Things you can do with a microwave oven

By GratefulSea

Ingredients

• Get more juice from citrus fruit...
• 10 warm a lemon, lime, or orange before squeezing by hand or using a juicer - Heat on full power for about 10 seconds.
• Plump and soften raisins and other dried fruit ...
• 30 to 40 in a small bowl; sprinkle with water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on full power for 30 to 40 seconds.
• Peel peaches or tomatoes...
• to water into a deep microwavable bowl or a glass measuring cup. Bring to a boil. Drop tomatoes or peaches in the water for only a few seconds each. The skin will loosen and peel off easily.
• Make applesauce....
• Dry fresh herbs..
• Peel onions...
• 1 to 2 a covered microwave-safe plate and cook for 1 to 2 minutes at full power.
• Remove outer skin from garlic cloves...
• 80% 30 to in a custard cup and microwave at 80% power for 30 seconds. Allow the cloves to cool enough so you can handle them, then lift away the skin.
• Blanch fresh vegetables before freezing ...
• Make refrigerated butter or margarine spreadable...
• 1 20 50% of butter or margarine for 20 seconds at 50% power.
• Melt butter, margarine or solid shortening...
• 1 1/2 45 to 1 or margarine or 1/2 cup of shortening on full power for 45 seconds to 1 minute .
• to refrigerated cream cheese to use in a recipe...
• to 8 50% 1-1/2 to 2 at room temperature first. Unwrap an 8 oz. package of cream cheese and microwave at 50% power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
• to rock-hard ice cream easier to scoop...
• 30 to full half gallon container for 30 seconds on full power to soften it just enough for scooping.
• Toast coconut...
• 2 to 3 to thin layer on a microwave safe pie plate or on a paper plate. Microwave on full power for 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Watch closely to prevent over-browning.
• Blanch almonds...
• to to 30 water until it begins to boil. Place almonds in a separate cup. Add enough boiling water to cover the almonds and then microwave on full power for 30 seconds. Drain and rub off the almond skins.
• Toast sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sliced or slivered almonds....
• Melt caramel...
• 7 1 1- 1/2 to 2-1/2 to 30 bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water. Microwave, uncovered, on full power for 1- 1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes, stopping to stir every 30 seconds or until the caramel is melted and smooth.
• Melt baking chocolate...
• Make smooth sauces and gravies...
• Click on the picture below for a simple recipe for a basic white sauce and cheese sauce made in a microwave oven.
• Soften brown sugar...
• 20 hardened brown sugar in a plastic bag. Add a slice of soft white bread or about a quarter of a fresh apple. Close the bag tightly and microwave on full power for 20 seconds. Discard the bread or apple and stir the sugar.
• Liquefy honey that has crystallized and hardened...
• 50% to 15 power, stopping to check at 15 second intervals. Crystallized honey will liquefy quickly. Total time depends on the amount and the condition of the honey.
• Heat pancake and waffle syrup...
• 35 to 45 bottle of syrup or a filled syrup pitcher in the microwave. Microwave on full power, usually for only 35 to 45 seconds, depending on the amount of syrup.
• Make croutons and dry breadcrumbs...
• 4 5 to 7 bread cubes or bread crumbs for 5 to 7 minutes at full power.
• Soften tortillas...
• 3 to 4 15 to 25 to 4 corn or flour tortillas in waxed paper. Microwave on full power for 15 to 25 seconds.
• Freshen chips and snack crackers...
• Microwave, uncovered, for about one minute on full power.
• Cook healthier bacon...
• Use a microwave bacon grill designed so that fats drains away as the meat cooks.
• By using a microwave oven for what it does best, in combination with other cooking methods, you can streamline meal preparation.
• Reduce grill time by at least half.
• Pre-cook chicken, ribs or chops in the microwave in minutes, then finish it on a hot grill.
• For a quick, homemade spaghetti dinner, cook the sauce in the microwave oven while the pasta cooks on the stove. Click Here for a microwave spaghetti sauce recipe.
• Remove splatters and odors from your microwave oven...
• to 5 juice and peel of one lemon to a small bowl of water. Heat on full power for 5 minutes, then wipe the oven interior with damp cloth.

Preparation

Step 1

GET MORE JUICE FROM CITRUS FRUIT.
Gently warm a lemon, lime, or orange before squeezing by hand or using a juicer - Heat on full power for about 10 seconds.
Plump and soften raisins and other dried fruit ...
Place the fruit in a small bowl; sprinkle with water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on full power for 30 to 40 seconds.

PEEL PEACHES OR TOMATOES
Pour water into a deep microwavable bowl or a glass measuring cup. Bring to a boil. Drop tomatoes or peaches in the water for only a few seconds each. The skin will loosen and peel off easily.

MAKE APPLESAUCE
For 4 to 6 servings - wash, core, and quarter two pounds of apples. Do not peel. Use MacIntosh, Jonathan, Empire, Cortland or a mixture of these varieties. Microwave in a covered, 3-quart glass casserole on full power for 12 to 14 minutes. Process in a food mill for smooth applesauce. While it's still warm, add some brown sugar and a little cinnamon.

