbsps) seasoned flour
2 onions skinned and sliced
3 carrots pared and sliced
Salt & Pepper
1x396g (14 oz) can tomatoes
450ml (¾ pt) beef stock

Dumplings:

100 g (4 oz) self raising flour
50g (2oz) suet
pinch salt
water to mix

1. Toss meat in seasoned flour. put all ingredients into casserole dish. place a small plate on top of meat & veg to keep them under the gravy. cover the dish with a lid and cook on HIGH for 10 mins then reduce the power to simmer and cook for a further 80 mins. stir once and top up with stock if necessary.

2. in a bowl mix together the ingredients for the dumplings and add enough water to make firm dough. divide dough into 2.5cm (1") balls and drop into cooked stew. heat on HIGH for 5-6 mins or until the dumplings are cooked through.

Lancashire Hot Pot (power select: LOW, 1 hour approx)

8 neck lamb chops
300ml (½ pt) stock
salt & pepper
225g (8oz) onions, sliced
450g (1lb) potatoes

1. arrange the chops on base of a casserole dish and season lightly. cover with onions and pour over the stock

2. arrange potatoes in an overlapping pattern on top

3. brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika or microwave browning. cover the dish with a lid and cook on LOW for 1 hour.

HTH

Ah brilliant HellyBelly thank you!

I'll try it on Monday. Think we will probably go out for lunch tomorrow!

can't believe I am on post Xmas diet and had bought loads of stuff for stir fries - just about the only thing you definitely can't cook in a microwave I should think!

Believe it or not just about the only thing I have ever actually cooked (discounting heating things up) in a microwave has been stir fry. Cut out a piece of greaseproof paper and put on a plate. Get some straight to wok noodles, some prepared stir fry veg a chicken breast or salmon fillet (or just another helping of veg if you don't want meat of any type), one of those Straight to Wok sauces in the sachet or just splash some soy sauce on. Pile the food onto the greaseproof paper (if cooking for more than one these need done in individual portions) and bring up the greaseproof paper so it is wrapped up like a little parcel (so it steams away inside), bung in the microwave, now this is the bit where things get sketchy, might be 5 mins, might be 8 mins not 100% but whichever if you are using chicken make sure the chicken is properly cooked.

Haven't done this for a few years but it does make a nice stirfry, honest.

The chicken/salmon needs cut up.

I found this site when my oven blew up last year , plus I bought a book from Amazon which kept me going. It is actually amazingly easy to cook in the microwave and scrambled eggs are transformed for me now - no more pan scraping! I am sure i started a thread asking for help, will do a search.

Mrs Spoon that sounds really good, will definitely try it.

It's all trial & error anyway as microwave is new and didn't come with any cook book like they used to!

Milge will have a look. Thanks!

Ah you didn;t tell me it had CAKE recipes on it!

Au revoir cher diet.

Aaaaaaghhh.

Insurance company is sending round assessors who aren;t even coming til Friday, their report will be sent out "within 5 working days" so realistically am going to without hob and oven for at least 3 weeks I reckon, if not longer.

Hope the stew turns out OK tonight!

Dont worry too much Frayed. I did exactly the same thing to my ceramic hob, I had a cupboard above it and a heavy can or jar of something fell out and went straight through the middle of it. The insurance company paid up no probs.

Not sure why you cant use the oven tho it should still work ok. Did the insurance co. tell you to switch off the power, might be worth asking the manufacturer.