The Perfect Way to Melt Chocolate In the MicrowaveSkills
Adding a touch of melted chocolate to cookies, strawberries, pretzels, or marshmallows is an easy to way to elevate your favorite sweet (or salty) treat. But have you ever hastily tossed a bowl of chocolate into the microwave, set it to one minute, and come back to find burned bits of chocolate around the bowl and big clumps of chocolate unmelted? Oh, no? I guess that’s just me.
How to Shuck Corn in the MicrowaveSkills
Smarter, not harder.
Wait, Can You Microwave Paper Plates?Skills
Here’s what you need to know.
Can You Really Microwave Peeps?Skills
Here’s what actually happens if you do.
You Can (and Should) Eat Your Parmesan Rinds — Just Do This One Thing FirstSkills
Turns out a rind has so much more potential than flavoring soups and sauces.
The Best Ways to Reheat All Your LeftoversSkills
Here's a guide to help you figure out if you should reheat your food on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.
This Brilliant Butter-Softening Hack Will Change the Way You BakeSkills
No more melted mess in the microwave.
This 20-Second Garlic Peeling Trick Is Better than Any Other MethodSkills
No messy bowls. No bruised, sticky cloves.
May 11, 2021
I Tried That Stasher Bag Trick for Making Popcorn in the Microwave and It Really Works
I Tried It
This is my new go-to method for making popcorn.
Feb 24, 2021
Fact or Fiction? Exploding Water in the MicrowaveSkills
It’s practically an urban legend: a man heats water in the microwave for a cup of instant coffee. While taking the cup out of the microwave, he notices the water doesn’t have any bubbles…at which point, the water boils up and explodes, giving him burns on his face and hands. Is there any truth to this myth?Technically, and somewhat surprisingly, yes! Microwaves are specifically designed to heat water molecules and to heat them very rapidly.
Oct 20, 2020
Yes, You Can Toast Nuts in the Microwave — Here's HowSkills
It takes a fraction of the time!
Mar 2, 2020
7 Tips for Making Baked Apples in the MicrowaveSkills
It's so much faster and easier!
Oct 22, 2019
How To Warm Bread In the MicrowaveSkills
Ever since Mark Bittman’s article a little while ago on using your microwave, we’ve had that much-maligned appliance on our collective brain. Is it perhaps more energy-efficient? Should we consider it more often? We’ve talked about cleaning sponges and steaming broccoli in the microwave. One thing, though, that we almost never put in the microwave is bread. It ends up chewy and spongy.
May 3, 2019
10 Surprising Things You Can Cook in the MicrowaveSkills
We all know what a microwave is for, right? It’s for reheating leftovers and steaming broccoli. Yawn. If you’re going to give so much precious kitchen real estate to a microwave oven, you better make it work harder than that! Here are 10 more things you can do with your microwave, from making healthier potato chips to frothing milk foam for your latte.
May 2, 2019
The One Microwave Button You Should Never UseSkills
When you glance at your microwave and see that button that says “popcorn,” you may think that’s the one and only answer when cooking up a bag of the crowd-pleasing snack. I am here to tell you that it’s not. While it may look simple and innocent, it just doesn’t produce the ultimate bag of popcorn. Depending on your microwave, the button can either rely on sensor heat or simply have a preset cooking time. Also, the power level really isn’t that controlled.
May 1, 2019
5 Smart Tips for Better Microwave CookingSkills
There’s more to microwaving than piling food on a plate and pushing start. Microwaves are not just for reheating leftovers and boiling water; they can actually be a super-helpful (and healthy) tool for quick and efficient cooking — as long as they’re used properly. High power is not a catch-all setting for microwave cooking. Instead, get familiar with all the power settings on your microwave.
May 1, 2019
4 Microwave Shortcuts That Actually WorkSkills
A microwave can do more than just reheat last night’s dinner and make a bag of popcorn. In fact, it’s a more useful tool in the kitchen than most people think — and I am not just talking about the fact that you can bake cakes in mugs. In fact, there are a slew of tricks the microwave can do that save time and make things easier in the kitchen. Here are four of the best. Grab a lemon straight from the fridge and it’ll be too cold to squeeze out its juice efficiently.
