Did you know you can use a microwave to toast nuts and roast garlic? No? How about
making fruit and veggie chips? If not, here are some microwave uses you’ve been missing out on!
As good as bacon is, the hassle of frying it on the stove, with all its greasy spatter,
is sometimes enough to convince you to go vegetarian for breakfast.
Enter the microwave. Line a plate with paper towels, lay your bacon down, cover
with another paper towel, and cook on high for about five minutes. Depending on the thickness,
cooking time will vary, so keep an eye on it. Seriously, it really is that easy!
Sunday isn't the only time you can satisfy your craving for brunch fare.
A frittata is easy enough to make on a busy workday, thanks to the microwave. Grab a mug,
spray it with cooking spray, and crack an egg into it. Whisk it up with a little milk, salt,
and pepper, top it with whatever veggies and cooked breakfast meats that strike your fancy,
and nuke it for one minute. It doesn't get much easier than that.
The daily coffee habit can be a hit to the wallet, but you can use your microwave to
make a latte at home, complete with "steamed" milk and foam. Start with a shot of espresso or
strong coffee. Fill a mason jar halfway with two percent milk, put the lid on,
and shake vigorously until foamy for about one minute. Remove the lid, then microwave until warm.
Pour the milk into the espresso, then top with foam. Super cheap homemade latte, for the win!
How many times have you ruined a skillet full of nuts by walking away from the stove
and completely forgetting about it? If your answer is "always," then this trick's for you.
Avoid the whole possibility of burning nuts by microwaving them instead. Just cook them on a
microwave-safe plate at one-minute intervals, stirring after each minute to desired doneness.
While you could technically still burn them this way, you'd have to work pretty hard at it.
Okay, maybe microwaved eggs aren't your first choice,
but they sure can save the day if you're short on time.
Whether it's scrambled, sunny side-up, or poached, the microwave can do them all.
For scrambled, spray a bowl with cooking spray, then add eggs, a little milk,
salt, and pepper, and whisk. Microwave for one minute, then stir to break up the
eggs. If not cooked to desired doneness, cook at 30-second intervals until done.
For sunny-side up, microwave a plate for two minutes,
then add a half teaspoon of butter and let it melt. Break the egg onto the buttered plate,
pierce the yolk, then microwave for about 45 seconds, or until the white is set.
For poached, crack an egg into a bowl filled halfway with water. Cover the bowl with a plate,
then microwave for one minute. If the white isn't set, cook at 15-second intervals until it's done.
"Oh, a commercial break, I'm so hungry, what am I gonna fix? I got it!!"
Orville Redenbacher wouldn't want you to know this, but all
you really need to make microwave popcorn is a brown paper lunch bag.
Just dump in a quarter cup of kernels, fold the bag over a few times, and microwave it on high
until the popping slows. It should be about two minutes, though exact times will vary.
Add in a little olive oil or melted butter,
salt or other seasonings, shake, and voila! That's right — just two minutes to guilt-free
snacking, with none of those weird ingredients or worries that come with the pre-bagged stuff.
Toasting coconut may seem like an endless project,
and you can typically expect it to take way longer than the recipe says. Next time,
turn to your trusty microwave to make a tedious task go much quicker. Just spread the shredded
coconut evenly on a microwave-safe plate and zap it at 30-second intervals, tossing it each
time to ensure even cooking. Do this until the coconut reaches your desired level of toastiness,
then try to restrain yourself from eating it all before you use it for your recipe.
Nobody will argue with the fact that it's super easy to roast garlic in an oven.
Still, it does take a good amount of time, and sometimes we don't have the better part of an
hour to spend on that one component of a recipe.
Here's where your microwave comes in. Just slice off the top, season with salt and pepper, and add
to a bowl with a little olive oil and water. Cover and microwave for about seven minutes.
It's the same process as oven-roasting, but your garlic is done so much faster.
If you're having a cookout and already have the grill fired up, roasting corn on the cob
is no big deal. But if the craving strikes and there's no grill in sight, it's the microwave
to the rescue. Just toss the whole thing in and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes. The corn steams in
its own nature-provided package for a perfectly cooked cob. Add salt, butter, and you're done.
An overabundant herb garden isn't the worst problem to have,
but you can only use so much rosemary in any given recipe. What to do? Dry
it in the microwave. This technique is especially effective for heartier herbs,
like thyme, oregano, and rosemary, which retain their flavor well. You can dry more
delicate varieties like basil and parsley, but expect a more dramatic loss of flavor.
Just line a plate with paper towels, arrange the herbs in a single layer,
then top with another paper towel. Start with one minute on high, then check to see if they are
dry and brittle. If not, continue microwaving at 20- to 30-second intervals until completely dry.
Then pat yourself on the back for not throwing away yet more unused herbs.
It can be a pain finding room for all those small appliances, kitchen gadgets, and gizmos we can't
live without, but the microwave can do the work of a food dehydrator when it comes to homemade chips.
Thinly slice the fruit or veggies, then place the slices on a plate lined with parchment paper.
Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
Start with 2-3 minutes, then continue at one-minute intervals until done.
For best results, cook one thing at a time, as different veggies dehydrate at different times.
Score one for healthy homemade snacks — and decorations — in minutes.
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