Some people think cooking in microwaves cannot yield delicious and wholesome food. And, while I am not typically a fan of the machine, I find it has some serious advantages over other cooking methods beyond the obvious steaming vegetables, reheating leftovers, or popping popcorn (which I never do -- I'm a hot air popcorn kind of gal, thank you very much!).
I hereby present to you my four favorite, not commonly known, microwave hacks for easy-peasy, fast, and simple delights. You're welcome.😊
Easy-peel corn on the cob. Hate peeling corn before cooking and dealing with all the mess? Hate waiting forever for the big pot of water to boil just to cook a few ears of corn? Well, let me share with you this trick, which I learned from my sister-in-law. Simply take your corn, still in the husk, and place on the microwave turntable (or on a plate in there). If your husks are too long to keep the turntable going around, break your cobs so they fit. For most microwaves, cook on high for 2 minutes per ear. Then, take the hot corn to a cutting board and cut off the bottom, a little above where the kernels start (yes, there is some waste). If it is very hard to cut through, it means your corn needs more time, so add another minute and try again. Once cut, grab (using an oven mitt) the pointy top of the corn, and push (coax) the cob downward, sliding it out from the hole at the bottom (where you cut it). The corn, with virtually none of the silk, will slide out clean and be ready to enjoy. For more than 6 ears, I recommend cooking in boiling water, but for smaller quantities, this is a deal changer!
Fast and easy nachos. If you weren't aware, and for reasons I can't explain, nuking tortilla chips does NOT make them soggy! So, if you want quick nachos, place chips on a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle on (liberally or not) shredded cheese, and nuke for 30 seconds or until the cheese melts. Add whatever toppings you want. Aside from traditional nachos, I make a very dumbed-down variation on chilaquiles -- nachos with fried eggs and salsa verde, and it is a fan favorite.
Poached eggs. FYI, you can make pretty respectable poached eggs in a mug in the microwave. Simply take a microwave-safe mug, add some water (enough to encase a raw egg), crack an egg, add some salt and pepper if desired, cover completely with a (microwave-safe) plate, and zap on high for 30 seconds. Check to see if the egg white is cooked through. If not, continue to microwave in 10-second increments. Obviously, wait several seconds before removing the lid to check, as steam can escape quickly and powerfully, even after a very short amount of cooking time. Have a slotted spoon handy as well as a piece of toast or salad or whatever you want to top with your poached egg. Fast, easy, no mess.
Heating chocolate and butter for baking. Oftentimes, chocolate recipes call for the baker to melt chocolate with butter over a double boiler (so you don't burn the chocolate). Well, I am here to tell you that using a microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate and butter works fine. For one stick (cut into pieces) of butter and 4 ounces of chocolate (cut into small pieces), nuke for 2 minutes. Whisking after always yields me as well an incorporated mixture as mixing over a double boiler.
Do you have any great microwave cooking hacks or tricks to share? If so, please comment with them!
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