May 1, 2019
You Should Put an Old Sock in the Microwave — Here’s WhySkills
I am sitting on my sofa right now, writing this, wearing a wool sweater, swaddled in a blanket, and I’m still freezing. My fingers, toes, and nose feel particularly arctic, and I dread leaving the house later to walk my dog. Yep, I’m one of those people: always cold. Like a heat-seeking missile, I will shamelessly and relentlessly navigate towards warmth, wherever and whenever I can. Here’s a neat hack I use to get through winter.
May 1, 2019
We’re Begging — Please Stop Microwaving Your Leftover FriesSkills
French fries are at their peak when they are almost too hot to eat. They’re crispy on the outside, with soft and fluffy insides, and coated with just enough fat and salt to make you come back for more at the risk of burning your mouth. While I’d like to pretend that leftover french fries simply do not not exist, I know too well that occasionally french fries must come home with us in small brown cardboard boxes, paper bags, or paper cups with high hopes of being eaten later.
Feb 9, 2018
5-Minute Freezer Side Dish: Corn with Turmeric & Black PepperSkills
You’re probably already familiar with topping frozen corn with the trio of soft butter, salt, and black pepper, but this version reaches into the spice cabinet to take it one step further. Go beyond the familiar bowl of corn by tossing in cracked black pepper for small crunchy bursts of heat and get a subtle, earthy bitterness from ground turmeric. It’s a small change from the side dish you’re used to and an easy way to keep dinner interesting.
Aug 29, 2016
Why Microwaving Eggplant Is Better than SaltingSkills
While I’m firmly on Team No Salt when it comes to prepping eggplant, there is one extra step that proves worthwhile for easier cooking and better-tasting eggplant — and it involves your microwave. Pre-cooking in the microwave is the same reason why some people opt to salt eggplant before cooking. Not only does microwaving prove to be a lot faster, but it also allows you much more control over seasoning the eggplant when you cook.
Jul 8, 2016
Can You Decrystallize Honey in the Microwave?Skills
I currently have no less than half a dozen jars of honey in my pantry. Yes, some might call that a bit of an addiction, but that hasn’t stopped my collection from growing. They’re all different varietals, from orange blossom to chestnut to even wild raspberry. I drizzle them on yogurt, stir them into cocktails, and bake with them. Over time, however, I’ve found some of my honey begins to crystalize in the jar.
Mar 13, 2016
The One Thing You Can Do for Smarter Microwave CookingSkills
I never thought I’d be saying this, but the microwave is an underappreciated appliance of convenience. Sure, it does the job faster than the oven or the stovetop, but it’s not just a tool for reheating and boiling. Your microwave has the power to cook and (even bake) quite well — as long as you take advantage of its most important feature. When it comes to stovetop cooking, there are rules.
Mar 11, 2016
5 Things You Should Never Reheat in the MicrowaveSkills
I’ve been without a microwave for the majority of my adult life, but when we moved into our current apartment a couple years ago, there was already one installed into the kitchen. While I was a bit put-off by it (I’d been a proud, anti-microwaving human after all!), my now-fiancé was elated — because as far as he was concerned, he could finally reheat food the easy way again.
Mar 11, 2016
5 Tips for Making a Fast Meal with the MicrowaveSkills
Take a walk through the freezer section at any grocery store and you’re likely find almost an entire aisle devoted to microwavable meals. From rice bowls to mac and cheese to lasagna — the options are endless. But even the ones that claim to be nutritious or healthful don’t beat an equally quick meal made at home with the aid of the microwave.
Mar 8, 2016
Does Microwaving a Lemon Really Give You More Juice?Skills
We’ve seen all sorts of tips for getting the most juice from citrus. Everything from the way it’s sliced, to rolling it on the counter, and now, even heating it in the microwave. So what does heat have to do with the juice in a lemon? And can a few seconds in the microwave really help you to get more juice out of this citrus?
