Re: OT: Big Tupperware Sale (Modular Mates)

They work for me. Beans do really nicely - cauliflower - if you cut it into florets. I also do roasting in the regular oven - high temp, on parchment on a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil, and whatever seasonings strike my fancy. But, it does take longer. Very nutty kind of flavor develops. Great for root veggies, and cauliflower, sprouts - not so great for more delicate ones.

ellice

I think you're not quite so out there as my grandmother got. We did have quite the time cleaning out her place after she passed away. OTOH, during its heyday, my brother and I got her going because her only can opener was electric. We asked her what would happen in a hurricane, when you're typically out of electricity for some days. Wouldn't you know, on next visit, a manual can opener had appeared in the closets with shelves of food storage.

Ellcie

It's not just microwaving. Even foods cooked in a conventional or convection oven will do that. Their residual heat continues to cook the food. This is part of why when meat is roasted, or poultry, but especially beef/port - you take it out of the oven about 10 degrees below serving temperature, and let it rest. The temp will increase, and the meat sort of seals so that when you carve it all the juices don't run out. With poultry, that also keeps it from falling to shreds when you try to carve it.

When I take veggies out of the micro, I just immediately drain off the water to help reduce the continued cooking. And take them out when they're still bright so they don't get soggy.

Ellice

Also good for refreshing baked goods - quick, low heat. Great for just warming crusty bread. And blanching tomatoes, etc - quick and easy. I peel tomatoes this way all the time - just stick them in a cup of water, put in the nuker, keep an eye on it - takes maybe 45 secs, and they just pop the skin to split.

And, proofing dough - put a cup of water in- heat it to staeming - then leave the cup in the corner, and put the dough in to rest for its rise - the cup is enough to keep the oven slightly warm, and the dough rises nicely - as long as you don't need to use the micro.

Or softening butter. Or ice cream.

That is a great book - I have it - I think it's the one I got the micro clam sauce from.

Ah, another tidbit - 30 secs on high for a cellulose kitchen sponge will sanitize it! But, be careful taking it back out - HOT!

Ellice

Done things like zucchini, summer squash, crookneck - all fine. I nuke them with some cut-up onions, then take them out, drain, season. Also, great if you're going to do something with the winter squash and need to prep them. Cut in half, put face down in a pan, little water, cover with saran, and start cooking. They will soften - so if you're going to scoop to make soup do it just til soft enough. If to mash, or just eat as they are, cook til done, and scoop them out. Works really well.

Ellice

So, my mother was going to do acorn squash in the microwave for Thanksgiving, but she forgot (not an uncommon occurrence), so she put them in the fridge to cook the next day. Later that evening, she decided to make peanut brittle. She looked up a microwave recipe and discovered that she only had half the amount of peanuts called for. So she cut the recipe in half. But she forgot to cut the time in half.

Blew up the microwave.

Ok, actually, she only set it on fire. My brother, fool that he is, picked it up, and set it outside, where it burned itself out.

Anyway, the next day, she stuck the acorn squash in the oven to cook them. On the plastic microwave tray on which she had prepared them.

Plastic of that type melts in strings, apparently.

Elizabeth

OMG I'm not laughing, I am forgetting small time currently. I remembered on Xmas Day when #2 daughter asked me to pass the cranberry sauce that the dear cranberries were still in the freezer, not sauced. Your poor mother, hope she was not too distressed about it all.

She did ok with it. She was a little perturbed when more than one of her bratty kids gave her peanut brittle for Christmas though.

Elizabeth

On 1/13/09 7:41 PM, in article snipped-for-privacy@x8g2000yqk.googlegroups.com, " snipped-for-privacy@mindspring.com" wrote: SNIP>>

Oh my goodness, what a bunch of craziness.

DS once made a snack package of mac and cheese in the micro and forgot the water. Black smoke billowing, the fire detector wailing and oh the stench of burned pasta and dried cheese.

Micro survived though.

You didn't did you? I'd have opted to give her a squash - most likely a decorative one.

BTW - if you like peanut brittle, I found some tasty jalapeño peanut brittle. Just enough heat for a tingle among the sweet.

Speaking again from experience, it is a real trial to have bratty kids like that, maybe that accounts for our memory losses, it's all your faults !

Ack - something I've never done - I think they get rubbery. I will say, my newest "green" non-stick pan is phenomenal in that it heats evenly, and cleans in a snap.

Ellice

If I scramble them in a non stick pan, I find they have a sort of film on them. The nuker is great but you need to stand right there and keep checking every two or three seconds.

I use one of the pyrex ramekins, melt a little butter in it, then add eggs and mix up. Some say there must be a dash of milk added YMMV (personally if I am doing two eggs I use one egg white and two yolks) add pepper and salt then start nuker. On full power two eggs take less than a minute to be creamy and soft. I stop the nuker and stir maybe four times in that period.

Big key - do on parchment on the pan. Easiest clean-up ever, lift the parchment to pour onto plate, or into server, and then throw out. Quick wipe of pan.

Ellice

Brand?

Cheryl

I use my Sil-Pat.

Cheryl

Man am I in trouble then.....

Cheryl

Yeah, just wait lol

e"

I've forgotten which one Ellice got, but I bought mine at Target. I want to say it was a store brand? Can that be? And I think it's the best non-stick pan I've had yet. Been using mine since September and not a single mark on it.

Donna in Virgina