Cory's tip of the day

[Westside]

Pics?

 

[7th Stepper]

butter will do the same thing. NEVER put a stick of butter in the microwave to soften it for more than 10 or 15 seconds at a time. You can do it multiple times, and for less time with each successive attempt. Apparently if you try to do it all at once, the butter WILL EXPLODE and cover the inside of the microwave.

Dont ask me how I know.

Ah comeon......I nuke butter all the time, for dipping artichokes in, using as a sauce with garlic to dip the steaks in, even when making cookies, cakes, etc., anything that requires "softened butter" (or margarine) I nuke it instead. The secret is to make sure you cover it and keep an eye on it. Let it reach the bubbling part, then take it out immediately. Works just fine, I've been doing it for years....... However, NEVER forget to put the water in the bowl when cooking Ramen Noodles. I did that one morning (I was still half asleep) and set the whole damned thing on fire. Thankfully they're pretty fireproof and it put itself out.

But that was a great story, and I know the look your wife had on her face, I've had that same look a few times when the hubby person was first learning to cook. I still complain if he doesn't cover what he's cooking with the cover made for the microwave, or pop the lid a bit to allow for excess steam in the container he's using. One must do the latter, or the vacuum caused by the steam will suck it inside out. Ruins the whole lid! You did give me a good laugh tho, thanks!

PS: When cooking I never save the meat grease, (except bacon, and we bake that, the bacon slices stay straight and cook more evenly) unless I'm cooking something in the same pan that requires the same flavor the meat has, then I just leave it in the pan and scoop out the meat with a slotted spoon. It's good for making gravy as well. Otherwise I usually just dump it down the drain while running hot water to help it flush all the way thru. For those who're diet conscious, or have cholesterol problems, after frying the hamburger or sausage (and this ONLY works on hamburger and sausage) put it in a metal strainer of some sort, one with very small, mesh, holes, and run scalding water over it. It won't hurt the meat flavor, but it will remove the rest of the fat still on it. DON'T run the water into the hot pan, the grease will explode all over you. And be careful when nuking baked potatoes, poke a huge amount of holes in the potato so it won't explode. Same goes for trying to make stale crackers, cookies, etc., fresh again. The box will catch on fire, it'll ruin your microwave, and make your house stink for days! A friend of mine did that and learned that lesson the hard way!

 

[phylodog]

I never pour grease down the sink. Even the hottest tapwater is going to be cooled quickly by the pipes as the water & grease go through them and I don't want it to coagulate in the pipes and cause a probem. That's my theory and may not be the case but I live on a slab so if something bad were to happen it's going to cost me a lot of money to repair a pipe.

 

[7th Stepper]

Yea, we live on a slab foundation, and the idiot who built our house put all the heating/AC ducts underneath the slab. Makes it impossible to remove or fix them, esp because the ducts he used were/are substandard and have developed leaks. Occasionally if it rains to hard, our ducts flood and Bill has to suck out the water with the ShopVac. Royal PITA! Plus we get critters at various times in the year, we once had a "vole" (looks like a cute little mouse with a stubby nose) climb up the drain pipe we keep in the one we suck the water out of, and get into the house. Drove the dogs nuts. We caught it, put it in a shoe box and fed it mealy worms till we could bring it to the Wildcat Wild Animal Rescue. Poor thing died first. I insure against grease backup by running a disposal cleaner thru our pipes on a regular basis, it really flushes them out quite well. Another no-no, never put artichoke leaves down the garbage disposal, it'll clog your pipes with what basically looks and feels like grass. Poor Bill had to take the entire thing apart and dig the strings out a bit at a time. Grean onions (or any onions for that matter) don't work well either, they do the shred thing as well. Raw meat is ok, just watch out for small bones and the cartilage from regular bones, and chicken bones tend to stop it up and freeze the blades until you can pry it out. I once ran a dish rag down it, was scooping out bits and pieces for days. UGG! But the only problem we've ever had with the sewer system or pipes is when our daughter flushed some baby wipes, as well as a few papertowels down the toilet. Feminine products don't flush well either.

Gee Clay, see all the useful info your post is generating! Whod'a thunk!

 

[HeadlessRoland]

never put grapes in the microwave. or thermite.

 

[7th Stepper]

Ok, the thermite I can understand, but why not grapes? Besides, warm/hot grapes are yucky!

 

[jbombelli]

Don't put light bulbs in there, either.

 

[Clay]

Now, CDs, THOSE are COOL in the microwave!!!!!!!!! They stink, but its fun to watch!

 

[printcraft]

Don't put light bulbs in there, either.

Small fluorescent tubes are neat in the micro.

NEW THREAD IDEA:

What have you put in a microwave besides food stuff??

 

[public servant]

What have you put in a microwave besides food stuff??

Are cats a food item?

 

[7th Stepper]

Are cats a food item?

Oh you rotten little brat! May the fleas of 10,000 camels infest your armpits! NO, cats are NOT food items!

 

[hardtrailz400]

They are if you are hungry enough.

 

[7th Stepper]

They are if you are hungry enough.

In that case.....I hope you hork up a hairball!

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Ok, the thermite I can understand, but why not grapes? Besides, warm/hot grapes are yucky!

Apparently they arc. Not sure if they're okay whole, but if you cut them into quarters and lay it out like a compass rose you'll get arcing the whole time, and it could destroy the magnetron in it, if not downright catch on fire. I didn't believe it either at first but there are a few videos out there. Thermite is obvious, Grapes probably aren't as obvious though. funny though.

 

[jeremy]

Now, CDs, THOSE are COOL in the microwave!!!!!!!!! They stink, but its fun to watch!

LOL! Reminds me of a Funny Story...

My Office used to share a wall with the Break Room. My desk on my side of the wall the Microwave and 'Fridge for the Break Room on the other side. Took me 2 weeks to figure out why my CDs and DVDs kept being rendered blank...

Are cats a food item?

Why certainly and quite tasty at that...

May the fleas of 10,000 camels infest your armpits!

Not really as bad as you think it sounds...
Now the Fleas in the crotch is another matter entirely...

NO, cats are NOT food items!

Yes they are, along with Dogs, and Horses...

 

[Suprtek]

I think my wife did something similar the other day when cooking some ground beef. She had already cooked it and had it set aside while she did some other things. She let it set longer than she wanted and it got cold so she set back on the stove to warm it up. It had only been there for a few minutes and just as she was about to stir it...KABLOOM!!! Ground beef was all over the kitchen and it was LOUD! Luckily no one was burned but it was a mess. The dog was happy though. I'm assuming a pocket of grease was still liquid in the bottom of the pan but the grease cooled around the outside sealing it in. If she would have stirred it first, I'm sure it wouldn't have happened.