Say hello to our favorite new kitchen tool! Seriously! We were skeptical when a friend first gave us a set of these microwave cooking covers, but they have quickly gone into daily use in our kitchen. Ironically, the place we most use them is not in the microwave.
These cooking covers are marketed as an alternative to using plastic wrap or paper towels when re-heating foods in the microwave. They allow steam to vent and prevent liquids from splattering. They come in three different sizes, are non-toxic and FDA approved, and can be put in the dishwasher.
We've found that these covers make a good substitute for plastic wrap in a lot of other places too. We've been using the largest one to cover bowls of rising bread dough and to keep prepared foods like rice and veggies warm until dinner is served. We've also used them to steam red peppers right after roasting until the skin loosens.
These covers will also come in handy during picnic season to keep bugs and leaves out of dishes!
Do you own a set of these covers? How do you use them?
Order Your Own Set! Microwave Cooking Covers, Set of 4, $6.99 from Amazon.com
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(Images: Emma Christensen)
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These look great! I hate using plastic wrap in the microwave and for such a low price I'm definitely going to try them out.
What are they made of? Plastic wrap is dangerous to use in the microwave because it off-gases. These things look plastic to me. How can they be non-toxic if you microwave them?
I'll stick to paper towels, glass lids, and microwave-safe plates, thanks.
it makes me shudder to think that some people use plastic wrap in the microwave. Leaching chemicals... I cover my bowls with a plate.
I echo the sentiments of other posters. I'd love to hear that these were actually safe and not leaching chemical into food. :)
yeah, I don't put ANY plastic in the microwave. not even things that claim to be microwave safe.
I find it ironic that you're promoting these while one is shown in the photo on a metal bowl!
westurtle, I think that fits in with her point that they work for lots of other things too. Perhaps that's a pic of them actually in use? (Though the metal makes it hard to tell what it is being used for outside the microwave.)
Errr... I think you guys may be missing the whole point of the post? She said that these are also good for a whole bunch of other things. I especially like the picnic cover/rising bread cover applications. There's no need to waste plastic wrap on that stuff if you don't have to.
My mother was very obsessed with always used a square of Wax paper and it gets thrown away when its too dirty.
now that I'm living on my own with roommates its hard to control what others do and my microwave always gets really dirty.
These might help.
The description says: lightweight FDA approved plastic that is washable, reusable, and will never sag or melt.
i can only assume since the world knows about bad plastic that this would be okay to heat up.
Wow, these comments are like the sad results of a reading comprehension quiz.
I should get some of these for my mother-in-law. She cooks everything in the micorwave and covers everything with plastic wrap. There is just something about seeing that plastic wrap come out of the microwave vacuumed to my food that I can't handle...
I personally just use an inverted plate as a cover.
I ditched paper towels last year and as a result have had to find another method for covering stuff in the micro. I use an inverted plate now too and it usually works quite well.
I remember years of my mom cooking chicken in the microwave covered by plastic wrap.... was tasty then but I do wonder if we are living with some residual bits of plastic nasties now.
In regards to the OTHER way these microwave covers are used...these (below) are my favorite re-usable covers for fridge bowls. I LOVE the one I got from the Martha Stewart collection at Macy's, but I don't think they're selling them anymore. I did see something similar at Sur La Table. They suction right onto the tops of just about any bowl! LOVIT!
http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/kuhn_rikon_magiccover_magic_cover_kuhnrikon_silicone_bowl_lids.aspx
I might give these a try (for my husband to use), but I thought everyone used wax paper. Cheap and biodegradable.
I just use a small ceramic plate. Then i rinse and put it back. easy-peasy.
I have a square silicone pot-holder I use if the bowl is small enough - which it usually is. I'm not a huge microwave user.
I have a set of these covers, and I find them very useful for when I cut a cake in two!
After I cut the cake, I simply slide the cover in between the top and bottom to separate the cake with ease. Then I just slide the cake back on top when I finish frosting the middle. It works like a charm!
Does anyone else have alternative uses for the covers?
Ditto on the inverted kitchen plate...mulit-functional, reuseable, cleanable and safe. I use a glass sauce pan lid to cover fermenting dough, an inverted bowl for microwaving or a plate. Have you ever tried to scrap melted plastic out of a microwave???? Lesson learned.