Mar 7, 2016
Why Do Fatty Foods Seem to Reheat Faster in the Microwave?Skills
Ever notice that some fatty foods reheated in the microwave seem to heat up much faster and hotter than other foods? What gives? Recall that microwaves act mainly on water in food, causing the water molecules to vibrate and rotate, which heats up your food. Microwaves also affect fats and sugars, but to a much lesser extent than water. So fats should actually take longer to heat up because they are less affected by microwave radiation.
Dec 2, 2015
The Best Way to Keep Takeout Food Warm Until You’re Ready to EatSkills
I was visiting friends a few months ago and we decided to order takeout for dinner. After dinner showed up, though, we weren’t quite ready to eat since they were still putting their son to bed. My friend did something smart with the food to keep it warm — I was surprised at first, but now it’s a trick I use too! My friend immediately put the takeout food into the microwave, shut the door, and walked away.
Sep 9, 2015
5 Dorm Meals You Can Make in Your Microwave with Drugstore IngredientsSkills
College might feel like a free-for-all some days (okay, some nights and weekends, too), but it comes with a whole set of rules of its own — especially if you’re a budding cook who wants to escape the tyranny of cafeteria salad bars and dorm rules that forbid anything fun like a Hot Pot or toaster oven. (Although, as someone who regularly did the 2 a.m. fire alarm shuffle down four flights of stairs, I understand why that restriction is in place.
Aug 20, 2015
Is It Safe to Use Plastic Wrap in the Microwave?Skills
When cooking or reheating food in the microwave, you have a quite a few options — like paper towels, a plate, microwave-safe lids, or plastic wrap — for covering it. But is the last option, plastic wrap, actually safe to use in the microwave? If so, what’s the best way to do it? I like making sure my food’s covered in the microwave to both contain any possible splatter, as well as keep moisture in so the food doesn’t dry out.
Aug 11, 2015
For Less Greasy Pizza, Microwave Pepperoni FirstSkills
Confession: I’m a pizza blotter. I don’t always do it, but when I encounter especially greasy slices of pepperoni pizza, I grab a napkin and dab at those orange pools, finding a bit of satisfaction that the grease is now on the napkin and won’t end up in my stomach. But what if I told you that when you’re making pizza at home, you can remove some of the grease before you even put the pepperoni on the pizza? The magic lies in the microwave!
Jul 7, 2015
Ideas for Freezer Meals That Can Be Reheated in a Microwave?Skills
Q: Most options I find call for preparing the ingredients ahead of time, freezing, and then baking an entire casserole dish before eating.Sent by JulieEditor: Take a look at this round-up for some ideas:• 10 Freezer Meals for Busy NightsReaders, what are your favorite freezer meals?
Aug 23, 2013
Make Caramel Sauce In the Microwave In Less Than 10 MinutesSkills
There are few finer things in life than a homemade caramel sauce. It’s rich and sweet and just tastes like homemade love, doesn’t it? It’s a shame it dirties up pots and pans and takes forever to make. Well Ali has a different way of making it that takes less than 10 minutes and only dirties a single measuring cup! Woo-woo (that’s our victory noise)!It seems like there has to be an occasion to make homemade caramel sauce.
Feb 12, 2013
Tip from Christina Tosi: Brown Butter in the MicrowaveSkills
Browned butter is one of my all-time favorite flavors of fall cooking. I could eat any one of these recipes without being asked twice, and then lick the plate clean. Dangerously for me, and probably you, Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar has just made the process of browning butter a whole lot easier.I honed in immediately on this gem of a tip in Tosi’s new cookbook Momofuku Milk Bar. Here is a lady who knows when to put in the time and when to cut corners for the sake of efficiency.
Nov 16, 2011
How to Re-Heat Leftovers in the MicrowaveSkills
If you work in an office, chances are high that the only tool at your disposalThe best way to heat your food is to microwave in short one minute bursts and stir the food between each interval. If you’re heating something that can’t be stirred (like a calzone or leftover steak), try flipping it over or repositioning it on the plate.Microwaves tend to heat food unevenly.
Apr 12, 2010