DRY FRESH HERBS
Lay a small bunch of fresh herbs between paper towels . Microwave on full power for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool, then check to see if they are dry enough to crumble. If not, continue to microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until the herbs are completely dried. Store in an airtight container.

PEEL ONIONS
Place onions on a covered microwave-safe plate and cook for 1 to 2 minutes at full power.
Remove outer skin from garlic cloves...
Put the cloves in a custard cup and microwave at 80% power for 30 seconds. Allow the cloves to cool enough so you can handle them, then lift away the skin.

BLANCH FRESH VEGETABLES BEFORE FREEZING
Prepare the vegetables as desired - wash, chop, peel, slice, etc. - then place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a small amount of water, cover, and microwave on full power for 3 to 4 minutes per pound, stopping to stir and re-arrange halfway through. Drain, then immediately plunge the hot vegetables into ice cold water to quickly cool. Drain again, then pack the vegetables in zippered storage bags and freeze.

MAKE COLD BUTTER/MARGARINE SPREADABLE
Microwave 1 stick of butter or margarine for 20 seconds at 50% power.
Melt butter, margarine or solid shortening...
Microwave 1 stick of butter or margarine or 1/2 cup of shortening on full power for 45 seconds to 1 minute .


SOFTEN CREAM CHEESE TO USE IN A RECIPE
No need to let it stand at room temperature first. Unwrap an 8 oz. package of cream cheese and microwave at 50% power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.


MAKE ROCK-HARD ICE CREAM EASIER TO SCOOP
Microwave a full half gallon container for 30 seconds on full power to soften it just enough for scooping.

TOAST COCONUT
Spread coconut in a thin layer on a microwave safe pie plate or on a paper plate. Microwave on full power for 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Watch closely to prevent over-browning.

BLANCH ALMONDS
Microwave a cup water until it begins to boil. Place almonds in a separate cup. Add enough boiling water to cover the almonds and then microwave on full power for 30 seconds. Drain and rub off the almond skins.

TOAST SESAME SEEDS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, PUMPKIN SEEDS, SLICED OR SLIVERED ALMONDS
Place a layer of seeds or nuts on a microwave safe plate that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Microwave seeds for 3 to 4 minutes on full power and nuts for 3 to 5 minutes on full power. Stop to toss gently or stir often. Brown very lightly since they will continue to darken as they cool.

MELT CARAMEL
Place 7 oz. of unwrapped caramels in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water. Microwave, uncovered, on full power for 1- 1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes, stopping to stir every 30 seconds or until the caramel is melted and smooth.

MELT BAKING CHOCOLATE
Place one or two squares at a time, each broken in half, in a microwave safe cup. Microwave, uncovered, on 50% power for 2 to 3 minutes. After the first minute, stop to stir and check it about every 20 seconds As soon as most of the chocolate is melted, stir to finish. Even a slight amount or excess time can cause scorching.


MAKE SMOOTH SAUCES AND GRAVIES
Click on the picture below for a simple recipe for a basic white sauce and cheese sauce made in a microwave oven.


SOFTEN BROWN SUGAR
Place hardened brown sugar in a plastic bag. Add a slice of soft white bread or about a quarter of a fresh apple. Close the bag tightly and microwave on full power for 20 seconds. Discard the bread or apple and stir the sugar.


LIQUEFY HONEY THAT'S CRYSTALLIZED OR HARDENED
Microwave at 50% power, stopping to check at 15 second intervals. Crystallized honey will liquefy quickly. Total time depends on the amount and the condition of the honey.


HEAT PANCAKE SYRUP
Place an uncapped bottle of syrup or a filled syrup pitcher in the microwave. Microwave on full power, usually for only 35 to 45 seconds, depending on the amount of syrup.

MAKE CROUTONS AND DRY BREADCRUMBS
Microwave 4 cups of bread cubes or bread crumbs for 5 to 7 minutes at full power.

SOFTEN TORTILLAS
Loosely wrap a stack of 3 to 4 corn or flour tortillas in waxed paper. Microwave on full power for 15 to 25 seconds.

FRESHEN CHIPS AND CRACKERS
Microwave, uncovered, for about one minute on full power.

COOK HEALTHIER BACON
Use a microwave bacon grill designed so that fats drains away as the meat cooks.

By using a microwave oven for what it does best, in combination with other cooking methods, you can streamline meal preparation.
Reduce grill time by at least half.
Pre-cook chicken, ribs or chops in the microwave in minutes, then finish it on a hot grill.

For a quick, homemade spaghetti dinner, cook the sauce in the microwave oven while the pasta cooks on the stove. Click Here for a microwave spaghetti sauce recipe.

REMOVE SPLATTERS AND ODORS FROM MICROWAVE
Add the juice and peel of one lemon to a small bowl of water. Heat on full power for 5 minutes, then wipe the oven interior with damp cloth.